Synesthesia is the mysterious mingling of the senses that creates the experience of "seeing" sounds or "hearing" colors. Neurologist Richard E. Cytowic, MD, has spent his career exploring this remarkable phenomenon and has a fascinating insight into how these sensations are formed in the brain — and how we might use it to reunite our fractured society. Plus... meet the man whose extreme form of synesthesia mingled all five of his senses! More information on https://drphilstieg.com and https://mi...
Oct 22, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Would a better understanding of the brain lead to better outcomes in court? Professor Francis X. Shen, neuroscientist and lawyer, has devoted his career to “neural law” – leveraging neuroscience to reduce injustice. Using what we know about addiction science, adolescent brain development, and traumatic injury could lead to better interventions to reduce recidivism and raise the bar on justice. Plus… why eyewitness memory is so very, very unreliable. http://www.fxshen.com/bio/...
Oct 08, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Sound may be the least understood of the five senses, with music the most mysterious of all. Neuroscientist Nina Kraus of Northwestern University takes us on a tour of how the brain processes music, and explains the lifelong benefits of music education. Find out how music can help offset the effects of poverty, and how concussion distorts the perception of music in the brain. Plus… Why you really should make your child take piano lessons! Dr. Kraus' Lab - www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu Dr. Krau...
Sep 24, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Worried about dementia, depression, or the zombie apocalypse? Greg Gage, PhD, has a solution for all of these – teach more kids about neuroscience, stat. His company, Backyard Brains, makes do-it-yourself brain kits that wow students with robo-roaches, nerve takeovers, and the sounds of neurons popping. One of these aspiring neuroscientists just may save us from brain disorders (or zombies) some day. Plus… listen in as Gage demonstrates how to take over an unsuspecting audience member’s arm. www...
Sep 10, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 18
True creative genius may well be the last frontier in human evolution - the only trait that can’t be replaced with technology. Dr. Robert Bilder, who directs the Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity at UCLA, reveals what his study of artists and scientists tell us about how creative brains work, and how some creative people manage to bring their brains to the very edge of chaos without crossing into madness. Plus… Are we educating the creative genius out of our kids? https://www.semel...
Aug 27, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Menopause can wreak havoc on mood and body temperature as it signals the end of fertility, but some of the biggest changes it causes are in the brain. Emily Jacobs, assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at UC Santa Barbara, explains how the precipitous decline in estrogen during the "change of life" disrupts the endocrine system and makes a woman's brain more like... a man's! Plus: Hear from real women describing the wide range of effects they experienced. Tak...
Aug 13, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Is there a "trust spot" in the brain? How do we balance the human desire to trust against the fear of betrayal? Dr. Frank Krueger, a psychologist, physicist, and neuroscientist at George Mason University, explains how our brain circuits teach us to navigate the social dilemma of who deserves our trust. Plus... why men are more trusting (and take more risks) than women, and why those with autism have so much trouble deciding whom to trust. https://centec.gmu.edu/people/fkrueger...
Jul 30, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 15
After the shocking 2011 shooting that sent a would-be assassin’s bullet through her brain, former U.S. Rep. Giffords had to re-learn how to breathe, walk, and talk. In this reprise of our Season 2 premiere episode, Dr. Stieg talks with neurologic music therapist Maegan Morrow, whose innovative techniques helped Giffords “rewire” her brain and regain her voice. Bonus: Special appearance by Ms. Giffords herself. https://giffords.org/about/gabbys-story/...
Jul 16, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Does "brain training" work? Dr. Susanne Jaeggi and Dr. Aaron Seitz are experts who are developing and studying brain apps in a nationwide study of their effectiveness. Together they are exploring how cognitive skills and working memory can both be improved -- not just in older people, but especially in them. Plus... sample a brain game yourself! For information on how to participate in the Brain Games Study go to: https://bgc.ucr.edu/trainmymemory/...
Jul 02, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 13
...and 7 other lessons about the command center that runs all our body's systems. Lisa Feldman Barret, professor of psychology at Northeastern University and a director of the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory there, talks about how the 128 billion neurons in the brain act like the air traffic control system. They are knit together into a pattern that's capable of a remarkable range of functions, from satisfying thirst to making morally responsible choices. Plus... Why Plato was wro...
Jun 18, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 12
