Exercise and the Brain (BSP 33)

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Episode 33 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Harvard physician, Dr. John Ratey about his new book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. johnpic_profile.jpgJohn J Ratey, MD We explore the exciting evidence about how exercise helps the brain. It stimulates the release of a number of different neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, but probably more importantly it helps keeps these compounds balanced. We consider why exercise is so important in dealing with stress, in treating a wide range of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder. There is also evidence that exercise improves our ability to learn and our ability to avoid the loss of mental agility associated with aging. Listen to Episode 33 Now. This episode contains information that everyone can use. I hope you will share it with your friends and family. Links and References: spark-ratey.jpgSpark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (2008) by John J. Ratey Dr. Ratey's website: Go here for more interview of Dr. Ratey and also to find links to the latest research about exercise and the brain. Listen to Dr. Ratey's Interview Now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Illustrations and Enhanced Versions for BSP 32

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mri200.jpgEpisode 32 of the Brain Science Podcast was a whirlwind tour of brain anatomy based on Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain (2008) by David Bainbridge. The author has graciously share the illustrations from his book and I have posted a special page that is keyed to the podcast. I have also created an http://media.libsyn.com/media/brainsciencepodcast/32-enhanced-brainscience-anatomy.m4a, which will appear in the feed tomorrow. I think the images are best viewed on the web, but I would appreciate your feedback on both the website illustrations and the enhanced podcast. See the illustrations on the Brain Science Podcast website. View the enhanced podcast (requires Quicktime).
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A Brief Introduction to Brain Anatomy (BSP 32)

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zonulesofzinn.jpg Episode 32 of the Brain Science Podcast is a whirlwind (55 minute) tour of brain anatomy. It is based on David Bainbridge's new book: Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain (2008). Within the next few days I will be expanding the show notes to include key illustrations from the book. I want to thank David for sharing these images and I encourage everyone to read the book. Listen to Episode 32 (Transcript coming soon, see below*) Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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*As of 12/9/08 this episode has not yet been transcribed. When it is transcribed the show notes on the main Brain Science Podcast will be updated. Please send email to docartemis at gmail.com if you would like to be notified when the transcript is ready (it will be several months).

Note: If you would like to comment on this episode please go the the show notes on the Brain Science Podcast website or to the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com.

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Brain Rhythms with György Buzsáki (BSP 31)

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rhythmsofthebrain.jpg György Buzsáki, author of Rhythms of the Brain (OUP 2006) is a Professor of Neuroscience at Rutgers University. His book is a comprehensive review of the current state of research in the field of brain oscillations. It includes the role of these oscillations in sleep and memory. In episode 31 of the Brain Science Podcast Dr. Buzáki explains why the rhythms of the brain are important and reflects on why this field has been neglected by some neuroscientists. I think he makes a convincing case for the position that these rhythms are an essential component of brain function. Listen to Dr. György Buzsáki's interview about Brain Rhythms Transcript of Episode 31 SHOW NOTES: Partial List of Scientists Mentioned:
  • Stephen Strogatz: known for his discovery of "small world" architecture
    • His 2003 bestseller Sync: The emerging science of spontaneous order is aimed at a general audience
  • Nancy Kopell: mathematician
    • Buzsaki recommends her review of the analytical approaches to neuronal oscillators: We got Rhythm: Dynamical Systems of the Nervous System. N Am Math Soc 47: 6-16 (2000).
  • Zoltán Néda (Bebes-Bolyai University Romania): the spontaneous synchronization of hand clapping
  • Hermann Haken: German laser physicist who studies bidirectional causation
    • The Science of Structure: Synergetics (1984)
  • John O'Keefe (University College, London): along with Lynn Nadel he discovered how the hippocampus forms a cognitive map of the world
  • David McCormick (Yale University): showed that neurons from the thalamus of a ferret can oscillate spontaneously
    • He has also studied the oscillations of place cells in the hippocampus
  • David Hubel and Thorston Wiesal: along with Vernon Montcastle they pioneered the use of single neuron recordings in the neocortex of casts and monkeys
    • Montcastle, VB (1997) "The Columnar Organization of the Neocortex." Brain 102:01-722.
  • Claude Shannon: founder of Information Theory
  • Jan Born (University of Lübeck, Germany): experiments with how sleep improves both memory and problem solving
Topics and questions:
  • Basics of oscillations and synchrony
  • What functions are accomplished by brain rhythms?
  • The role of hippocampal ripples in memory
  • What happens to our brain rhythms while we sleep
  • The importance of synchrony in saving energy in the brain
This episode will appeal to listeners with a background in math or engineering, but Dr. Buzsáki provides numerous everyday examples that make the material accessible to everyone. Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Brain Science (Podcast) mentioned on Fox Business website

