Stress is constant in our lives. From the breakup of a relationship, the death of a loved one, or the frustrations associated with your morning commute, many of us unfortunately experience daily stressors associated with these types of situations. These adverse experiences can be associated with the release of stress hormones such as cortisol. If the situation that is causing us stress is short term, we usually cope and recover.

Have you ever been curious about animal behavior? Have you wondered how animals communicate with one another? Do you love primates? Learn about gelada monkeys – Ethiopia’s unique and wonderful highland monkey.

Gelada monkeys are nicknamed “bleeding-heart monkeys” because of a patch of exposed red skin on their chests. Adult male gelada chest patches get brighter red when they’re excited, but this doesn’t happen for adult females, young males, or non-breeding males.

People get sick all the time, and sometimes it happens with the WORST timing. Maybe you’re supposed to take a big exam, attend an important meeting, leave for a business trip, or even take a vacation, but now all you can think about is how sick you are.

What happens to our memory capability when this happens? Is this going to prevent us from being able to learn the new information being presented at the meeting? Is it going to prevent us from recalling the definition of that big term you learned about last week?

Humans are a really weird species. In particular, we cooperate a lot, and this helps us build up complex societies. What kinds of mental abilities help us to cooperate, and do other species also use similar mental abilities to help them cooperate? To start answering this question, Bettle talks about cooperation in our closest living relatives: chimpanzees.

About Rosie Bettle:

ADHD is a common neuropsychological disorder marked by inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.  ADHD may contribute to functional impairment in academic, vocational, and social situations. At the same time, the attentional dysregulation associated with ADHD may have some positive consequences. 

Cyberpunk was everywhere in the 1980s. It started in science fiction, but it influenced fashion, movies, comics, games, advertising, and architecture. After a decade of high-tech, neon-colored, future-looking pop culture, cyberpunk just…went away. Or did it? Could cyberpunk stories still be with us, hiding in plain sight?

About Alex: Alex Kourvo loves books. She writes them, reviews them, edits them, and teaches other people how to write them. She is the author of numerous short stories and the forthcoming “Detroit Next” series of near-future thrillers. She edits books for Fifth Avenue Press and helped start the Emerging Writers Workshop at the Ann Arbor District Library, where she teaches monthly classes for new writers. You can find Alex online at AlexKourvo.com or follow her @AlexKourvo.

Jennifer German, Ann Arbor’s own NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador, talks about the dwarf planet Ceres, addressing questions such as: Why was Ceres was ignored for so long? Is there water on Ceres? What exactly is a dwarf planet? And why was Ceres elevated from asteroid to dwarf planet while Pluto was demoted?

German also explains what NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has been up to since it launched in September of 2007.

The U.S. is experiencing a widespread and growing stress epidemic. Stress related disorders and diseases have been on the rise for decades according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National surveys that assess how stressed and anxious we feel show a very similar pattern. And it shows up in our bodies, even before we get sick: the “physiological stress load” that tracks key biological markers shows similar increases, and is getting worse as each new age group enters adulthood. More children and youth may also be experiencing greater stress dysregulation and difficulties in coping, owing to the lifelong impact of early life adversity that is tied biologically and psychologically to this epidemic.

Dr. Daniel P. Keating discusses research that shows how we can break this cycle, both for individuals and families at every stage of development, and for society more generally.

Dr. Keating is currently Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, and Research Professor in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. His current research focuses on the impact of early life adversity on child and youth development, and on the neuro developmental pathways in adolescent risk behavior. His most recent book is Born Anxious: The Lifelong Impact of Early Life Adversity – and How to Break the Cycle.

This program was part of the "Exploring the Mind" series, in partnership with The University of Michigan Department of Psychology.

HEY, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ECLIPSE? Oh, you did? But what do you REALLY know about the eclipse that passed through the US in 2017, causing waves of eclipse fever (not an actual disease, more a case of lunacy). Luckily, Nerd Nite brought in Jennifer German, our friendly NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador, to tell us all about how the eclipse works and how everyone can make sure their eyes work after viewing one. Get enlightened on the darkness with this entertaining talk!

About Jennifer German: She is currently a mother of 2, a lead software engineer at a SAAS startup, and a hopeless space geek. She first became interested in 2nd grade while her class learned about the Challenger mission (before the explosion). She remembers being out in a corn field in the wee hours of the night looking for Hailey's comet. She's followed Hubble since it launched when she was 11, despite not having the internet, and followed the construction of the International Space Station since she did her Physics term paper on enclosed eco-systems in High School. She interned at Biosphere 2 for the best Summer of her life during college. She builds every space exploration inspired Lego set she gets. She tells everyone who'll listen about the newest planetary news. She points out constellations and passes on tips for identifying stars, and not stars, to any who ask. She has set up a library telescope on her street a number of times and asked neighbors if they want to see the planets with her. Now she's working on sharing her space hobby with larger, pre-organized, groups.

Victor Hong, MD, Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan gives a brief presentation on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and its management, followed by a panel discussion.

BPD is a serious mental illness, but one that is sometimes not well understood by patients and families, clinicians, and society as a whole. It is perhaps the most stigmatized disorder in all of medicine, which creates confusion, poor outcomes, and a sense of hopelessness for everyone involved.

BPD affects an estimated 18 million Americans during their lifetimes and causes numerous stressful symptoms, including unstable mood, suicidal and self-harm thoughts and behaviors, and chaotic relationships. While the disorder causes great distress, treatment varies widely and research is lacking.

Recent research indicates that the prognosis for those with BPD is much better than previously thought, and existing and emerging treatments have demonstrated significant efficacy. The role of medications in those treatments has been further elucidated, the role of families has been made clear, and a better understanding of how to manage safety concerns has developed

This event is a partnership with the University of Michigan Depression Center. For more information about the Depression Center, visit depressioncenter.org or contact Stephanie Salazar, 232-0330, or sawaters@umich.edu.