Synapse to Symptom
A 3D brain with neurotransmitter pathways, plus an animated synapse showing release, receptors, reuptake and where medications act.
- Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate, endocannabinoids
- Live receptor-signal meter with before/after bars
Scanning the Mind
Nine imaging methods, each with a schematic scan, a fact card and a chart of how much detail it captures in space and time.
- MRI, fMRI, DTI, PET, SPECT, CT, EEG, MEG, fNIRS
- Effect-size overlap curves: why scans can't diagnose
Slice by Slice
A three-plane MRI viewer (axial, sagittal, coronal) with gray matter, white matter and CSF, and structural findings for each diagnosis.
- T1, T2 and FLAIR contrast, and tissue coloring
- A change-from-typical map with published effect sizes
What's covered where
Each ✓ shows what that page presents for the diagnosis.
| Diagnosis | 1 · Synapse to Symptom | 2 · Scanning the Mind | 3 · Slice by Slice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health conditions | |||
| Depression | ✓Serotonin synapse, SSRI | ✓MRI (hippocampus, ECT), fMRI, FDG-PET, EEG, fNIRS | ✓Hippocampus, cortex; after ECT |
| Anxiety (GAD) | ✓GABA synapse, benzodiazepine | — | ✓Structure usually typical |
| Schizophrenia | ✓Dopamine synapse, antipsychotic | ✓MRI, DTI, dopamine PET, MEG | ✓Ventricles, hippocampus, cortex |
| ADHD | ✓Dopamine synapse, stimulant | ✓EEG theta/beta | ✓Deep gray matter, child vs. adult |
| PTSD | ✓Norepinephrine synapse | ✓fMRI fear circuit | ✓Hippocampus |
| Substance use | |||
| Substance use (general) | ✓Dopamine reward synapse | ✓Methamphetamine transporter PET | — |
| Alcohol use disorder | — | ✓DTI, CT reversible atrophy | ✓Ventricles, sulci, cerebellum |
| Cannabis · under 30 | ✓CB1 brake, THC, tolerance | ✓MRI prefrontal thinning, CB1 PET | ✓Prefrontal cortex, hippocampus |
| Cannabis · over 30 | ✓CB1 brake, blunted reward | ✓MRI hippocampus, CB1 PET | ✓Hippocampus at midlife |
| Cannabis · chronic heavy use | ✓Blunted dopamine release | ✓MRI, DTI (teen onset), dopamine PET | ✓Hippocampus, amygdala |
| Neurological and medical comparisons | |||
| Parkinsonism / drug-induced | — | ✓DaTscan SPECT | — |
| Alzheimer's disease | — | ✓Perfusion SPECT | — |
| Subdural hematoma | — | ✓CT: ruling out a medical cause | — |
About these models. These are simplified teaching illustrations, not diagnostic tools or real patient scans. Changes are exaggerated so they can be seen, and each page gives the real published effect sizes and key references. No brain scan or chemical test currently diagnoses depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, schizophrenia or a substance use disorder on its own.