Brain Evolution with Gary Lynch, PhD (BSP 48)

Episode 48 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Gary Lynch, PhD, co-author (with Richard Granger) of Big Brain: The Origins and Future of Human Intelligence.  Dr. Lynch has spent decades studying memory at the level of the synapse.  His work with computer simulations based on how the brain really works led him to a fascination with the question of how our brains got so large.  Are humans smart because we have big brains or because are brains are different?

Dr. Lynch argues that the unique features of the human brain are a natural result of increased brain size.  He also argues against the conventional view that increasing brain size resulted from selection pressures during the millions of years of primate evolution that proceeded the emergence of homo sapiens.  We talk about the evidence supporting this radical position during the interview.

We also talk about another radical theory that Dr. Lynch has proposed, which is the idea that the olfactory cortex formed the template for the evolution of the cortex in mammals and primates.  This intriguing theory brings a new perspective to the fact that the olfactory system has unique access to important brain systems including the frontal lobes, the amygdala (which is involve in emotion), and the hippocampus (which is essential to long-term memory.

In addition to discussing the evidence that led him to his controversial theories, Dr. Lynch discusses the challenges facing scientists interested in pursuing research questions about brain evolution.

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References and Links:

• Big Brain: The Origins and Future of Human Intelligence, by Gary Lynch and Richard Granger.

• Gary Lynch, PhD: Department of Psychiatry, University of California-Irvine.

• Principles of Brain Evolution, by Georg F. Striedter: was discussed in Episode 47.

The figure below is used with the permission of the author and the artist (Cheryl Cotman).

Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com

Brain Imaging: Recorded LIVE at Dragon*Con 2008 (BSP 46)

Dr. Campbell at Dragon*Con 2008

Brain Science Podcast #46 is a discussion of brain imaging with Dr. Shella Keilholz and Dr. Jason Schneiderman.  The focus of our discussion is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is revolutionizing neuroscience.  We talked about both the strengths and weaknesses of this technique.  Both of my guests agree that mainstream coverage of this technique tends to exaggerate what we can actually tell from this kind of brain scan.  An important principle is that the scan of any single individual can vary greatly from day to day, which means that valid conclusions require data from a large number of people.

Since this episode was recorded LIVE in the Podcasting Track at Dragon*Con 2008, it includes audience questions at the end, which helped bring out additional ideas.  I have posted an edited version (but there is still some noise from the room next door).  If you are interested in hearing the raw unedited version, click here.  I also want to thank Swoopy from Skepticality for all the work she did to make the podcasting track a great success.

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More about my guests:

Shella Keilholz, PhD, is an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineeering at Georgia Tech and the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA.  She is doing studies that involve correlating fMRI scans with the reading from electrodes placed in rat brains.  This work is fundamental to improving the correlation between fMRI scans, which reflect brain activity only indirectly, and what is actually happening in the neurons of the brain.

Jason Schneiderman, PhD studied psychology before earning his PhD in neuroscience.  His dissertation involved the use of diffusion tensor imaging, which is a new method of scanning that is being used to track the axonal connections in the brain.  He is currently doing a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, where his team is trying to determine if the connections in the brains of young schizophrenics are different from normal.  The goal is to improve early diagnosis because early intervention makes a big difference.

Some recent discussions of fMRI:

• Must Read Paper on fMRI -and- The Worst fMRI Science Journalism Ever (Pure Pedantry, 6/27/08)

• What we can do and what we cannot do with fMRI by Nikos K. Logothetis, Nature 453, 869-878 (12 June 2008). Note: full text is only available to subscribers.

• Can fMRI tell if I secretly love the Yankees? - The Great Beyond (Nature.com) June 16, 2008.

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Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com.

John Ratey, MD Discusses ADD (BSP 45)

Have you ever wondered why a child with ADD can play videos games for hours, but can't concentrate on his homework for a few minutes?  This is one of the paradoxes of attention-deficit disorder that John J Ratey, MD, co-author of, Driven To Distraction : Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood, explains in Episode 45 of the Brain Science Podcast.

