Nandhika Kurakula
Fairview High SchoolClass of 2023Superior, Colorado
About
Hi I'm Nandhika! I'm from Boulder, Colorado and I'm a junior at Fairview High School. I enjoy playing tennis and going on hikes in my free time and I also love karate. I'm interested in chemistry and I have been learning about the science behind eating disorders and how we can use our knowledge of chemistry and biology to further explore our understanding of the mental illness. I am going to be presenting about my project on September 18 and I would love if you would be able to attend!Projects
- "Eating Disorders: A comprehensive review of the psychology, neurobiology and etiology behind the stigmatized mental illness" with mentor Natalie (Sept. 30, 2021)
Nandhika's Symposium Presentation
Project Portfolio
Eating Disorders: A comprehensive review of the psychology, neurobiology and etiology behind the stigmatized mental illness
Started May 13, 2021
Abstract or project description
Around 9% of the US population (30 million people) will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Moreover, eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second to opioid overdose. In fact, eating disorders affect the brain in ways that are mechanistically similar to addiction disorders. Due to lack of information and awareness, many people with eating disorders don’t recognize that their struggle is a treatable mental illness. This podcast will illuminate the biological and environmental causal factors of the different types of eating disorders and reveal the ways in which brain circuits go awry to propagate the illness. Revealing the science behind eating disorders could open doors to new treatment targets and provide evidence to destigmatize the disease.