Understanding the Brain with John Dowling (BS 153)
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BS 153 is an interview with Harvard neuroscientist John Dowling about his most recent book Understanding the Brain: From Cells to Behavior to Cognition.
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Explore the Synaptome with Seth Grant (BS 150)
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BS 150 is our 4th interview of Seth Grant, the molecular biologist who has uncovered the fascinating evolution of synapse complexity. In this interview we learn about the first whole brain mapping of the mouse brain synaptome. We discuss the implications of the surprising level of diversity found in synapses in different brain areas. Dr Grant introduces us to a new theory of perception and memory recall.
Read MoreDean Burnett, author of "Happy Brain" (BS 149)
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BS 149 is an interview with Dean Burnett, author of Happy Brain: Where Happiness Comes From, and Why. This is a good episode for new listeners of all backgrounds.
Read MoreEncore interview with Eve Marder (BS 148
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BS 148 is an interview with pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Eve Marder. It was recorded in 2009, but the content remains surprisingly relevant.
Read MoreBiological Mind with Alan Jasanoff (BS 146)
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BS 146 is an interview with Dr. Alan Jasanoff, author of The Biological Mind: How Brain, Body, and Environment Collaborate to Make Us Who We Are. We talk about how what he calls “the cerebral mystique” causes people to forget that the brain is not autonomous, but relies on its interaction with the body and its environment to create the Mind.
Read MoreThe Reading Brain with Maryanne Wolf (BS 145)
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BS 145 is an interview with Dr. Maryanne Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain and Tales of Literacy for the 21st Century: The Literary Agenda. Dr Wolf has spent her career studying how the brain is changed by learning to read. We also explore her concerns about how the shift to digital media will change our reading brains.
Read MoreLanguage in the Brain (BS 144) with Angela Friederici
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BS 144 is an interview with Dr. Angela Friederici, author of Language in Our Brain: The Origins of a Uniquely Human Capacity. This is an extensive review of several decades of research, but this interview makes the field accessible to listeners of all backgrounds.
Read MoreCreativity with Elkhonon Goldberg (BS 143)
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BS 143 is an interview with Elkhonon Goldberg, author of Creativity: The Human Brain in the Age of Innovation. Dr. Goldberg's earlier books were featured during our first year, and he was last interviewed way back in 2007 for BSP 18.
Read MoreRodrigo Quian Quiroga: Memory and Perception (BS 141)
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BS 141 is an interview with Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, author of The Forgetting Machine: Memory, Perception, and the "Jennifer Aniston Neuron."
Read MoreJeff Hawkins Explores a New Theory of Cortical Function (BS 139)
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Jeff Hawkins, author of the bestseller On Intelligence tells us about his latest research into how the neocortex produces intelligence. He proposes an exciting new model that could change the way we imagine cortical function.
Read MoreJohn Medina on Aging Well (BS 138)
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Dr. John Medina has spent his career in bio-engineering, but he also has a deep interest in how the brain works. In his latest book Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp, he presents our knowledge brain aging in an engaging manner that can be enjoyed by readers of all backgrounds.
In this month's episode of Brain Science (BS 138) we discuss some of the most important principles for nourishing brains as we age. He describes what he calls the "dopamine lollipop," which is the surge of dopamine created by activities such as teaching and physical activities like dancing. Some of his ideas reinforce what we have discussed in previous episodes, but there are new ideas that are relevant to listeners of all ages.
How to get this episode:
- FREE: audio mp3 (click to stream, right click to download)
- Episode Transcript [Buy for $2]
- Premium Subscribers have unlimited access to ALL old episodes and transcripts, as well as extra content for selected episodes. BS 138 Premium Transcript (for subscribers)
- New episodes of Brain Science are ALWAYS FREE. The most recent 50 episodes are also free. See the individual show notes for links to the audio files.
References
- Brain Rules for Aging Well: 10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp by John Medina (Audible link)
- The Mindful Way Workbook: An 8-Week Program to Free Yourself from Depression and Emotional Distress by John D. Teasdale, et. al. (Foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn)
- Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina (BS 37)
Announcements
- Dr. Campbell will be in Washington, DC November 11-15, 2017 for the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Please email brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com if you will be there too.
- Dr. Campbell is also planning a trip to Australia in 2018. Email us to learn more.
- Our new sponsor is The Great Courses Plus. A free month trial is available at http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/ginger.
- Brain Science relies on listeners for financial support. Please click here to find the choice that fits your needs.
- Please be sure to subscribe to Brain Science in iTunes.
Seth Grant's latest Research (BS 137)
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In BS 137 neuroscientist Seth Grant introduces the "genetic lifespan calendar." He describes a new paper that describes how the genome determines the brain's complexity in "both time and space." This is the first paper to describe evidence that gene expression in the brain follows a predictable schedule that might offer new understanding of diseases like schizophrenia.