During this interview, Dr. Ratey discusses the latest findings about the biological basis of what he calls "attention variability disorder."  He also offers practical advice for patients and parents dealing with ADD/ADHD.  One very important, and somewhat surprising, fact that he shares is that patients who are treated with medications during adolescence have a significantly lower risk of developing problems with addiction and drug abuse later on compared to those who are not treated.  Also, successful "ADD-ers" like Michael Phelps show that "having a mission" makes a huge difference.

Dr. Ratey's most recent book is Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, which he discussed with me (Dr. Campbell) in Episode 33.

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Detailed Show Notes

Topics discussed:

• Why our current cyber-culture  exacerbates symptoms.

• The genetic component.

• The role of dopamine and epinephrine.

• The relationship between ADD and addiction.

• Why ADD effects all the brain systems including memory.

• The importance of strengthening executive (frontal lobe) function.

Successful people with ADD:

• Michael Phelps-winner of 8 Gold Medals for Swimming in 2008 Olympics.

• Rick Warren-founder of The Purpose Driven Church.

Practical Advice:

• the need for a mission.

• environmental changes.

• the role of meditation and exercise.

• why stimulant medication helps.

• training the cerebellum.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Dr. Ratey recommends OmegaBrite™).

Links:

• Dr. Ratey's website.

• Posit Science: Founder Michael Merzenich is developing computer training programs for people with ADD.

• Dore Centers: mentioned in interview, but currently closed in the US.

• Edward M. Hallowell: has developed programs for training the cerebellum that show promise in ADD; co-author of Driven to Distraction.

Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com

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Meditation and the Brain with Daniel Siegel, MD (BSP 44)

Daniel Siegel, M.D.

In Episode 44 of the Brain Science Podcast I talk with Daniel Siegel, MD about meditation and the brain.  Dr. Siegel is the author of several books including The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being.  In this interview, we review the scientific evidence about how mindfulness meditation changes the brain, both in terms of short term activity and in terms of long-term structural changes.  The evidence is convincing that a regular mindfulness practice can be an important element of brain health.

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Show Notes and Links:

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.:

• The Mindsight Institute.

• UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.

• The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being.

• Sound True™ audio version of The Mindful Brain.

• The Developing Mind.

• Parenting from the Insight Out, with Mary Hartzell

Scientists and writers mentioned in Episode 44:

• Jon Kabat-Zinn: pioneer in mindfulness-based stress reduction  (MBSR).

• Richard Davidson (University of Wisconsin): imaging studies of long-term meditators.

• Sara Lazar (Harvard): imaging studies that show thickening of certain brain areas in long-term meditators.

• David Creswell (UCLA): studies beneficial effects of meditation.

• Ruth Baer (University of Kentucky): studies mindfulness based therapies.

• Jeff Hawkins:On Intelligence  (Interviewed in Episode 38).

More information about meditation:

• Insight Meditation Society  (Barre, MA).

• Spirit Rock  (Insight Meditation Center in northern California).

• The Seeds of Compassion  (link to video with Dr. Siegel and the Dalai Llama).

• Episode 20 of Books and Ideas with Delany Dean, PhD *.

Note: Insight Meditation is based of vipassana meditation, the mindfulness practices of Theravada, the oldest branch of Buddhism.  Insight Meditation is easily adapted to secular purposes because it not based on beliefs or dogmas.  The most well-known secular form is called mindfulness meditation, which begins with a focus on breath awareness and then advances to developing compassion for oneself and others.

Researchers are studying people who practice other types of mediation also. Richard Davidson has focused his work on the study of Tibetan Buddhist monks.  Their practice emphasizes the development of compassion.

*I discussed the therapeutic use of mediation with Delany Dean, PhD, in Episode 20 of Books and Ideas.

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Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com

"On Being Certain": Interview with Robert Burton, MD (BSP 43)

BSP 43 is an interview with Robert A Burton, MD, author of On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not. This is a follow up to BSP 42.

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Other scientists/writers mentioned in this episode:

• Benjamin Libet: important experiments showing that unconscious signals precede our awareness of deciding to act.

• Timothy Wilson: Strangers to Ourselves.

• John Searle, philosopher: Mind: A Brief Introduction.

• David Bohm, physicist:Thought as a System.

Other terms mentioned in the interview:

• Cotard's Syndrome: when the patient believes they do not exist or that they are dead

• Cognitive dissonance: a mismatch between what one believes and what the evidence supports

Previous Episodes of the Brain Science Podcast:

• Episode 42: Part 1 of our discussion of On Being Certain.