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One of my podcasts is featured in an article entitled, "Wizzard Media Closes Second Podcast Ad Deal with U.S. Navy" (FoxBusiness.com 2/12/08), but they got the name wrong! Hopefully, Brain Science is close enough to help people find the Brain Science Podcast.
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New Journal: Mind, Brain, and Education

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From the Blackwell Publishing website:
"On April 2nd Wiley-Blackwell celebrated the premiere issue of Mind, Brain, and Education with a reception at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During the celebration Kurt Fischer (Harvard University), Howard Gardner (Harvard University), Maryanne Wolf (Tufts University), and Stanislas Dehaene (Collège de France) discussed their recent findings regarding how brain science informs educational practice."
You can here what Fischer, Wolf, and Dehaene had to say here.
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Natasha Mitchell interviews Jonah Lehrer about "Proust was a Neuroscientist"

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The February 9th episode of All in the Mind is an excellent interview of author Jonah Lehrer about his book Proust was a Neuroscientist. In the interview Lehrer reflects on the danger of viewing science as the sole source of discovery, but he also talks a little about several of the people explored in his book. His basic premise is that artists from various fields often intuitively grasped truths that are now being revealed by neuroscience. One example is the insights that Proust had about memory. Proust was a Neuroscientist is a valuable contribution to the current exploration of the relevance of neuroscience to everyday life. It can be easily read in a few sittings or savored one artist at a time. Natasha Mitchell is an excellent interviewer because she always asks interesting and probing questions. (I think of her as the Australian Terry Gross.). All in the Mind is an excellent compliment to the Brain Science Podcast. Mitchell has recently begun an All in the Mind blog and there is a new All in the Mind group on Facebook.
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The Evolution of Language (BSP 30)

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firstword.jpg Episode 30 of the Brain Science Podcast is a discussion of The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally. We focus mostly on the first part of the book, which tells the story of how the study of language evolution has grown from almost a banned subject to a new field of inquiry called evolutionary linguistics. We also reflect on how recent findings in neuroscience like the importance of plasticity are influencing the field. Listen to Episode 30 Scientists Discussed in the Episode: *References: Pinker, Steven, and Paul Bloom, "Natural Language and Natural Selection," Behavioral and Brains Sciences 13 (1990): 707-84. Marc D. Hauser, Noam Chomsky, and W. Tecumseh Fitch (2002). "The Faculty of Language: What Is It, Who Has It, and How Did It Evolve?" Science 298:1569-1579. Christine Kenneally, The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language (2007). Stanley I. Greenspan and Stuart G. Shanker, The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans (2004). *Additional references can be found in Kenneally's book and at the websites of the scientists listed above. Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Check out this interview with linguist, Alice Gaby

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sciampodcast.jpgI just listened to the February 6, episode of Science Talk, the podcast from Scientific American. Steve Mirsky talks with linguist Alice Gaby, from the University of California-Berkeley, about the relationship between language, culture, cognition and perception. This is very relevant to episode 30 of the Brain Science Podcast (due out on February 8), which is about the evolution of language.
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Jeff Hawkins talks about why computers aren't more like brains

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I often emphasize the fact that our brains our different from computers. If you would like to read an article that comes at the subject from the opposite direction (computers are not brains) read this summary of a recent talk given by Jeff Hawkins about "why computers can't be more like a brain on Dean Takahashi's Tech Talk Blog. Jeff Hawkins was the co-founder of Palm, Inc. and he is author of On Intelligence, which was discussed in the Brain Science Podcast Episode 2.
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Helping Vets with Traumatic Brain Injuries get Rehab

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In a recent interview with Dr. Edward Taub (Brain Science Podcast #28) we learned that Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy has been shown to help people with traumatic brain injuries, but that the Veteran's Administration has been slow to acknowledge the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Fortunately, the problem seems to be receiving increasing attention. The January 25th episode of the Science Magazine podcast discusses an article exploring the possible mechanisms of brain injury ocurring in near-blast conditions, where often the effects may be delayed and subtle. Also, Easter Seals has just announced that it is funding a program that will provide access to Michael Merzenich's highly regarded Posit Science Program, an on-line program originally developed to help older patients regain and maintain their mental agility. I don't know if they have done any work with traumatic brain injury, but the program certainly shows promise. References: "Shell Shock Revisited: Solving the Puzzle of Blast Trauma," Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Science 25 January 2008: Vol. 319. no. 5862, pp. 406 - 408 Press Release: Easter Seals Launches Nationwide Program for U.S. Service Members and Veterans Deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan with Traumatic Brain Injury The IMPACT study: a clinical trial of the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program Posit Science Podcast: Dr. Merzenich presents the results of the IMPACT study
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Dr. Maryanne Wolf talks about the Reading Brain (BSP 29)

