ISSUE 12

EDITOR’S NOTE
—

When you think about neuroscience, what is the first thing that comes to mind? You might picture sterile laboratories, mysterious brain scans, rats running in mazes, and scientists in white coats speaking in ten-syllable words you can barely understand. However, a closer look reveals that neuroscience is not just a complex scientific discipline, but a unique perspective through which we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. 

The articles in the latest Issue 12 of GMJ demonstrate that neuroscience overlaps and intersects with various fields of scientific inquiry and can be used to answer a wide range of questions. I encourage readers to learn about how neuroscience can deepen our knowledge of women’s health through ‘SSRIs and Storks: The Complicated Relationship Between SSRIs and Pregnancy’ and ‘Twisting the Knife: The Open Case of Menstruation, the Brain, and the Missed Disease of Endometriosis.’ Neuroscience can also give us insights into childhood development, as captured in ‘Pretend Play, Real Benefits: How Play Wires the Brain in Childhood,’ and ‘iPads, Play, and Plasticity: How Digital Media Affects Young Brains.’ Further, readers will be delightedly surprised to learn that neuroscience can even help us understand the dinosaurs in ‘Dinosaur Cognition: Not Set in Stone.’ Truly, neuroscience can be found in almost any corner you look.

As Issue 12 goes to print, I feel incredibly proud of the diverse set of articles our team has crafted this semester, and also feel a sense of sadness as my graduation date nears and my time with GMJ comes to an end. GMJ has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college experience, and has been integral in helping me find my voice and reminding me that I, just as much as everyone, have the right to participate in scientific conversations.

I am excited to welcome Julia Fallon into her new role as Editor-in-Chief. I have long maintained a deep respect for Julia’s curiosity, dedication, endless energy, and natural composure as a leader. I trust that Julia and our rising executive board will continue to carry out our mission of scientific accessibility with poise and precision, and I look forward to cheering on GMJ from the sidelines. 

I extend great thanks to the 2025–2026 executive board for putting their trust in me over the past year, and I would also like to thank the wonderful faculty of Vassar’s Neuroscience & Behavior Program for their continued support of our initiative. Of course, all of us at GMJ thank our readers for continuing to read and engage with the world of neuroscience.

If our readers take away anything from this issue, I hope it is this: neuroscience is everywhere, and it belongs to everyone. 

Sincerely, 

Evelynn Bagade

Editor-in-Chief