Neuroscience major connects sleep with brain activity in senior research

As a neuroscience major completing the behavioral and cognitive track at The College of Wooster, Somarr Elliott ’25 conducted a study that is integral to individuals all around the world: what happens to the brain when an individual’s short-term sleep quality is altered. Through a series of studies, Elliott saw first-hand how sleep directly affects the default mode network within the brain. Completing the public health pathway also enlightened Elliott on how integral sleep is in daily life.

“I learned to trust my intuition in my research and how to accept new knowledge when it didn’t necessarily fit into my previous ideas.”
—Somarr Elliott ’25

MY I.S.

Elliott: The specific brain network I looked at was the default mode network (DMN), responsible for mind-wandering and self-referential thought when one is not paying attention to external stimuli. Previous research somewhat associated this network with both sleep and creativity, so I hypothesized that sleep quality would be positively correlated with both DMN activity and creative cognition. I was able to test this hypothesis through validated sleep questionnaires, brain-network activity measurements via electroencephalography, and various creativity tasks. My data analysis indicated no difference between good or bad sleep quality; but previous research has shown a strong link between good sleep quality and both default mode network activity and creative cognition. With more time for participant recruitment and more safeguards against confounding variables, I believe that aspects of my hypothesis would have been displayed within my data.

EXCITING ASPECTS

Elliott: It was exciting to learn a new method of frequency processing, as previous I.S. studies had not attempted to do frequency analysis. It was very cool to learn how to isolate frequencies in certain parts of the brain within the BrainVision software. It was also exciting to learn more about creative cognition, an interest that I did not have a chance to explore as deeply within my four years.

EMPOWERED IN MY FIELD

Elliott: I learned that the questions I had were valid and worth considering. Prior to starting this project, I was hesitant as I did not know if the big concepts in my I.S. were even related. I learned to trust my intuition in my research and how to accept it when what I thought wasn’t necessarily true.

SUPPORTIVE SCOT COMMUNITY

Elliott: My advisor, Grit Herzmann, the chair of the neuroscience department, helped guide my actions while also helping me keep a proper timeline. This encouragement was very integral to my success within the I.S. process. My Posse, Posse 14 of the Posse Foundation Scholars, supported me also as we all completed our projects together. My neuroscience cohort, especially Angel Asamoah ’25, were amazing to bounce ideas off of and groan over statistics with. Camron Love ’25 was also motivational for me as we cranked out work together many nights.

MY TAKEAWAYS

Elliott: My main takeaway from this experience was how to successfully do a long-term project. I will use these organizational skills with my projects in graduate school. I also took away more technical research skills that I hope to implement in my career. I found that I like working with human participants and hope to do so in the future.

CELEBRATION!

Elliott: I celebrated my I.S. with friends! We hung out most of the day and reminisced on our four years at Wooster. I started off with a gym session before meeting with friends and heading to multiple building on campus. We also got our famous Wooster Pavement brick as dictated by senior tradition. It was a full circle moment for my time here and made me really appreciate my time in Wooster.

WHAT’S NEXT

Elliott: After graduation, I plan on enrolling into graduate school at Meharry Medical college, one of the oldest established Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) after the Civil War. I will be attaining my M.D./Ph.D., which will involve four years of graduate studies and four years of medical schooling. I will attain my Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with a focus in neurosciences and hope to specialize in sleep medicine to some extent.

Posted in Independent Study on May 14, 2025.