Podcasts about fmri

Why do breakups hurt so much? Because neurologically, heartbreak looks almost identical to drug withdrawal. In a landmark 2010 fMRI study, Helen Fisher and her colleagues showed that the brains of the recently rejected lit up in the same reward and craving circuits — the VTA and nucleus accumbens — that drive cocaine addiction. In this episode of The Dr. Leaf Show, Dr. Caroline Leaf unpacks the neuroscience of heartbreak and why it can take at least 63 days to rewire, plus two more segments: why horror movies might actually be good for your brain (and when they're not), and a Pick My Brain Q&A tackling self-love, the attachment styles myth, unconditional love, and how to reignite the spark in a long marriage.

Uma pesquisa recente publicada na revista científica Pain mostra que a reação ao choro de dor dos bebês depende mais da empatia do indivíduo do que do gênero. Durante o experimento, realizado no Hospital Universitário de Saint-Étienne, no sudeste do país, a equipe do neurocientista francês Camille Fauchon, do Inserm (Instituto Nacional de Saúde e Pesquisa Médica da França), utilizou uma base de áudios, gravados em casa pelos próprios pais ou em hospitais. Taíssa Stivanin, da RFI em Paris O estudo coletou o choro de cerca de 20 crianças, entre meninos e meninas, entre 2018 e 2019. As gravações foram feitas, por exemplo, quando os bebês tomavam vacina ou durante os primeiros banhos, uma situação potencialmente estressante. Ao todo, 80 homens e mulheres, com ou sem filhos, participaram da pesquisa e foram submetidos a exames de ressonância magnética funcional (fMRI) enquanto ouviam os áudios. Os participantes permaneceram cerca de uma hora dentro do aparelho, ouvindo choros de bebês que não conheciam. "Tentamos identificar as áreas cerebrais relacionadas a esse aprendizado e verificar se existiam diferenças relevantes entre os pais e as mães", explica o cientista francês. O objetivo dos exames de imagem era comparar como os participantes reagiam aos sons dos choros dos recém-nascidos. Os choros de dor utilizados na pesquisa têm uma “marca” característica que ativa certas regiões cerebrais. “Durante a ressonância magnética, fizemos essa comparação com os pais, as mães, os homens com ou sem filhos e as mulheres com ou sem filhos. Nosso objetivo era identificar quais circuitos 'despertam' quando ouvimos esses sons.” Essa escuta ativou um grande conjunto de estruturas no cérebro dos participantes, sem grandes diferenças, diz o neurocientista. O fator determinante é o tempo dedicado aos cuidados com a criança, um aprendizado que é construído no dia a dia com o bebê. A inclusão de pais e mães no estudo, diz Camille Fauchon, é inédita, embora pesquisas anteriores, de 2017, já tenham mostrado que ambos são igualmente capazes de reconhecer o choro de seus filhos. Por que nosso cérebro é tão sensível ao choro de um bebê? A natureza é sábia, explica o pesquisador: em termos acústicos, esse choro rouco típico dos bebês, quase aversivo, é feito para despertar a atenção dos adultos, que vão agir para acalmar o desconforto ou a dor da criança. "Isso é bastante lógico. Vivemos em grupo, criamos nossos filhos coletivamente e temos empatia uns pelos outros. Por isso, todos somos capazes de reconhecer esse choro." A parentalidade, ou o contato diário com o recém-nascido, contribui para especializar um circuito cerebral já presente em todos os indivíduos, tornando-o mais sensível e rápido na interpretação desses sinais, reitera Camille Fauchon. Em primeiro lugar, entra em ação o sistema auditivo, localizado nos lobos temporais, responsável por decodificar os sons. Na sequência, são ativadas regiões ligadas à empatia, sobretudo nas áreas frontoparietais. Essas áreas permitem integrar as informações e se colocar no lugar do outro para compreender, no caso, que se trata de um bebê em sofrimento. O cérebro também reage emocionalmente. Estruturas como a amígdala cerebral e a chamada ínsula anterior entram em funcionamento, gerando uma resposta afetiva ao choro, ao mesmo tempo em que contribuem para regular essa emoção. Outra rede importante é a chamada "vigilância parental". Ela envolve regiões subcorticais e límbicas antigas, como o núcleo caudado, relacionadas à orientação da atenção e à iniciativa de cuidado. Empatia é essencial O nível de empatia individual desempenha um papel central na reação dos adultos e vai condicionar essa resposta. "Quanto mais empatia temos, maior será a ativação de certas estruturas cerebrais diante do choro de um bebê", acrescenta o cientista francês. A conclusão é que, de uma forma geral, homens e mulheres possuem a mesma base neural para interpretar o choro de um bebê. A experiência de contato com esses choros leva à especialização de certos circuitos neurais, independentemente do gênero. Os dados reforçam a importância da plasticidade cerebral, definida como a capacidade de o cérebro se modificar ao longo do tempo em função das experiências e características individuais. A próxima etapa, explica o pesquisador, é estudar a reação cerebral ao choro de bebês conhecidos e descobrir se, de fato, essa familiaridade influencia a capacidade de identificar se há dor ou incômodo.