• Episode 13: Unconscious Decisions-featuring Blink, by Malcom Gladwel.l

• Episode 15: Interview with Read Montague about unconscious decisions.

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Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com

Don't Miss Neuroscience Pioneer, Dr. Brenda Milner, on Futures in Biotech

In Episode 33 Futures in Biotech  host Marc Pelletier, PhD, interviews pioneering researcher, Dr. Brenda Milner from the Montreal Neurological Institute.  Dr. Milner is best known for her work with HM, the patient that she worked with for many decades.  Her work helped neuroscientists appreciate the role of the hippocampus in memory and the fact that there are multiple types of memory, some of which do not require the hippocampus.

One of the things that makes this interview special is that Dr. Milner gives us the inside story on some of the pioneering work that we now take for granted.  She emphasizes how the work fit into the context of its time, giving an unique glimpse into the history of how science really unfolds.

Click here to learn more.

Futures in Biotech is a valuable contributor to SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG.

Alice Gaby Talks About Linguistics (BSP 41)

Episode 41 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Alice Gaby, PhD, from the University of California-Berkeley.  Dr. Gaby is a linguist who studies the role of language in cognition as well as the aboriginal languages of Australia . In this episode, Dr. Gaby introduces some of the basic areas of linguistics.  We also talk about why linguistics is important to understanding brain function, as well as the importance of interdisciplinary communication to advancement in both fields.  Dr. Gaby's infectious enthusiasm makes this potentially intimidating subject accessible to everyone.

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Links and References:

• Gaby, A. 2006. A Grammar of Kuuk Thaayorre. Unpublished PhD thesis. Melbourne: University of Melbourne. (download PDF)

• Language: Its Structure and Use (5th edition) by Edward Finegan: introductory text recommended by Dr. Gaby.

• The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language, by Steven Pinker: a good introduction for general readers.

Other scientists mentioned in the interview:

• George Lakoff: UC-Berkeley.

• Dan I. Slobin: emeritus professor, UC-Berkeley.

• Lera Boroditsky of Stanford University.

• Stephen Levinson: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands.

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Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com

Mirror Neurons with Michael Arbib (BSP 39)

Episode 39 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Michael Arbib from the University of Southern California.  Dr. Arbib's work with functional brain imaging has established the presence of mirror neurons in the human brain.  In our interview, we focused on the role of mirror neurons in imitation and language.  In particular, I questioned Dr. Arbib about the Mirror System Hypothesis (MSH) of Language Evolution that he proposed in 1998 with Giacomo Rizzolatti.  We also explored how this hypothesis diverges from the universal grammar proposed by Noam Chomsky.  Dr. Arbib also shared his enthusiasm for future research and we talked about the special challenges caused by the interdisciplinary nature of modern neuroscience.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

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Related Episodes:

• Brain Science Podcast  #7: A discussion of bonobos with Stuart Shanker, PhD.

• Brain Science Podcast  #30: a discussion of language evolution including my thoughts on Chomsky.

• Brain Science Podcast  #35: a detailed discussion of Mirrors in the Brain, by Giacomo Rizzolatti.

Scientists mentioned in the interview:

• Giacomo Rizzolatti: His team discovered mirror neurons at the University of Parma, Italy. Other team members: Vittorio Gallese, Luciano Fadiga, and Leo Fogassi.

• Ursula Bellugi (Salk Institute): pioneered the neurobiology of sign language.

• Richard Byrne (University of St. Andrews): studies how gorillas learn in the wild.

• Michael Tomasello (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Anthropology): studies social behavior of primates, including how communicative gestures vary between groups.

• Noam Chomsky (MIT): famous linguist who has proposed an inborn universal grammar.

• DL Cheney and RM Seyfarth:  research about primate vocal behavior, especially the use of calls in the wild.

References:

• Cybernetics, by Norbert Wiener- this classic inspired Dr. Arbib's career in computational neuroscience.

• Action to Language via the Mirror Neuron System, (2006) edited by Michael Arbib.

• Mirrors in the Brain by Giacomo Rizzolatti and Corrado Sinigaglia, 2008. Discussed in Episode 37.

