The Injured Brain
Lauren Ware
Lauren Ware specializes in scientific writing, having experience in the fields of medicine, neuroscience, molecular biology, psychology, and sustainable food systems. Previously her work has been published in many science journals including Wondertime, Miller McCune, Dartmouth Medicine Magazine, Civil Eats, and Spezzatino.
Over the past decade, public awareness of brain injuries has begun to soar as researchers realized that such head injuries may have larger lifelong implications than previously believed. Side effects may range anywhere from dementia and personality changes to comas. Events such as the famed shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the countless blast-related injuries during the military conflicts overseas have lead the Department of Defense and Congress to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health. While there is no single therapeutic approach to healing the injury yet, great advances have been made in rehabilitation programs and available medication.
Published by the Massachusetts General Hospital, the purpose in Proto articles is to promote awareness of developments in cutting edge research and the availabilities of new medical treatments. Most of said treatments are given at the hospital and a small portion of the reason behind the article, I assume, is to draw patients to seek their care. Their audience is directed towards any interested in science, although they certainly single out researchers as this magazine is sent free quarterly to my mom’s workplace (government research laboratory). The primary appeal present was logos, as the article was purely an informational piece that offered no opinion or argument. However, the author artfully tied in pieces from the news, such as Giffords, to maintain interest and give the readers a tangible example of the progression of brain injuries, which are referred to as a “disease” (probably to give a sense of urgency).
No comments:
Post a Comment