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wolff200.jpgDr. Maryanne Wolf, Director of The Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University Brain Science Podcast #29 is an interview with cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Maryanne Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain. I discussed her book in Episode 24, so this interview was an opportunity to ask her some follow-up questions, and to focus more on how children learn to read. Dr. Wolf shares her ten years of experience helping children learn to read and developing programs to help children with problems like dyslexia. She shares some practical advice for parents as well as her concerns about how reliance on the internet could influence reading skills. I enjoyed the conversation and, while I especially want to share this episode with parents, I think Dr. Wolf gives everyone some interesting ideas to consider. Listen to the interview. Links: Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Dr. Steven Novella from "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" (B&I 16)

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steve_bw.jpg Episode 16 of Books and Ideas is a conversation with Dr. Steven Novella from the popular podcast The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. This interview is a response to numerous requests from fans of the Brain Science Podcast, but I put it in the Books and Ideas feed so that Dr. Novella could share some of his personal experiences both as a physician and as a podcaster. Listen to Dr. Novella's interview Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe by email Subscribe to Books and Ideas Blog Leave comments at the Discussion Forum Show Notes: Dr. Novella talked a little bit about why he became a physician and about choosing neurology as his specialty. We talked about the role of imaging and how recent advances in neuroscience are influencing patient care. We also talked about the importance of helping patients get accurate information, both from the internet and from their physicians, and how the pressure for physicians to see large numbers of patients hinders good communication. Dr. Novella is committed to evidence-based medicine and we talked about the role of skepticism in evaluating medical claims, both from mainstream and alternative sources. Dr. Novella also talked briefly about his podcast and his blogs, including a new blog specifically devoted to promoting evidence-based medicine. In the last section of this episode I looked back on the first 15 episodes of Books and Ideas. I particularly want to thank Matthew Cobb for being my first guest back in episode 7. You can get his book Generation at the Books and Ideas aStore at Amazon.com. Links:
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How to tag for Delicious

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There is lots of interesting stuff on the internet about the brain and neuroscience, and obviously no one can keep up with it all. I have decided to follow Leo Laporte's example by creating a del.icio.us tag that we can all use to facilitate sharing what we find with each other. The tag will be brainsciencepodcast, spelled as one word. Obviously someone who doesn't listen to the Brain Science Podcast could choose the same tag, but it would like bring our attention to something relevant. In addition, since del.icio.ous automatically creates an RSS feed for each tag, I have created a special feed that you can subscribe to if you want to keep track of what is being added by others. Notice that the last 3 items added will always appear in the left side bar of this website. Subscribe to del.icio.us: brainscience Click here to join my del.icio.us network If you are new to del.icio.us click here
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Contraint-Induced Movement Therapy with Dr. Edward Taub (BSP 28)

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taubpic.jpg Edward Taub, PhD, pioneer of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Episode 28 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Edward Taub who for the last 20+ years has been pioneering the use of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in the rehabilitation of stroke and other neurological disabilities. I have talked about his work in previous episodes (including episode 10 and episode 26) as an important example of the practical implications of brain plasticity. Listen Now. In this interview Dr. Taub shares his personal experiences in the front lines of clinical research, including both its rewards and frustrations. He also explains the basics of how constraint-induced therapy (CI Therapy) works and how his work is being expanded to help patients with a wide variety of problems including cerebral palsy, head trauma, multiple sclerosis, and focal hand dystonia. Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Links and References: Dr. Taub recommends that interested listeners do their own Google search under "constraint-induced movement therapy" or CI Therapy, but I have included a few links below: About Dr. Taub: Other Links: References:

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Brain Science Podcast celebrates its 1st Anniversary (BSP 27)