• Mirroring People by Marco Iacoboni, 2008.  The author studies mirror neurons at UCLA.

• Rizzolatti G & Arbib MA  Language within our grasp. Trends in Neuroscience 21(5): 188-194- the first paper describing the Mirror System Hypothesis, 1998.

• Iacoboni M, Molnar-Szakacs I, Gallese V, Buccino G, Mazziotta JC, et al.  Grasping the intentions of others with one's own mirror neuron system. PLoS Biol 3 (3): e79, 2005.

• Arbib, M.A., "From Monkey-like Action Recognition to Human Language: An Evolutionary Framework for Neurolinguistics"  (with commentaries and author’s response), Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28:105-167.  (Click here for supplemental commentaries and the author’s “electronic response.”) 2005.

• Arbib MA 2006 "Broca's Area in System Perspective: Language in the Context of Action-Oriented Perception" in Broca's Region, Oxford University Press, pp 153-168.

• Arbib MA 2008 "Invention and Community in the Emergence of Language: Insights from New Sign Languages," in Foundations in Evolutionary Cognitive Neuroscience, Cambridge University Press.

• Click here for more papers by Dr. Arbib.  He has also written over 40 books.

Other Links:

• Michael Arbib's website.

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Interview with Jeff Hawkins "On Intelligence" (BSP 38)

Episode 38 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Jeff Hawkins, author of On Intelligence.  Hawkins is well-known for founding Palm Computing and Handspring.  He invented the Grafitti handwriting recognition system and helped develop the Palm Trio SmartPhone.  Since he published his bestseller On Intelligence, he has devoted his work to his passion for neuroscience.  His current company, Numenta, is developing software that models the hierarchical structure of the neocortex.  In this interview we talk about the ideas in Hawkins book and how he is applying them to develop a computer model of cortical function.  This is a follow-up to Episode 2, which first aired in December of 2006.

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Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

Links and References:

• Jeff Hawkins: Wikipedia entry

• On Intelligence, by Jeff Hawkins with Sandra Blakeslee.http://www.onintelligence.org.

• Dileep George: co-founder of Numenta and principal architect of the first prototype implementing the hierarchical temporal memory system (HTM) patterned after the human neocortex.

Vernon Montcastle: pioneer who proposed that all parts of the brain's cortex work the same way.

• Vernon Mountcastle (1978), "An Organizing Principle for Cerebral Function: The Unit Model and the Distributed System", The Mindful Brain (Gerald M. Edelman and Vernon B. Mountcastle, eds.) Cambridge, MA: MIT Press (Please let me know if you find this paper on-line!)

• Perceptual Neuroscience: The Cerebral Cortex, by Vernon B. Mountcastle.  This 1998 is recommended by  Jeff Hawkins, especially for those interested in the technical details of cortical function.

Redwood Institute for Theoretical Neuroscience (UC-Berkeley) founded by Jeff Hawkins.

Numenta: company website includes extensive educational information about hierarchical temporal memory system (HTM).  The company's focus is practical implementation of HTM Theory.

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"Brain Rules" with John Medina (BSP 37)

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.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

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• 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 the audio files.

Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

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™.

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Embodied Cognition with Art Glenberg (BSP 36)

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.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

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Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

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 & Review14 (3), 436-441

• 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.

• 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 & Review14 (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

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Rachel Herz Talks About Smell (BSP 34)

Episode 34 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Rachel Herz, author of The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (2007).  Dr. Herz teaches at Brown University, and she is a leading authority on the psychology of smell.  We talk about the how smell works, its role in emotion and memory, why it is so vulnerable, and why smell is much more important than most of us realize.  We also consider some of the questions that remain unanswered.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

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• 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 the audio files.

Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

Links and References:

Rachel Herz:

• Brown Medical School faculty page.

• Wikipedia: a good source for further references.

• RachelHerz.com.

• thescentofdesire.com.

The 2004 Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology was awarded to Richard Axel and Linda B. Buck for their discoveries of "odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system."

BuckL, Axel R.: "A novel multigene family may encode odorant receptors: a molecular basis for odor recognition."

Cell. 1991 Apr 5;65(1):175-87.

"The (Shocked) Nose Knows" by Gisela Telis Science NOW Daily News 27 March 2008.

