Counting Neurons with Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel (BS 133)

Counting Neurons with Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel (BS 133)

This is an interview with Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel, the scientist who discovered that the human brain has an average of 86 billion neurons, which is significantly less than the 100 billion that was long assumed. She has also written a wonderful book called The Human Advantage: How Our Brains Became Remarkable.

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Honoring William Uttal's Contributions to Cognitive Neuroscience (BS 132)

Dr. William Uttal, who died last month at the age of 86, had a very unusual career, going from physics and engineering to psychology and cognitive science. I think his unique background contributed to the refreshing skepticism that he brought to the growing use of imaging (especially fMRI) in the cognitive sciences.

He was a prolific writer on the subject and back in 2012 I had the honor of talking with him about his book Mind and Brain: A Critical Appraisal of Cognitive Neuroscience. In addition to shedding light on the limitations of imaging (such as poor reproducibility), Dr. Uttal also argued that it was premature to abandon other psychological testing methods.

This month I am replaying that 2012 interview. Brain Science 132 includes a new introduction and closing remarks.  While Dr. Uttal's writing was aimed at a technical audience I think it is important for listeners of all backgrounds to be aware of these issues because they remain as relevant as ever.

How to get this episode:

  • FREE: audio mp3 (click to stream, right click to download)

  • Episode Transcript [Buy for $2]

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

  • 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 to the audio files.

Links and References

Announcements

  • You can now record your voice feedback at http://speakpipe.com/docartemis.

  • Brain Science is now 100% listener supported. You can support the show via direction donations, Premium Subscription, or Patreon.

  • I am planning to attend this year's Society of Neuroscience Meeting, which is being held in Washington DC November 11-15, 2017. Please email at brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com if you are going to be in Washington during those dates. If there is enough interest I will arrange a listener meet-up.

  • I am also in the early stages of planning a trip to Australia in 2018 and would love to hear from Australian listeners for ideas and advice, including leads on speaking opportunities.

What is Mind? (BS 131)

In part 2 or our 10 Anniversary Retrospective we consider the question What is Mind? I reflect back on books and guests who have appeared in the last 5 years, and consider how my take on this question has evolved over the 10 years I have been creating  Brain Science (formerly called the Brain Science Podcast.) Listener feedback is also included.

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Ten Year Anniversary Show, Part 1 - The Early Years

In this very special episode, we begin a two part celebration of the 10 year anniversary for Brain Science. The podcast began in December 2006, which makes it one of the longest running shows since the first podcasts were launched in 2004.

Ten years is a lot of ground to cover, so for this episode we are only focusing on the early years from 2006 to 2011. Learn why the podcast began and get a peek into the format changes the show has had over the years. This episode contains something that you rarely see in the show - listener feedback! You'll get to hear what listeners think about the show, how they use the show to help them with their work, and you'll even get to hear from a critic! So many of you have reached out over the years, and although there isn't room for all our feedback in this episode, please know that each and every email that has been received is appreciated!

In today's episode Dr. Campbell discusses:

  • how the brain makes us human is an endlessly fascinating topic

  • favorite shows from the first 5 years of Brain Science

  • BSP 47 provides the best summary of what we know about brain evolution

  • favorite guests from the first 5 years

  • some of the decisions about the podcast frequency and the reasons beind them

  • the book review that got the show started

  • the best way to access past episodes of the show

  • shows mentioned are tagged with the term Embodied Cognition, so search for them that way

In this show, we mentioned the best ways to listen to episodes from our first 5 years. Our episode archive is available to Premium subscribers for only $5/month.  The best way to access these episodes is via the FREE Brain Science mobile app, which is available for iOS, Android, and Windows phone.

How to get this episode:

  • FREE: audio mp3 (click to stream, right click to download)

  • Episode Transcript [Buy PDF for $1]

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

  • New episodes of Brain Science are ALWAYS FREE. All episodes posted after January 1, 2013, are free. See the individual show notes for links to the audio files.

Important Links

References

Announcements

  • Part 2 of our 10th Anniversary will be posted in January 2017

  • Please send your feedback to brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com.

Brain Science 10th Anniversary Preview

Original 2006 Logo

Original 2006 Logo

The first episode of the Brain Science Podcast (now Brain Science) was released on December 5, 2006. I am preparing a very special 10th Anniversary episode and I have just posted a brief audio asking for listener feedback.

You can contribute either email or audio feedback.

My Audible.com pick for November is Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Suzanne Corkin.

