Understanding Action Potentials (spikes) with Mark Humphries (BS 186)

Understanding Action Potentials (spikes) with Mark Humphries (BS 186)

Episode 186 features Mark Humphries, author of The Spike: An Epic Journey Through the Brain in 2.1 Seconds. We explore how the brain uses electrical signaling in surprising ways, beginning with a look at how an action potential (aka. "the spike") is produced. This episode is for listeners of all backgrounds.

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Mark Solms talks about the origins of Consciousness (BS 184)

Mark Solms talks about the origins of Consciousness (BS 184)

In this month's episode of Brain Science, neuroscientist Mark Solms talks about his new book "The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Origins of Consciousness." Solms was inspired by the pioneering work of Jaak Panksepp who argued that the origins of consciousness can be traced to the brainstem. In his new book Solms presents the evidence for this viewpoint and explains how the work of computational neuroscientist Karl Friston has provided additional support. We consider the implications for our understanding of both human consciousness and our appreciation for the consciousness of other animals.

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Iris Berent author of "The Blind Storyteller" (BS 182)

Iris Berent author of "The Blind Storyteller" (BS 182)

Brain Science 182 features an interview with Iris Berent, author of The Blind Storyteller: How We Reason About Human Nature. We explore how our inborn biases toward dualism and essentialism influence our response to both science and mental illness.

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Sir Simon Baron-Cohen talks about "The Pattern Seekers" (BS 181)

Sir Simon Baron-Cohen talks about "The Pattern Seekers" (BS 181)

BS 181 features Sir Simon Baron-Cohen who was recently knighted for his contributions to autism research. We talk about his new book The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention.

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Bruce Goldstein on "The Mind" (BS 180)

Bruce Goldstein on "The Mind" (BS 180)

BS 180 features E Bruce Goldstein, author of The Mind: Consciousness, Prediction, and the Brain. It is a great episode for listeners of all backgrounds and highly recommended to share with potential new listeners.

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"What is Health?" with Peter Sterling (BS 178)

"What is Health?" with Peter Sterling (BS 178)

Brain Science 178 features Peter Sterling, author of What Is Health?: Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design. We explore the importance of the brain’s ability to predict the body’s needs (allostasis) and its role in human health and disease.

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Bernard Baars: "On Consciousness" (BS 177)

Bernard Baars: "On Consciousness" (BS 177)

BS 177 is an interview with Dr. Bernard Baars, creator of the Global Workspace Theory that lead to many contemporary theories about how the brain generates conscious experience. He is joined by his colleague Dr. David Edelman.

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Seth Grant talks about Synapse Complexity (BS 176)

BS 176 is my fifth interview with molecular biologist and neuroscientist Dr. Seth Grant from The University of Edinburgh. Dr. Grant was recently recognized for his pioneering work by the Federation of European Neuroscientists. He continues to make fundamental discoveries about the structure and function of the synapse and this month we discuss the discovery that synapse complexity and diversity is greater than expected, along with the  implications of these discoveries. 

Dr. Grant first appeared on Brain Science back in 2008. So in this interview, I also asked him to take us back through some of the key discoveries of his career. These include the discovery that the synapse is much more complex than previously assumed and the fact that this complexity preceded the evolution of animals with brains. More recently he has discovered that synapses are also more diverse than expected and that those in some parts of the brain are more complex than others.

How to get this episode:

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Links and References:

  • Seth Grant: University of Edinburgh

  • FENS EJN Award 2020

  • Cizeron M, Qiu Z, Koniaris B, et al. A brainwide atlas of synapses across the mouse life span. Science2020;369(6501):270-275. doi:10.1126/science.aba3163

  • Additional references are available in the episode transcript and in the show notes for previous episodes (Listed below)

Dr. Grant’s Previous Brain Science Interviews:

  • BSP 51: our first introduction to synapse complexity and evolution

  • BS 101: The role of the synapse in learning and disease

  • BS 137: How synapses change through out the lifespan

  • BS 150: Introducing the Synaptome and why it matters

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Cognitive Dissonance with Carol Tavris (BS 175)

Cognitive Dissonance with Carol Tavris (BS 175)

BS 175 is an interview with Carol Tavris, co-author of Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me) Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson. We originally talked back in 2011, but in this interview we talk about why Dr. Tavris felt that it was essential to publish a 3rd edition that includes recent political events in the United States.

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"The Brain from Inside Out" with György Buzsáki (BS 172)

"The Brain from Inside Out" with György Buzsáki (BS 172)

In BS 172 we talk with neuroscientist György Buzsáki about his new book The Brain from Inside Out . Several key ideas emerge including the importance of the brain’s spontaneous activity and the implications for learning and memory.

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Matthew Cobb on "The Idea of the Brain" (BS 171)

Matthew Cobb on "The Idea of the Brain" (BS 171)

BS 171 is an interview with neuroscientist Matthew Cobb about his latest book The Idea of the Brain. We explore how culture and the history of ideas has influenced the history of neuroscience. We also talk about why the current computer metaphor provides an inadequate framework for understanding what the brain actually does.

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"A Brain for Numbers" with Andreas Nieder (BS 170)

"A Brain for Numbers" with Andreas Nieder (BS 170)

BS 170 is an interview with Andreas Nieder, author of A Brain for Numbers: The Biology of the Number Instinct. We explore the surprising discovery that there appears to be a universal approximate number system that is shared across species and forms the basis for the symbolic mathematics that is unique to humans.

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Glial Cells with Doug Fields (BS 169)

Glial Cells with Doug Fields (BS 169)

BS 169 is an encore presentation of my interview with R. Douglas Fields, author of The Other Brain: The Scientific and Medical Breakthroughs That Will Heal Our Brains and Revolutionize Our Health. Ten years ago these discoveries about glial cells were controversial, but now they are mainstream neuroscience. Listen to learn why glial cells are essential to our health.

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"Cognitive Gadgets" with Cecilia Heyes (BS 168

"Cognitive Gadgets" with Cecilia Heyes (BS 168

BS 168 is an interview with psychologist Cecilia Heyes from Oxford University in the UK. We talk about her fascinating book "Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking." Our focus is on exploring the evidence that several cognitive skills that appear to be unique to humans are learned from other people rather than being inherited genetically as is often assumed. The proposal that language is a cognitive gadget NOT a cognitive instinct is controversial and has very important implications.

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