Decoding the Secrets of Animal Senses: Dr. Jaya Viswanathan's Insights in Baby Senses

Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Dr. Jaya Viswanathan, who is a captivating blend of neuroscientist and artist who hails from India. 

With a background spanning engineering to cognitive neuroscience, her journey artfully unravels the human brain's mysteries while infusing creativity onto canvas. 

With a master's degree and doctorate in cognitive neuroscience, she's decoding how our brains interpret what we see and hear, which shapes our reality.

Currently, a KGS contractor at the Division of Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Dr. Viswanathan is passionate about advancing neuroscientific research, especially for Alzheimer's Disease, which lines up with the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. 

Her scientific prowess is balanced by a vibrant artistic spirit, often seen at painting sessions with DC's Tuesday Night Group. 

Her ability to merge science and art culminated in "Neuroscience art," earning her a spot in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Basic Research Art of Science Showcase.

Dr.Viswanathan is a proactive member of SfN, DCMA, and AWARE. Her reach goes beyond research and artistry.  

She was invited to write a Neuronline article about Baby Senses as an educational resource and nominated for the Science Educator Award by the Society for Neuroscience.

Dr. Viswanathan has recently published Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages.

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Dr. Jaya Viswanathan in an upcoming interview—a journey into her multidimensional realm, where science and art entwine and her impactful work in Alzheimer's research takes center stage.

Norm: Good day, Dr. Viswanathan, and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Can you tell us more about what inspired you to explore the sensory perceptions of various animal species in your book Baby Senses?

Dr. Viswanathan: Thank you for this great question! I am a neuroscientist and have been fascinated by the brain and how it works to make us live the rich and extraordinary lives we all do.

As I navigated the world of neuroscience through graduate schools and beyond, I was also struck by the inherent beauty and complexity in these systems.

My research background lies in visual and auditory neuroscience and working on both gave me a deep appreciation of how our brains and those of our animal friends solve different complex problems, such as precisely locating what direction a transient sound might be coming from or recognizing a face regardless of distance or size.

Since how we navigate our environments – both internal and external – is essential for life, I felt that discussing sensory abilities would be a great way to introduce young readers to the world of neuroscience in an intuitive way as they are learning to navigate the world themselves.

Norm: How did your diverse background in engineering, cognitive neuroscience, and art influence your perspective on sensory neuroscience, which is the subject of your book Baby Senses? 

Dr. Viswanathan: One thing I love about neuroscience is that it is so rich and multidisciplinary. It has allowed people with diverse skill sets to come together to work on a common goal using a multitude of techniques.

As an engineer, I typically approach research questions from a systems level perspective – that is to say, how our brains work as a whole to execute all the functions they do.

As an experimental cognitive neuroscientist, I've been fascinated by the similarities and differences between individuals in how we approach tasks, decisions, and even in our perceptual tendencies (some of us are more visual while others are auditory etc.).

In my book, I've focused this fascination on exploring the similarities and differences between species. And as an artist, I tried to share the beauty in these systems – as I see it.

The structural forms of sensory organs are quite elegant and efficient, they have been refined/perfected over millions of years to the beauty we see in all the lives around us.

Norm: In your book, you mention the evolution of the nervous system and its role in interpreting the world for different animal species.

Could you elaborate on some specific examples of how certain animals' sensory systems have adapted to their unique environments?

Dr. Viswanathan: An easy way to think about how the environment drives brain evolution is to compare terrestrial mammals like humans to aquatic mammals like dolphins and whales.

Despite having a lot in common, such as needing air to breathe, being able to execute complex social behaviors, communicate, having 'big' brains and more, the brains of aquatic mammals have had to evolve to solve different challenges such as navigating in low-light water, compared to humans.

In fact, because they need to come up for air periodically, dolphins and whales sleep half a brain at a time – a process called unihemispheric sleep.

I discuss animals ranging the entire animal kingdom in Baby Senses and how they have all evolved uniquely based on their needs and environment, from earthworms to narwhals.

I also discuss how nocturnal animals have evolved to sense their environment in the dark, how arboreal animals are able to live their lives on trees, and more!  

Norm: The concept of sensory perceptions is fascinating. Could you provide some insights into how these sensory mechanisms have influenced the behaviors and survival strategies of the animals you discuss in your book?