Dr. Justin Garcia explains why heartbreak mirrors cocaine withdrawal, why dating apps backfire, and what humans actually hunger for beneath the swiping.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1334What We Discuss with Justin Garcia:Humans evolved with two parallel drives that don't always cooperate: pair bonding (social monogamy) and sexual variety. Only 3 to 5% of mammals form true pair bonds, but our wiring for connection and our hunger for novelty often pull in opposite directions — which explains a lot about why relationships are so complicated.The most expensive item on the menu at a legal Nevada brothel isn't sex — it's the "girlfriend experience," where men pay $20,000+ for champagne, eye contact, and the simulation of being wanted. Intimacy, not eroticism, turns out to be the rarest and most expensive commodity humans chase.Chronic loneliness is as damaging to your health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day — and you can feel it even when you're surrounded by sexual partners. People with crowded romantic schedules but no real connection are quietly running a health risk equivalent to chain-smoking.Heartbreak isn't a metaphor — it's neurochemical withdrawal. fMRI scans of the romantically rejected look remarkably like the brains of people detoxing from cocaine. The dopamine and oxytocin systems that build love operate on circuitry that closely parallels addiction.70% of people have eventually fallen for someone they weren't initially attracted to — meaning the snap judgment that drives swipe culture is almost always wrong. Slow down, say yes to second and third dates, introduce novelty into existing relationships (a new recipe, a new park, a new position), and water the grass you already have. Connection is built, not detected.And much more...And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: Lufthansa Allegris: Go to Lufthansa.com and search for "Allegris" to learn moreBoll & Branch: 15% off first set of sheets: bollandbranch.com, code JORDANEarnIn: Download EarnIn on the App Store or Google Play, type JordanHarbinger under PodcastFactor: 50% off first box: factormeals.com/jordan50off, code JORDAN50OFFProgressive Insurance: Free online quote: progressive.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain the neuroscience of grief, including how the brain maps relationships across three dimensions — space, time, and closeness — and why losing someone requires a remapping of those neural circuits. I describe how grief differs from depression, the role of oxytocin in driving yearning after a loss, and why people move through grief at different rates. I also discuss science-based tools for grieving adaptively, including how to access feelings of attachment while decoupling them from episodic memory. Finally, I explain how foundational biology — particularly sleep and cortisol rhythms — shapes our capacity to navigate the grieving process. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Grief (00:01:47) Myths of Grief, Kubler-Ross & fMRI (00:03:56) Brain Mapping Experiment, Proximity (00:07:05) Inferior Parietal Lobule; Space, Time & Closeness (00:09:20) Episodic Memory & Remapping After Loss (00:11:28) Sponsor: Eight Sleep (00:14:21) Tool: Dedicated Time, Counterfactual Thinking & Guilt (00:15:52) Oxytocin & Individual Differences in Grief (00:18:21) Prairie Voles, Monogamy & Nucleus Accumbens (00:22:30) Sponsor: LMNT (00:24:48) Vagal Tone, Emotional Disclosure & Bereavement Writing Study (00:29:40) Cortisol Rhythms, Complicated Grief & Sunlight (00:33:03) Sponsor: AG1 (00:34:59) Rational Grieving, Neuroplasticity & NSDR Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are delighted to host Marieke McKenna on this episode of the Mangu.tv podcast. Marieke McKenna (London, 1994) is a Scottish-Dutch philosopher, historian, artistic researcher, and performance artist. Her work explores metaphysics, phenomenology, consciousness studies, spirituality, ecology, and philosophies of nature through interdisciplinary research and embodied practice. She is an expert on cross-cultural perspectives on dreaming and other altered states of consciousness.For the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, she led the research project History of Lucid Dreaming Research, the first oral-historical examination of the emergence of lucid dreaming as an object of scientific inquiry. In collaboration with the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, the project combined oral history, philosophy, and cross-cultural anthropological research into how different cultures and traditions understand dreaming, with