Read MoreLisa Barrett on How Emotions are Made (BS 135)
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BS 135 is an interview with Lisa Feldman Barrett, author of How Emotions Are Made. We explore the evidence AGAINST the classical assumption that emotions are universal and hard-wired, but we also discuss a fascinating new Theory of Constructed Emotion, which is very consistent with current neuroscience.
Read MoreRemembering Jaak Panksepp (BS 134)
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In Brain Science 134 we remember Dr. Jaak Panksepp, pioneer of Affective Neuroscience.
A completely new episode will be out near the end of July.
Read MoreCounting Neurons with Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel (BS 133)
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This is an interview with Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel, the scientist who discovered that the human brain has an average of 86 billion neurons, which is significantly less than the 100 billion that was long assumed. She has also written a wonderful book called The Human Advantage: How Our Brains Became Remarkable.
Read MoreHonoring William Uttal's Contributions to Cognitive Neuroscience (BS 132)
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Dr. William Uttal, who died last month at the age of 86, had a very unusual career, going from physics and engineering to psychology and cognitive science. I think his unique background contributed to the refreshing skepticism that he brought to the growing use of imaging (especially fMRI) in the cognitive sciences.
He was a prolific writer on the subject and back in 2012 I had the honor of talking with him about his book Mind and Brain: A Critical Appraisal of Cognitive Neuroscience. In addition to shedding light on the limitations of imaging (such as poor reproducibility), Dr. Uttal also argued that it was premature to abandon other psychological testing methods.
This month I am replaying that 2012 interview. Brain Science 132 includes a new introduction and closing remarks. While Dr. Uttal's writing was aimed at a technical audience I think it is important for listeners of all backgrounds to be aware of these issues because they remain as relevant as ever.
How to get this episode:
- FREE: audio mp3 (click to stream, right click to download)
- Episode Transcript [Buy for $2]
- Premium Subscribers have unlimited access to ALL old episodes and transcripts.
- New episodes of the Brain Science Podcast are ALWAYS FREE. All episodes posted after January 1, 2013, are free. See the individual show notes for links to the audio files.
Links and References
- Uttal, W. R. (2011) Mind and Brain: A Critical Appraisal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
- Uttal, W. R. (2009) Neuroscience in the Courtroom: What Every Lawyer Should Know About the Mind and the Brain.
- Ihnen, S. K. Z., Church, J. A.. Petersen, S. E., & Schlaggar, B.L. (2009) Lack of generalizability of sex difference in the fMRI Bold Activity associated with language processes in adults. NeuroImage, 45, 1020-1032.
- Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2005). "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False". PLoS Medicine 2 (8): e124.
- BSP 46: How fMRI works.
Announcements
- You can now record your voice feedback at http://speakpipe.com/docartemis.
- Brain Science is now 100% listener supported. You can support the show via direction donations, Premium Subscription, or Patreon.
- I am planning to attend this year's Society of Neuroscience Meeting, which is being held in Washington DC November 11-15, 2017. Please email at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com if you are going to be in Washington during those dates. If there is enough interest I will arrange a listener meet-up.
- I am also in the early stages of planning a trip to Australia in 2018 and would love to hear from Australian listeners for ideas and advice, including leads on speaking opportunities.
Neuropsychology and the Study of Memory - Dr. Brenda Milner (BS 129)
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BS 129 features pioneering neuroscientist Brenda Milner. Dr. Milner is best known for work work on memory including key discoveries she made while working with the famous patient HM. She also made important discoveries about the differences between the brain's hemispheres by studying the so-called "split brain" patients. This interview was recorded in 2008 when Dr. Milner was 90, but I am glad to report that she is still going strong at age 98.
Read MorePlacebo Research Update with Fabrizio Benedetti (BSP 127)
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BSP 127 marks the return of placebo researcher Fabrizio Benedetti, author of Placebo Effects: Understanding the mechanisms in health and disease. We talk about some of Dr. Benedetti's most recent research into placebo effects in pain relief and in high altitude headaches. We also talk about some of the ethical issues about using placebos.
Read MoreAndy Clark on Prediction, Action, and the Embodied Mind (BSP 126)
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BSP 126 is an interview with Andy Clark about his latest book Surfing Uncertainty: Prediction, Action, and the Embodied Mind.
Read More9th Annual Review of Neuroscience (BSP 125)
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BSP 125 is our ninth annual review episode. We review some key ideas from each of the 10 episodes that were released in 2015, and then take a look ahead to 2016. Check out the show notes for a complete lists of this year's guests and the books we covered. The transcript for this episode is FREE.
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