Dr. Viswanathan: That's another wonderful question, thank you! Being able to sense internal and external environments in a unique way or better than other animals can, grants a species tremendous advantage for survival and success.

For example, pit snakes have evolved to thermally image their environment which has contributed to their success as nocturnal predators. 

Another great example is how penguins can successfully dive for long periods of time in icy waters because their internal sensory systems are able to detect the change in blood oxygenation levels during a long dive and adjust internal functions accordingly to conserve core functions during these dives. Spiders have evolved to extend their tactile worlds by weaving webs which help them precisely locate their prey. 

As a result, they spend a large part of their life maintaining the structure and integrity of these webs when they are damaged.

Norm: Your book covers sixteen sensory systems, including traditional human senses and more exotic ones. Could you share some examples of animals with these exotic sensory systems and explain how they function?

Dr. Viswanathan: Thank you for this great question! I wanted to highlight the vast variety of structures and mechanisms that organisms have evolved over millions of years, ranging from symbiotic relationships with bacteria that can enhance existing senses, to how superorganism colonies of social insects sense the needs of the hive. 

Hearing ultrasounds (and reflected ultrasounds) have helped bats and dolphins very efficiently navigate their environment using echolocation. 

The development of military technology of SONAR is based on similar principles – ultrasounds (beyond the human hearing range) are emitted, and sensors calculate the distance and type of objects based on the time and intensity of the sounds that bounce back from these objects. 

Some fish and amphibian species have developed a robust sensory system all around their bodies to sense the direction of water currents – this ability can often mean the difference between life and death for individual animals.  

Norm: Baby Senses is described as appealing to both children and curious adults. How did you make science easy to understand for everyone?

Dr. Viswanathan: I wanted to use multi-modal ways to engage diverse minds (neurotypical and neuroatypical), and of all ages. 

I also wanted to maintain the balance between writing an engaging and relatable narrative while not shying away from scientific terminology. 

I illustrated the parent-child bond, which is instinctively relatable, as the context in which babies learn about what makes them special. Instead of overwhelming readers with scientific jargon, I limited myself to one technical term per sensory system and explained the rest through common parlance that relates back to what makes the animals special. 

I've always felt that hand drawn illustrations are more appealing than photographs or computer-generated graphics and I chose complementary color combinations using richly pigmented colors to create all the illustrations myself. In the glossary, I was keen on relating back to the reader how these mechanisms and concepts relate back to their own lives, and how biological systems are inspiring discovery and development in medicine, technology, military, and more.

Norm: The inclusion of neuroscience paintings in your book is quite intriguing. Can you explain how these paintings contribute to the reader's understanding of sensory systems and how they differ from typical scientific illustrations?

 Dr. Viswanathan: In my neuroart, I work to strike the balance between art and scientific integrity. 

There have been huge advances in histology and staining techniques which have allowed researchers like me to be able to study the structures from microscopy images of a system, such as the retina or cochlea, at various stages of development, from different angles of their 3D structures and at different levels of magnification. As an artist, I worked on finding the composition and view of the sensory image that would be appealing to a wide audience while conveying the function. 

While most of these images are grayscale or stained for a particular cell type in textbooks, I also painted these images with rich colors to subtly highlight the sensory organs using color and contrast. I worked on drafts of the neuroart paintings until for each sensory system, the right balance between visual appeal was struck.

Norm: As you draw from contemporary research and historical documentation, can you give us an example of a surprising or lesser-known fact about sensory systems that you came across during your research for the book?

 Dr. Viswanathan: Thank you so much, that is another great question! There is a story about how each of the animals ended up in my book, I put a lot of love into every animal and sensory system in the book.

 Even when I didn't know much about a particular species going in, by the end of writing Baby Senses, they all held a place in my heart. 

One of the systems I didn't know much about was the Ampullae of Lorenzini which allow some species such as sharks and rays to sense the electric fields in their environment. 

It was a really fun exercise to read old research articles where scientists struggled to understand what these organs were doing. Another fact that I absolutely enjoyed was learning that bees can rebel against the colony and the queen during regime changes since they can sense – through their pheromone receptor sensory system – that they are now half as related to the new queen. Having a vivid imagination, I enjoyed picturing a medieval battle within the hive.

