Author: This Is Your Brain producer
Unlike a broken bone or clogged artery, a brain that goes awry due to disease or injury—or even an errant molecule—causes weird and unpredictable changes in personality. Hear some of the bizarre tales of tiny particles that alter behavior from neurologist Sara Manning Peskin, author of “A Molecule Away From Madness.”Plus… how parasites hijack animal brains, sometimes turning a host into a zombie in their quest to reproduce.Phil Stieg: Hello, I’d like to welcome Dr. Sara Manning Peskin, a neuroscientist and assistant professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. Today we are here to discuss her recent book…
Bonus clip from Tales of a Hijacked Brain, with Dr. Sara Manning Peskin In addition to her writing, Dr. Sara Manning Peskin is a clinical researcher in the field of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In this bonus segment, Dr. Peskin discusses some wide ranging issues related to dementia, including experimental drugs for treatment, testing for genetic markers, and preventative measures that, in her opinion, are not worth the money. Phil Stieg: I know it’s not what your book is about, but I guess I have to ask you because I know there’s a number of people out there marketing…
The impact of mild traumatic brain injury extends far beyond the gridiron – concussions can happen anywhere, including playing fields, bike paths, and war zones. Kenneth Kutner, PhD, who specializes in head injuries and has been the team neuropsychologist for the New York Giants for 30 seasons, joins us to talk about what the latest research has revealed about concussion and how it affects physical health and cognitive function. From the military to the NFL, and even in the corporate boardroom, this invisible injury is finally emerging from the shadows. Plus… why don’t woodpeckers get concussions? Phil Stieg: Hello I’d…
Temple Grandin, PhD., wants kids — especially those on the autism spectrum — to start using their hands again. The woman Oliver Sacks called “the anthropologist on Mars” explains how our brains may be naturally wired to think in words, mathematics, or visuals, and there’s nothing disordered about any of them. Dr. Grandin urges us to respect our young visual thinkers and celebrate their strengths instead of labeling them with disabilities. Phil Stieg: Hello. My guest today is Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University. With her fascinating ability to understand how animals think, she transformed…
Giggles, guffaws, or belly laughs — whenever we crack up, we’re communicating more than we realize. Laughter, says Dr. Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at University College London as well as a standup comic, is pretty complicated. It’s a way of expressing group membership and affection (as long as nobody is laughing AT you) and involves a physical reaction as well as an emotional one. Scott can make you laugh — and then explain why you did. Phil Stieg: Hello, I’d like to welcome Professor Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist and director of the University College of London’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.…
Extreme athlete Wim Hof has set records for immersion in icy water, and he recommends it for physical and mental health. Find out why his wife’s suicide drove Hof to master controlled hyperventilation — in breathtaking cold — to become happy, strong, and healthy. (Everything else, he’ll tell you, is BS.) Surprisingly, heart and brain science just may support the Wim Hof Method. Plus… contrasting Ice with Fire. Plus…contrasting Ice and Fire with a firewalking story courtesy of Jim Metzner of “Pulse of the Planet” Phil Stieg: Hello and welcome to Wim Hof, or better known as The Iceman. Clearly…