The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (2007), by Rachel Herz

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Exercise and the Brain (BSP 33)

John J. Ratey, M.D.

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.

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.

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.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• Buy mp3 for $1.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• 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 the audio files.

Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

This episode contains information that everyone can use.  I hope you will share it with your friends and family.

Links and References:

• Spark: 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.

Brain Science Podcast #31: Brain Rhythms with György Buzsáki

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.

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Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

• György Buzsáki, Professor of Neuroscience at Rutgers University.

• Learn about his lab and research.

Scientists and References:

• 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. He has shown how the timing of oscillations in the hippocampus are important.

• "Independent rate and temporal coding in hippocampal pyramidal cells," by John Huxter, Neil Burgess, and John O'Keefe. Nature 425, 828-832 (23 October 2003).

• 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 Wiesel: 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.

Natasha Mitchell Interviews Jonah Lehrer about "Proust was a Neuroscientist"

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.

The Evolution of Language (BSP 30)

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.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• Buy mp3 for $1.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• 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 the audio files.

Scientists discussed in the Episode:

• Noam Chomsky

• Sue Savage-Rumbaugh

• Stuart Shanker: Brain Science Podcast #7: Interview about bonobos

• see also Brain Science Podcast #6: Discussion of The First Idea

• Steven Pinker and Paul Bloom

• Philip Leiberman

*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.  Also, be sure to check out Kenneally's blog for follow-up information.

Reading and the Brain with Dr. Maryanne Wolf (BSP 29)

Dr. Maryanne Wolf, Director of The Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University

Episode 29 of the Brain Science Podcast 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. 

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• Buy mp3 for $1.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• 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 the audio files.

Links:

Maryanne Wolf

• Faculty page at Tufts.

• Director of The Center for Reading and Language Development.

• Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain.

• The Center for Reading and Language Development (Tufts University)

• RAVE-O: A Comprehensive, Fluency-Based Reading Intervention Program.

Edward Taub's Revolutionary Approach to Stroke Rehabilitation (BSP 28)

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. 

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.

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• Buy mp3 for $1.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• 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 the audio files.

Listen in your Favorite Audio app: Audible, Amazon music, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and many more.

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:

• Announcement of his recent article in JAMA

• William James Fellow Award 1997

• Dr. Taub's faculty page at UAB (includes contact information)

References:

• Effect of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy on Upper Extremity Function 3 to 9 Months After Stroke: The EXCITE Randomized Clinical Trial: Steven L. Wolf; Carolee J. Winstein; J. Philip Miller; EdwardTaub; Gitendra Uswatte; David Morris; Carol Giuliani; Kathye E. Light; Deborah Nichols-Larsen; JAMA, November 1, 2006;   296:   2095 - 2104.  (Free download)

• Accompanying editorial: Stroke Recovery-Moving in an EXCITE-ing Direction: Andreas R. Luft, MD;  Daniel F. Hanley, MD; JAMA. 2006;296:2141-2143.  (Available for purchase)

Neuroplasticity with Dr. Norman Doidge (BSP 26)

Episode 26 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Norman Doidge, MD, author of The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (2007).  Dr. Doidge and I agree that neuroplasticity is the most important discovery about the brain that has been made in several hundred years.  In his interview, Dr. Doidge talks about some of the obstacles that delayed this discovery including what he calls the "plastic paradox," which is the fact that plasticity itself can contribute to the development of rigid behaviors, including addictions and bad habits.

The Brain That Changes Itself includes the work of the key scientists of neuroplasticity.  In my conversation with Dr. Doidge, we talked about the work of Paul Bach-y-Rita, Edward Taub, and VS Ramachandran.  Dr. Doidge also shared how his own work is being affected, and why he thinks neuroplasticity has the potential to lead to more important discoveries.

I will be talking to Dr. Taub in Episode 28.  If you are new to the Brain Science Podcast, you may want to go back and listen to Episode 10, which is where I first introduced neuroplasticity in my discussion of Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves, by Sharon Begley.

You can learn more about Dr. Doidge's work at his website: http://normandoidge.com

How to get this episode:

• Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.

• Buy mp3 for $1.

• Buy Transcript for $1.

• 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 the audio files.