hands-on experience in neuroscience sleep laboratories conducting EEG and fMRI research on the dreaming brain.Outside academia, Marieke, who is based in The Netherlands, is an award-winning artist and curator, with performances and lectures at institutions including the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. She is the host of her own national radio show on NPO Radio 2, for which she selects music from across the globe, and has taught at various universities, conservatoires, and institutes, including Advaya and the Embassy of the Free Mind.Giancarlo and Marieke discuss idealism, interconnectedness, and how dreamwork nurtures healing and belonging. They speak about lucid dreaming in therapy, indigenous perspectives, and technology's encroachment into “inner space,” debating AI, advertising in dreams, collective consciousness, telepathy, quantum theory, and the mind's creative potential.

In this episode, Eric sits down with Alyece Smith, business coach, TEDx speaker, autism advocate, and founder of Socially Ausome, for a candid conversation about ADHD, masking, burnout, boundaries, and what it really takes to build systems that fit your brain. Alyece shares how her son's autism diagnosis changed the way she understood neurodivergence, her own ADHD, and the cost of trying to operate like everyone else. After leaving corporate to prioritize her son's care, she built a successful business quickly, but found herself overdelivering, people-pleasing, working late into the night, and burning out despite outward success. Together, Eric and Alyece explore why "inconsistency" is often misunderstood, especially for ADHDers. They talk about under-stimulation, energy management, spark times, decision fatigue, boundaries, and why sustainable follow-through usually requires better support, not more shame. Alyece also introduces her F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework: Find your spark times, Link boring tasks with stimulation, Organize your overflow, and Work your week around your peaks. This conversation is practical, validating, and useful for anyone who has ever felt scattered, overextended, or exhausted from trying to work against their own brain. Summary In this episode, Eric sits down with Alyece Smith — business coach, TEDx speaker, autism mom, and founder of Socially Ausome — for a candid conversation about what it really looks like to build a business with an ADHD brain. Alyece shares how her son's autism diagnosis cracked open her own understanding of neurodivergency, eventually leading her to leave corporate, launch a six-figure business, burn out spectacularly, and rebuild everything on her own terms. She introduces her F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework, breaks down why consistency advice fails ADHDers, and explains why energy management — not time management — is the real key to sustainable success. This one is raw, practical, and deeply validating for any entrepreneur who has ever felt scattered, burnt out, or like they're just not built for the traditional business model. Key Takeaways You're not scattered — you're bored. ADHD brains are chronically under-stimulated. What looks like inconsistency is really a dopamine regulation issue. Energy management beats time management. Work during your brain's natural peak times (your chronotype) — not just whenever the calendar says to. Boundaries are a business strategy. Burnout wasn't from working hard — it was from having no limits with clients or herself. "That's not in our contract, but I'm happy to invoice you" was a turning point. Masking is exhausting and expensive. Pretending to be neurotypical burns energy that could fuel your actual work. Coming out publicly as ADHD was terrifying — and completely freeing. The 48-hour rule for pivots. Before burning something down, sit with it 48 hours. Still fired up? Probably a real signal. Not? Likely boredom or fear. Systems aren't one-size-fits-all. The right system is one built around how your specific brain works — not how productivity gurus say it should. Brain dump daily. A five-minute voice memo clears mental clutter and can be run through AI tools to generate action lists. Passion is your compass. Hyperfocus kicks in hardest around genuine passion. Can't stop thinking about it? That's your signal. Women with ADHD are chronically misdiagnosed. Internalizing symptoms leads to anxiety and depression, and many women aren't diagnosed until perimenopause amplifies everything. Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction & Alyece's background 0:47 — Her son's autism diagnosis and the research rabbit hole that changed everything 3:17 — Leaving corporate in 2022 to prioritize her son's healthcare 3:56 — Going straight into entrepreneurship — and immediately masking all over again 4:16 — Hitting six figures in six months, then hitting a wall 4:35 — Working until 2–3am and the unrealistic client expectations that drove it 5:15 — People-pleasing, poor boundaries, and faking having an assistant 7:14 — What it means to deliver excellence when you're miserable doing it 8:27 — The breaking point: her husband calls her out 9:20 — Becoming a "brick wall of boundaries" and what that sounds like in practice 26:27 — Coming out publicly as ADHD on Facebook — and the flood of "me too" responses 27:47 — Why she now loves being an ADHD keynote speaker 28:20 — Reframing ADHD inconsistency: dopamine, boredom, and under-stimulation 29:37 — The fMRI study: boredom registers as pain in the ADHD brain 30:25 — Why ADHDers start strong and struggle to finish 31:56 — Decision fatigue and the power of a personal uniform 33:04 — Introducing the F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework 36:31 — Applying Flow First in a corporate setting — $300K saved in one quarter 36:54 — The book and what's inside beyond the TEDx talk 37:15 — Where people get the F (Find Your Spark Times) wrong 38:00 — Why changing your schedule feels uncomfortable — and how to push through 39:00 — Harmful advice in the ADHD space: "just be more consistent" 40:29 — How women internalize ADHD symptoms differently — and the misdiagnosis epidemic 41:17 — One small, actionable shift for overwhelmed entrepreneurs 43:14 — The Voice Pen app recommendation 46:21 — Where to find Alyece and get the book The F.L.O.W. Framework: F — Find your spark times (when your brain is most alert and focused) L — Link boring tasks with stimulating ones (temptation bundling) O — Organize your overflow (a "parking lot" system for ideas and distractions) W — Work your week around your peaks (theme your days, not your hours) Resources Mentioned Book: Flow First Thinking by Alyece Smith - Get it on Amazon Website: sociallyausome.com Nonprofit: Caden's Corner / The Awesome Family's Foundation App: Voice Pen — voice memo to AI-generated action list Tool: ManyCam — virtual camera with timer overlay for Zoom calls Connect with Alyece Website: sociallyausome.com Facebook & Instagram: @sociallyausome (Skip the TikTok DMs — she's not in there) ADHD reWired Services Coaching Groups Adult Study Hall 1:1 Therapy & Coaching Additional Resource Mentioned: Neurodivergent + LGBTQ+ Pride Month Panel

Today's episode is all about how childhood literally shapes the brain.Our most important experiences – from learning to read, to the growing complexity of our social lives at school, and even the video games we play – leave physical traces in how our brains get organized that shape how we see the world as adults.But how does the brain actually know what parts of our lives are actually important enough to reorganize around? How do particular experiences get under the hood to leave their mark on the developing brain?Today's guest, Stanford psychology professor Kalanit Grill-Spector, has spent her career trying to answer these questions. She's has been imaging children's brains – from infants to teenagers – to watch this reorganization unfold. Her work focuses on how our visual experience as children shapes our brains and how we see the world – what she and her team have found is not always what they expected.Learn MoreThe Vision and Perception Neuroscience Lab at Stanford Humanities and SciencesBrain's face recognition area grows much bigger as we get older (New Scientist, 2017)Neuroscientists use AI to simulate how the brain makes sense of the visual world (Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, 2025)Bridging nature and nurture: The brain's flexible foundation from birth (Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, 2025)Extensive childhood experience with Pokémon suggests eccentricity drives organization of visual cortex (Nature Human Behavior, 2019)Cortical recycling in high-level visual cortex during childhood development (Nature Human Behaviour, 2021)A unifying framework for functional organization in early and higher ventral visual cortex (Neuron, 2024)The emergence of visual category representations in infants' brains (eLife, 2024)White matter connections of human ventral temporal cortex are organized by cytoarchitecture, eccentricity and category-selectivity from birth (Nature Human Behaviour, 2025)Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience.We want to hear from your neurons! Email