Neuropsychology and the Study of Memory - Dr. Brenda Milner (BS 129)

Neuropsychology and the Study of Memory - Dr. Brenda Milner (BS 129)

BS 129 features pioneering neuroscientist Brenda Milner. Dr. Milner is best known for work work on memory including key discoveries she made while working with the famous patient HM. She also made important discoveries about the differences between the brain's hemispheres by studying the so-called "split brain" patients. This interview was recorded in 2008 when Dr. Milner was 90, but I am glad to report that she is still going strong at age 98.

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Primary Consciousness and Experience with Jon Mallatt (BSP 128)

Primary Consciousness and Experience with Jon Mallatt (BSP 128)

In BSP 128 we talk with Jon Mallatt co-author of The Ancient Origins of Consciousness: How the Brain Created Experience. We consider the evidence that primary sensory consciousness is much older and more widespread than is commonly believed.

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Placebo Research Update with Fabrizio Benedetti (BSP 127)

Placebo Research Update with Fabrizio Benedetti (BSP 127)

BSP 127 marks the return of placebo researcher Fabrizio Benedetti, author of Placebo Effects: Understanding the mechanisms in health and disease. We talk about some of Dr. Benedetti's most recent research into placebo effects in pain relief and in high altitude headaches. We also talk about some of the ethical issues about using placebos.

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9th Annual Review of Neuroscience (BSP 125)

9th Annual Review of Neuroscience (BSP 125)

BSP 125 is our ninth annual review episode. We review some key ideas from each of the 10 episodes that were released in 2015, and then take a look ahead to 2016. Check out the show notes for a complete lists of this year's guests and the books we covered. The transcript for this episode is FREE.

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Neural Reuse and Embodied Cognition (BSP 124)

BSP 124 is an interview with Dr. Michael Anderson, author of After Phrenology: Neural Reuse and the Interactive Brain. We also continue our ongoing discussion of Embodied Cognitive Science.

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Phenomenology and Embodied Cognition (BSP 123)

Phenomenology and Embodied Cognition (BSP 123)

BSP 123 is an interview with philosopher Anthony Chemero, author of Radical Embodied Cognitive Science and Phenomenology: An Introduction with Stephan Käufer. The focus of this interview is understanding how phenomenology has influenced psychology and cognitive science.

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Summer Announcements about Brain Science Podcast

Dennis Smith and Ginger Campbell (taken ~2000)

Dennis Smith and Ginger Campbell (taken ~2000)

Because of my husband's recent unexpected death, I will not be posting a new episode of the Brain Science Podcast until sometime next month. However, I have posted a brief audio announcement. This includes the content of Books and Ideas #58, which shares some memories of our life together.

New logo for Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD

New logo for Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD

  • Donations in honor of Dennis G Smith (1946-2015) are going to German Shepherd Rescue of Central Alabama.

  • BSP 121 had some regrettable sound quality issues: Click here for the improved version. [Special thanks to Jeff King for his help!]

  • Some minor changes in the Premium Subscription: all episodes after BSP 92 will remain free, but for each free episode there will be a "Premium Version with Transcript." In the future, the Premium version will contain an Audible.com recommendation, but no additional advertising. Click here to learn more.

  • The name of the Brain Science Podcast is being changed to Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD. This is in keeping with current trends in show names and to make the show more attractive to other outlets like radio. This will not affect the website URL or feed address.

  • The next new episode will be out in the last half of September

  • Please send feedback to brainsciencepodcast@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter.

"How Do you Feel?" with Dr. Bud Craig (BSP 121)

"How Do you Feel?" with Dr. Bud Craig (BSP 121)

BSP 121 is an interview with AD (Bud) Craig, author of How Do You Feel?: An Interoceptive Moment with Your Neurobiological Self. Even though his book is quite technical he does a great job of describing his discoveries in a way that is accessible for listeners of all backgrounds.

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More on CI Therapy with Ed Taub (BSP 120)

More on CI Therapy with Ed Taub (BSP 120)

BSP 120 is the second half of our interview with Dr. Edward Taub who leads the ongoing development of Constraint Induced (CI) Therapy. We continue to explore the role of learned non-use as well as the expansion of CI Therapy beyond stroke to include traumatic brain injury (TBI) and even spinal cord injuries.

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Dr. Ed Taub revolutionizes Stroke Rehab (BSP 119)

Dr. Ed Taub revolutionizes Stroke Rehab (BSP 119)

BSP 119 is the first half of a new interview with Dr. Edward Taub, inventor of Constraint Induced Movement Therapy, which is a revolutionary approach to rehabilitating people with brain injuries, such as stroke and trauma.

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