Three linked, interactive models covering mental health conditions and substance use: the chemistry at the synapse, how each kind of brain scan sees it, and the anatomy in gray and white matter. Every finding can be stepped through as typical → condition → after treatment.
A 3D brain with neurotransmitter pathways, plus an animated synapse showing release, receptors, reuptake and where medications act.
Nine imaging methods, each with a schematic scan, a fact card and a chart of how much detail it captures in space and time.
A three-plane MRI viewer (axial, sagittal, coronal) with gray matter, white matter and CSF, and structural findings for each diagnosis.
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.