Norm: The diversity of sensory systems you discuss, from internal stability maintenance to sensing electrical fields, is remarkable. 

How do these less commonly known sensory systems compare to the more traditional senses in terms of their evolutionary significance?

Dr. Viswanathan: That is a very interesting question but one that is difficult to answer from a scientific perspective. 

Evolutionarily speaking, abilities that granted a species an advantage survived, and those that were not useful enough did not. It is difficult to compare if one, say vision, is more significant than another, say audition, because the answer would depend on the species and their environment. 

I think to me, what is remarkable is the diversity of these sensory abilities and that is very significant. Essentially, nature has perfected ways to solve different problems and when species survival is endangered due to climate change or human activities, we are in danger of losing the knowledge of how they uniquely navigate their environment.

Norm: The book covers a wide range of animal species. Were there any animals or senses that were extra tricky to make interesting for all ages?

 Dr. Viswanathan: I think the challenge – and one I enjoyed solving very much – for me was to strike the balance between giving just enough information to intrigue children without overwhelming them with too much information. 

I solved this by creating an extended glossary for older children and adults to read more – if they were so inclined. 

For the picture book part of my book, I focused on making the content relatable and engaging, visually and auditorily appealing, as well as being inclusive of a wide range of species within the animal kingdom. 

With the conversational text for example, I recited these lines out loud many times and tweaked the text to smooth out the cadence and phonetic rhythm of the rhymes that an educator or parent would read out loud with their children. 

By using these techniques for all of the sensory systems, I was able to create a unifying narrative in a non-fiction book while for each animal I was able to focus on their unique super-power. 

The only difference was the amount of background research I had to conduct – for example, I spent a lot more time reading up on insect compound eyes than the cochlea or retina which I was already familiar with.

Norm: Baby Senses seems to bridge the gap between scientific exploration and general curiosity. Can you share your thoughts on how a better understanding of animal sensory systems can affect our relationship with the natural world and our fellow inhabitants of the planet?

Dr. Viswanathan: I think that an early introduction to how diversity in nature makes all animals special is important to encourage an appreciation of our ecosystem and why its delicate balance needs to be conserved. 

My choice to shy away from highlighting humans was deliberate, and even within the traditionally human sensory systems, I have highlighted animals that have evolved to perceive better than humans have. 

Beyond that, I am hoping it will encourage a spirit of curiosity to learn more about our world, and an acceptance of that which may seem weird or strange. 

We are all influenced by the books we read in our childhood and adolescence. I am hopeful that young readers of Baby Senses will carry these messages of the book with them into adulthood.

Norm: Thank you, Dr. Viswanathan, for sharing such fascinating insights into sensory perceptions and animal behaviors. 

As we wrap up this interview, I'd like to ask: What do you hope readers, whether they're children or curious adults, will take away from your book Baby Senses in terms of a deeper appreciation for both the intricate wonders of the animal kingdom and the broader field of sensory neuroscience?

 Dr. Viswanathan: The obvious message I wanted to convey is that brains are amazing, and to remember that there is beauty in ourselves and the world around us even when we can't see it. 

I hope that general readers of Baby Senses are left with a new appreciation of the wonderful animals we share our planet with. 

Beyond that, I hope that the more subtle message - that what makes us different is often our strength - percolates through readers. I hope that it creates acceptance and value, both within and between each other. In young readers, I hope that children are able to grow with the book – while very young readers can still enjoy the imagery, as they grow, I hope that they are intrigued to learn more and explore these sensory systems through the extensive glossary. 

In my experience, children are easily inspired or discouraged from pursuing further learning in topics based on demographics and gender, as well as how scientific topics are taught.

By making neuroscience engaging I am hoping that children are inspired to pursue it, regardless of gender or demographics. 

When I take a step back to look at the bigger picture, the challenges facing neuroscientific endeavors are complex and large. 

To solve them requires team-science efforts, new ideas, collaboration within and across diverse teams, and an open-science, data sharing approach.

All of these require that people from diverse backgrounds are drawn to and remain in research careers, and in the long-run, I hope that Baby Senses will contribute to that goal. 

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