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brainscience-logo1.jpg Episode 27 is a look back on the first 26 episodes of the Brain Science Podcast. I look back on some of the main topics that we have explored including memory, consciousness, emotions, decision-making, body maps, and plasticity. Then I talk a little about what I hope to do in the covering year. This episode is a little more personal than most, and will mainly be of interest to regular listeners. It includes some ideas about how you can help the Brain Science Podcast grow and prosper. However, in preparing this episode I went back over the past year's episodes and I have prepared a list of all the episodes so far and the main topics. This should help both new listeners and regulars to find episodes that pertain to particular topics. Click here for a brief summary of episode 1-26 with links to the audio files. Go to Brain Science Podcast #27 Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Dr. Norman Doidge discusses Neuroplasticity (BSP 26)

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I have posted a new episode of the Brain Science Podcast. To learn more please go to the show notes for episode 26. I am not going to be posted detail show notes in this blog until I can solve the problem of not being able to post audio links. If you rely on the RSS feed from this blog to know when new episodes are available, I recommend subscribing to the Brain Science Podcast and Blog feed. Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast and Blog in a reader
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Rolf Pfeifer discusses Embodied Intelligence (BSP 25)

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howthebodyshapesthewaywethink.jpgHow the Body Shapes the Way We Think, by Rolf Pfeifer and Josh Bongard Brain Science Podcast episode 25 is an interview of author Rolf Pfeifer, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Zurich. The focus of our conversation was the importance of embodiment. Brains (and intelligence) can not be understood separate from their interaction with the body and the physical world. Pfeifer explains how this realization has led the field of artificial intelligence away from a pure computational approach to one he calls embodied artificial intelligence. His interview is spiced with numerous examples that demonstrate why this approach is relevant to those of us who are interested in the human brain. Listen Now. Episode Highlights:
  • A brief overview of artificial intelligence
  • introduction to biorobotics
  • why artificial intelligence and biorobotics are relevant to understand the brain
  • the meaning of complexity and emergence
  • why the close coupling of the sensory and motor systems is essential to intelligence
  • applying design principles to understanding intelligence
  • Numerous examples make these potentially intimidating topics accessible to all listeners
Related Episodes of the Brain Science Podcast: Scientists mentioned in the podcast: Where to learn more about Pfeifer's work: Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Reading and the Brain (BSP 24)

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proustandthesquid.jpg Listen to this episode now. Show Notes Dr. Wolf's book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, is divided into three main topics: the history of how writing and reading developed over the last few thousand years, the developmental stages involved in learning how to read, and what happens when the brain can't learn to read. My podcast concentrates on the main ideas from the first two topics. History of Writing:
  • the discovery of symbols
  • Early writing systems- cuneiform and hieroglyphics
    • why Chinese gives us a window into the past
  • Importance of the Alphabet
    • some claims and conclusions
  • Why Socrates opposed literacy
The Stages of Becoming a Reader:
  • the early pre-reader-with emphasis on language development
  • the novice reader-connecting letters to the sounds of language
  • the decoding reader-
  • the fluent comprehending reader-learning to "read between the lines"
  • the expert reader-why reading continues to change us throughout our lives
What goes wrong when the brain can't learn to read: how new findings are leading to new solutions Links and References
  • FastForward-an successful approach to treating dyslexia
  • Michael Posner-a psychologist who used PET scans to study what happens during shifts of attention (a necessary first step in reading)
Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Interview with Sandra Blakeslee (BSP 23)

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sblackslee.jpg Listen to the Interview Now Show Notes Episode 23 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Sandra Blakeslee, co-author (with her son Matthew) of The Body Has a Mind of Its Own: How Body Maps Help You Do (almost) Everything Better, which we discussed in episode 21. I asked Blakeslee to tell me a little bit of her background as a science writer. She wrote for the New York Times for many years and was the co-author of both Jeff Hawkins groundbreaking book, On Intelligence and VS Ramachandran's modern class Phantoms in the Brain (1998), which was one of the first books to explore neuroplasticity. In this interview we explored the relationship between body maps and neuroplasticity, as well as questions from listeners about out of body experiences and other oddities once considered "paranormal." We talked about how body maps are relevant to understanding why some methods of alternative healing appear to be effective. I asked her to tell me which scientist she met made the biggest impression. Here are a few of those she mentioned: Blakeslee told me about some of the pioneering work that Merzenich is doing to apply his discoveries to help people, both those with disabilities and those who just want to combat aging. You can learn more about his work at http://www.positscience.com/. If you would like to contact Sandra Blakeslee to give her feedback or ask her questions she has a contact form on her books website at http://www.thebodyhasamindofitsown.com/. She is going to let me know when she gets the references posted on the site. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey Click Below to Listen to Podcasts itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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