Brain Science Podcast Archive

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Brain Science Podcast #37: Dr. John Medina discusses “Brain Rules”

docartemis — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:34 +0000

John Medina, PhD

Episode 37 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. John Medina, author of Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. We talk about how exercise, sleep, and stress effect our brains with an emphasis on practical advice for healthier brain function. We also look at how research on memory, vision and the brain’s attention system suggests how we can improve our ability to learn and our ability to share ideas with others.

Dr. Medina’s focus is on considering real world examples of how our schools and work environments could be reformed to utilize the growing knowledge of neuroscience. But he also stresses the importance of compiling sufficient experimental data before embarking on new programs.

Listen to Episode 37 now (left click to listen, right click to download mp3).

Links and References:

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (Book & DVD) by John Medina

The book’s website contain extensive references and instructive videos.

YouTube Video of John Medina speaking at Google™.

Listen to Brain Science Podcast #37

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http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2008/2235816.htm

“All in the Mind” looks at Nicotine and the Brain

docartemis — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:39:05 +0000

The May 10th episode of All in the Mind is an excellent discussion of the latest research about nicotine addiction. It includes a very balanced look at the controversy over the new smoking cessation drug, varenicline, which is sold in the US as Chantix. Nicotine has a unique effect on certain neurotransmitter receptors in the brain. Varenicline works as a partial agonist, which means it mimics some of the effects of nicotine, but it also blocks the receptor so that when a person smokes the experience is not rewarding. However, since the receptors involved also have other functions (they aren’t there to respond to the nicotine in cigarettes just like the opiate receptors are not there to respond to man-made narcotics), using the drug can lead to a wide variety of side effects. Balancing the risks and benefits of the drug is one of the topics discussed in the podcast.

I have to admit that addiction is a subject in which I have little personal interest, but obviously addiction to smoking effects millions of people. I highly recommend this podcast to everyone who smokes or loves some who does.

Be sure to go to the site for both the show’s transcript and links to everyone featured on the show.

Brain Science Podcast #36: Art Glenberg on Embodied Cognition

docartemis — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:00:05 +0000

Art Glenberg, PhD

Episode 36 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Arthur Glenberg, PhD about embodied cognition. Dr. Glenberg recently moved to Arizona State University after over 30 years at the University of Wisconsin’s Laboratory of Embodied Cognition. His research focuses on the relationship between embodiment and language. In this interview we explore the experimental evidence for a theory of language that embraces the concept that our language abilities are actually rooted in our perceptual and motor abilities. Dr. Glenberg also explains how his work has practical implications in helping children learn how to read.

Since Dr. Glenberg has had a long career as a working research scientist, this interview also provided an opportunity to explore how scientific hypotheses are formed and how experiments are designed to test these hypothesis. I think this interview will give you a fascinating look into the real world of cognitive psychology.

Listen to Dr. Glenberg’s Interview (left click to listen, right click to download)

Links and References:

Arthur Glenberg, PhD

email: arthur.glenberg@asu.edu
Laboratory for Embodied Cognition
Havas, D.A., Glenberg, A.M., and Rink, M. (2007) Emotion simulation during language comprehension. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 14 (3), 436-441
Numerous references available as PDF
Thinking With the Body: blog post of March 3, 2008

Other Scientists Mentioned in the Episode:

George Lakoff: pioneering linguist
James Gibson-known for his ideas about affordances
William Epstein-emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin
Joseph Campos: University of California (Berkelely)
Amy Needham and Amanda Woodard-experiments with velcro mits and infant cognition
David A Havas: graduate student and co-author with Dr. Glenberg
Mike Kashak: Florida State University
Mike Rinck: German co-author-see paper under Glenberg (more papers)
Vittorio Gallese, Dept of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Italy (where mirror neurons were discovered): extensive experimental with motor neurons in monkeys
Fritz Stack (Germany): experiments showing that facial experiments affect mood and cognition

References:

Havas, D.A., Glenberg, A.M., and Rink, M. (2007) Emotion simulation during language comprehension. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 14 (3), 436-441
more publications by Arthur Glenberg
Sommerville, J.A., Woodard, A.L., and Needham, A., Action experience alters 3-month-old infants’ perception of others’ actions, Cognition 96 (2005) B1-B11.
Strack, F., Martin, L. L., & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: A nonobtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 54, 768-777.
Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things (1987) by George Lakoff
recent essays by George Lakoff written for the Rockridge Institute

Listen to Dr. Glenberg’s Interview (left click to listen, right click to download)

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Click here for the transcript.

Transcript of György Buzsáki’s Interview is now On-line

docartemis — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:45:53 +0000

Episode 31 of the Brain Science Podcast was a challenging interview with György Buzsáki about his book Rhythms of the Brain. Thanks to listener Diane Jacobs we now have a transcript available for Episode 31.

Be sure to visit Diane’s Blog at http://humanantigravitysuit.blogspot.com/. When it comes to reading books about neuroscience, Diane makes me feel like a slacker.

Dan Ariely interview is available on Books and Ideas #19

docartemis — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:52:13 +0000

Dan Ariely is a professor of behavioral economics at MIT and author of the bestseller, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. He was my guest for episode 19 of Books and Ideas. During the interview he explains how his came to study human behavior. He uses examples from his book to explore the question “What makes a good experiment?” He also discusses how he hope that his findings can help strengthen our society despite our human tendency to make “irrational” choices.

Listen to Episode 19 Now.

Links:

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely

Listen to Books and Ideas Episode 19

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Brain Science Podcast #35: A Closer Look at Mirror Neurons

docartemis — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Brain Science Podcast #35 is a discussion of Mirrors in the brain: How our minds share actions, emotions, and experience by Giacomo Rizzolatti and Corrado Sinigaglia. Mirror neurons were discovered in Rizzolatti’s lab in Parma Italy in the early 1990′s and his book is a detailed to discussion of the experimental evidence in both monkeys and humans. Direct single neuron recordings have been made in monkeys. The evidence in humans is indirect since it is based on mainly on neuroimaging studies like PET scans and fMRI scans. Even so mirror neurons appear to be essential to our ability to understand both the actions and emotions of others. Listen Now.

In this episode we also explore the evidence that there are other neurons in the motor areas of the brain that have sensory properties and that the areas of the brain traditionally thought to be devoted to sensory functions also contain neurons with motor properties. Another fascinating discovery is the fact that there are neurons that respond not only to somatosensory inputs (such as being touched) but also to visual or auditory inputs from objects within our peri-personal space. For background on these body maps I recommend listening to Episode 21 and Episode 23. If you are new to the Brain Science Podcast you may want to listen to those episodes first because this week’s episode is a little more technical than most.

I will be exploring the importance of these discoveries in future episodes.

Listen to Brain Science Science Podcast Episode 35 (mirror neurons) NOW.

Links:

Giacomo Rizzolatti- University of Parma

Mirror neurons (wikipedia entry)

Mirror neurons (Scholarpedia entry written by Dr. Rizzolatti)

Listen to Brain Science Podcast #35 (mirror neurons) Now

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