Downsides of neuroscience papers, pt. 2

Further reason why reading up reference material for your own neuroscience paper is a total bummer:

[…] After neuronal recording was completed, monkey RO was anesthetized with an overdose of Nembutal (90 mg/kg, i.m.) and transcardially perfused with 10 % formaldehyde in 0.9 % NaCl. The brain was removed and consecutive, 50 µm-thick, frozen sections were cut parallel to the recording electrode penetrations in the frontal plane.

“Ooh, my, that’s interesting… and what fascinating data did we get from those frozen sections of the frontal pl… Hey! Wait a minute… You did what to monkey RO?! I was just getting to know monkey RO! Damn you people. He was just an innocent Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata, male, 8.9 kg): young and promising, with still so much to give!”

[…]

“Oh well, I guess on the upside, we now know that corticostriatal neurons show distinct action-value-related firing patterns when you let monkeys play Pong… You shall not have died in vain (and your brain frozen and sliced to pieces while your heart was being pumped full of embalming fluid), little monkey RO!”

PS: For those wondering: as is commonly the case in such research papers, “anesthetized” is the mother of all euphemisms for “killed the death out of it”.

PPS: I guess this shall simultaneously address a question on everybody’sthree people’s (family and cat included) mind: “What is Dave up to and why don’t we see much of him here lately”.

Filed under: Academic Adventures

6 comments

  1. Formaldehyde high aside, it sounds like you are super busy and having fun in grad school!

    We would like to see more keitai piccies and see everyday Paris through you.

  2. Not sure about the fun part. The busy part is taken care of alright. And unfortunately, I only get to read about formaldehyde, not play with it.

    I promise I’ll make an effort on Keitai piccies (got a huge backlog I never got around to posting)…

  3. Get over yourself you fucking square. I bet 99% of your hits come from that GHB article you wrote, and I’m sure you are very aware of this fact, which is why you leave it up. So here’s a thought: if you’re so passionate about people not abusing drugs then delete that post, but if you’re the fucking hypocrite that I think you are, you might want to consider “removing yourself from the gene pool.”

  4. Xavier

    Thanks. I’ll add you to the list.

    Dear John

    Pardon my saying so, but you do sound a tad frustrated here…
    What’s the matter big boy? got a big date tonight and straight outta GHB?
    Also, if I may offer one piece of advice, leaving incendiary comments on someone else’s blog that has your IP logged, along with your Google search request (“buy+gbl+online”, if memory serves): not the brightest idea…

    Oh and by the way, seriously: “square”?!? Who the hell talks like that anymore? Is that why you so badly need date-rape supply: you’re a 50-yo balding accountant trying to get it on with his neighbour’s daughter? Nevermind, I think I’d rather not know.

  5. I suppose it is better than another 1000 mice dying for no reason at all. Oh wait! They’ll still die???

    Oh. Sad.

    How fucked.

    Spatz

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