Laura Sanders

Laura Sanders

Senior Writer, Neuroscience

Laura Sanders reports on neuroscience for Science News. She wrote Growth Curve, a blog about the science of raising kids, from 2013 to 2019 and continues to write about child development and parenting from time to time. She earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she studied the nerve cells that compel a fruit fly to perform a dazzling mating dance. Convinced that she was missing some exciting science somewhere, Laura turned her eye toward writing about brains in all shapes and forms. She holds undergraduate degrees in creative writing and biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she was a National Merit Scholar. Growth Curve, her 2012 series on consciousness and her 2013 article on the dearth of psychiatric drugs have received awards recognizing editorial excellence.

All Stories by Laura Sanders

  1. Neuroscience

    Sunbathing may boost endorphins in the body and brain

    UV light makes mice churn out a molecule that is a cousin of morphine and heroin, a finding that may explain why some people seek out sunshine.

  2. Neuroscience

    Stress hormone kicks brain cells into gear

    Norepinephrine, a stress hormone, wakes up cells called astroglia, possibly shifting brain into vigilant state.

  3. Neuroscience

    Visualization offers view of a nerve cell’s dispatch center

    To get a closer look at how messages move in the brain, researchers created a 3-D visualization that provides a clearer view of how nerve cells communicate.

  4. Neuroscience

    Brain signal reappears after ADHD symptoms fade

    In adults who no longer have ADHD, brain synchrony appears.

  5. Health & Medicine

    If timing’s right, cats and roaches may be good for kids’ allergies

    Exposure to mice, roaches and cats before a child’s first birthday may confer protection against asthma and allergies, a new study suggests.

  6. Neuroscience

    Crayfish get anxious, too

    After receiving a shock, crayfish act anxious, avoiding brightly lit areas.

  7. Neuroscience

    Rats feel regret, experiment finds

    When they turn down a good meal for a lesser one, rodents regret their choice, a study suggests.

  8. Neuroscience

    Stem cell approach for Parkinson’s disease gets boost

    Postmortem study finds Parkinson’s patients can retain transplanted neurons for years.

  9. Neuroscience

    Sleep strengthens some synapses

    Mice show signs of stronger neuron connections when allowed to sleep after learning a trick.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Your baby: The ultimate science experiment

    Babies may be serious scientists, but parents can join the fun by trying some simple experiments with their kids.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Brain’s support cells play role in hunger

    Once considered just helpers for neurons, astrocytes sense the hormone leptin and can change mice’s appetites.

  12. Neuroscience

    Legalization trend forces review of marijuana’s dangers

    Marijuana legalization advocates tout pot’s medicinal benefits and low addictiveness, while critics point to its neurological dangers. Research shows that the reality is somewhere in the middle.