Author: This Is Your Brain producer
Phil Stieg Reach out and touch someone isn’t just a slogan from a long distance phone ad. It’s also a powerful statement about human connection. Our guest, Dr. Michael Banissy, is a leading expert in the science of social connection. As a professor of social neuroscience at the University of Bristol, his work explores how we understand and respond to others, particularly through touch, empathy, and emotional communication. In his recent book, “When We Touch”, Dr. Banissy offers insights that are timely in a world where our social bonds are increasingly shaped by screens. Today, we’ll talk with him about…
Whether it’s our shopping habits, Google searches, or Facebook friends, we are all aware that our personal information is being collected and often sold online. But what about our thoughts, what’s going on in our minds? With all the advances in consumer Neurotechnology and AI, stealing data from our brains is no longer science fiction and at least for now, it can collected and used without our consent. Can anything be done to stop this intrusion into our most personal information? Dr. Sean Pauzauski, Medical Director at the Neurorights Foundation, discusses how companies collect our brain data, and whether or…
Why do you exercise? It might be to lose weight, maintain or improve your health, reduce stress, or perhaps a combination of all of these. But what is actually motivating you is simpler than that. As Dr. Gary Wenk reveals in his book “Your Brian on Exercise”, you exercise because your brain needs you to move, and it will do everything it can to motivate you to do it. He provides fascinating insights into exactly what is happening to our brains when we go jogging, lift weights, swim laps, or take a walk, as well as what happens when we…
Until the death of actor Matthew Perry many people had never even heard of ketamine. As a recreational drug, known as “Special K”, it can be extremely addictive and dangerous. But, when used under supervision, this powerful drug can help people with depression and various other mental health issues. Dr. John Krystal, a leading expert on the neurobiology and treatment of psychiatric disorders, offers insights into why and how a drug once used as a horse tranquilizer and anesthetic has become a lifeline for those suffering from clinical depression. Phil Stieg With the recent death of actor Matthew Perry, people have…
At age 70, after a long career as a neurosurgeon and best-selling author, the tables were turned on Dr. Henry Marsh. Diagnosed with cancer, and facing his own mortality, Marsh offers a humble and honest look at what it was like when a prominent doctor becomes a patient; just as scared and dependent as anyone of us would be dealing with a terrible diagnosis, with regrets, fears, and feelings of helplessness. In his latest book chronicling his experience, Marsh shares some valuable lessons that he learned from both sides of the Doctor/Patient relationship. Phil Stieg Today, we will be hearing…
Have you ever felt the type of grief where it seemed like you would never recover, like your heart was actually broken? Whether it’s a member of your family, a friend or a beloved pet, all of us will experience the loss of a loved one, and the deep and difficult emotions that follow. One of the reasons grief can be so difficult is actually more about our brains than our hearts. Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor has been studying grief for decades, and she has learned its profound effects on our brains and our bodies. She will reveal some surprising…