us at at neuronspodcast@stanford.eduLearn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Kati Devaney is a neuroscientist and meditation teacher with over 25 years of practice. She earned her PhD in 2018 using fMRI to study attention and prediction updating in experienced Vipassana meditators and completed a postdoc at Harvard Medical School. She's now the Chief Scientific Officer at the Consciousness Foundation, co-founded the Berkeley Alembic and the SF Dharma Collective, advises Jhourney on the neuroscience of jhana, and has been quoted on the brain and meditation in The Atlantic, National Geographic, and TIME.In this episode we talk about weird stuff like cessation, jhanas, and non-duality. We also explore how the brain quietly constructs your sense of reality moment-to-moment, and how to (re)start a meditation practice. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themetagame.substack.com

Your partner said all the right things. So why do you feel MORE alone than before you opened up? Welcome to positive invalidation. That strange ache—being reassured into invisibility—has a name. It's what happens when "you're so good at your job, don't even worry about it" lands like a door quietly closing on what you actually feel. In this episode, Tony Overbay unpacks the science of validation, the paradox underneath it, and why the partner who soothes you fastest may be regulating their own nervous system, not seeing yours. Through the story of Archie and Veronica, this episode explores: Why positive invalidation stings more than the obvious kind—and how to spot it inside your own well-meaning reassurances Dr. Marsha Linehan's "kernel of truth" definition of validation, plus Tony's four pillars of a connected conversation David Schnarch's distinction between other-validated and self-validated intimacy—and why needing validation is the real trap The co-regulation research (including the famous fMRI hand-holding study) that explains why your partner's bad day becomes your emergency The four stages of competence, from "unconscious incompetence" to actually living it—and why stage two is where most people quit therapy HALT, upstream versus downstream work, and a surprising tangent into energy landscapes and Buddhist non-self As a licensed marriage and family therapist who's spent decades guiding couples back toward each other, Tony weaves together DBT, ACT, and Schnarch's differentiation work to answer one question: can you give validation as a gift without needing it back? If something here resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear that they're not broken—they're human. Please follow Tony on Instagram @virtual.couch on Tiktok @virtualcouch on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonyoverbaylmft and on Substack https://thevirtualcouch.substack.com/ You can reach out to Tony through his website tonyoverbay.com or by emailing contact @ tonyoverbay.com 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 02:28 Meet Archie and Veronica 03:07 A Compliment That Hurts 05:08 Positive Invalidation Explained 06:35 Where Invalidation Comes From 09:10 Science of Validation and DBT 09:49 Four Pillars of Connection 12:31 Validation Research and Polarization 14:52 Schnarch and Differentiation 18:05 Self-Validated Intimacy 19:08 Non-Self and Interdependence 22:58 Co-Regulation and Fusion 26:08 When Comfort Is for You 28:11 Co-Regulation as Hope 28:57 When Growth Triggers Chaos 30:03 Energy Landscapes Explained 32:01 Biology of Pushback 35:02 Validation Paradox 38:12 Self-Validated Intimacy 41:12 Building Self-Validation 46:20 Veronica and Archie Revisited 47:09 Upstream vs Downstream 51:37 Four Stages of Change 55:00 Key Takeaways and Wrap

Hey rockstar,In the last piece, we explored why AI “fast money” shortcuts leave so many people feeling numb, overwhelmed, and disconnected — and why the real foundation of a sustainable business is still connection, care, and community.There's a closely related piece almost nobody is talking about:If numbness is what erodes your relationships, joy and wealth creation from the inside out, curiosity is what brings it back to life.Not just as a nice idea — but as a literal learning rate for your brain and your purpose.“Hey, before we jump in - when you get a moment, hit reply and tell me…. What's the #1 thing you're struggling with right now?The Number That Should Stop Every Purpose Driven Wealth Creation - ColdA developmental psychologist at Williams College tracked how many questions children ask per hour.At age five, the average kid asks 107 questions per hour. They're relentless. Why is the sky blue? Why do dogs have tails? Why does grandma's hair turn white? Their brains are running at full throttle, pulling in data from every direction.Then school starts.