A Welcome From Behind The Synapse
A neuroscience student’s reflection on uncertainty, adolescence, and neurodevelopment
I didn’t expect to find myself when I first started studying neuroscience. I thought I was learning about systems and synapses—about other people’s brains. But over time, I realized that many of the questions I was exploring were ones I’d quietly carried with me since middle school.
Why does fear of the unknown feel so heavy?
Why do we assume that uncertainty means something is wrong?
And why, even when things turn out okay, does not knowing still leave a pit in our stomach?
It turns out, there’s a scientific reason, and it actually makes a lot of sense.
The Adolescent Brain Isn’t Broken. It’s Rebuilding.
During adolescence, our brains are literally under construction. The parts responsible for emotion and threat detection (like the amygdala) are fully active. But the prefrontal cortex—the area that helps us plan, regulate impulses, and see the bigger picture—is still developing well into our twenties.
That’s why things like uncertainty, change, or risk can feel way more intense during our teenage years. It’s not just “being dramatic”—it’s how the brain is wired at that stage of life.
But here’s what’s even more incredible: this is also the time when the brain is most flexible. Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change, grow, and adapt—is at one of its highest points during adolescence. So yes, the unknown can be scary, but it’s also the space where growth happens fastest.
What This Has to Do With My Work
Over the past few years, I’ve tried to combine my love for neuroscience with my experiences working in global health, music therapy, and youth education. Whether I’m volunteering in clinics or researching how music impacts people with neurological disorders, one theme keeps coming up: uncertainty is everywhere.
But so is possibility.
That’s what inspired me to start Synaptic Shift, a nonprofit focused on brain equity and education—and why I launched this blog, Behind the Synapse. I wanted a space to write honestly about the intersections between science and story. A place where we can talk about the brain without making it sound like it belongs only in textbooks.
What You Can Expect Here
Every two weeks, I’ll be writing about something I’ve learned—from labs, classrooms, clinics, or just from life. Topics might include:
Why music helps people with Parkinson’s walk more easily
What adolescence teaches us about change
How healthcare access impacts brain development
What it actually means to rewire your brain
Some posts will be nerdy. Some will be personal. Most will be a mix of both.
If you’ve ever felt like your brain was “too much,” “not enough,” or just hard to understand, you’re not alone. I hope this space makes the science feel more human.