* By first grade, the entire class asks 2.3 questions per hour — combined.* By fifth grade? 0.48 questions per hour. Less than one question every two hours from a room full of eleven-year-olds.In one observation, kids were experimenting with an old-fashioned balance scale, genuinely doing science. The teacher shut it down: “Enough of that. I'll give you time to experiment at recess. There's no time for experiments now. We're doing science.”Read that again. No time for experiments… during science class.The researcher's conclusion is brutal: if you lose your curiosity by age 11, you probably don't get it back.I disagree on one thing. I think you can get it back. But you have to understand what curiosity actually is, neurologically. And that's where it gets interesting — especially for anyone trying to build something real in the AI era.Your Brain Is a Large Language Model (No, Really)The more I create custom services and learn about how advanced AI models work, the more clear it becomes: your brain is running the same basic algorithm.Consider the parallels:* Your brain has roughly 86 billion neurons connected by an estimated 100 trillion synapses.* GPT-4 has approximately 1.8 trillion parameters across its mixture-of-experts architecture.* Both are massive pattern-recognition networks.* Both learn by prediction.Here's how an LLM trains: it reads a sentence, predicts the next word, checks whether it was right, and adjusts its internal weights. Right answer? Strengthen that pathway. Wrong answer? Weaken it, try again. Billions of repetitions, trillions of adjustments.Your brain does the same thing.Every experience is a prediction. You reach for a coffee cup and predict its weight. You start a sentence and predict how the other person will react. When reality matches your prediction, your synapses strengthen. When it doesn't, your brain recalibrates. Neuroscientists call this predictive coding.A 2024 study found LLMs become more advanced, their internal representations actually become more similar to human brain activity during speech processing.Your brain is the original foundation model — pre-trained by evolution, fine-tuned by experience.But here's the critical difference:An LLM's learning rate is set by engineers. They decide how aggressively the model updates its weights in response to new data. Too high and it's unstable. Too low and it stops learning.In your brain, that learning rate has a name. It's called curiosity. And unlike an LLM, you can adjust it yourself.Curiosity as a Reward Signal: The Dopamine ConnectionUC Davis put people in an fMRI scanner and asked them trivia questions.What they found — published in the journal Neuron — changed our understanding of how curiosity works.When participants were highly curious, their ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens lit up. These are the same brain regions activated by food, sex, and addictive drugs.Curiosity hijacks your reward circuitry. It's not a nice-to-have personality trait. It's a neurochemical event.But the more interesting finding was this: during the curious state, participants were shown random faces, completely unrelated to the trivia. Later, they remembered those faces significantly better than faces shown during low-curiosity moments.Curiosity didn't just help them learn the answer they wanted. It supercharged their memory for everything happening in that moment.This is exactly how reinforcement learning works in AI. When an LLM gets a reward signal through RLHF (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback), it doesn't just strengthen the specific output — The reward ripples through the network.Curiosity is your brain's RLHF. It's the reward signal that tells 86 billion neurons: pay attention, something important is happening, encode everything.Without that signal, your brain does what an untrained model does. It defaults to cached responses. You stop updating. You become, in AI terms, a frozen model.Curiosity Literally Keeps You AliveAnd this is about much more than learning faster.In 1996, researchers Gary Swan and Dorit Carmelli at SRI International followed 1,118 older men over five years as part of the Western Collaborative Group Study. They measured curiosity at baseline and tracked who survived.The result: highly curious people had significantly higher survival rates — even after controlling for age, smoking, cardiovascular disease, and other risk factors. They replicated the finding in 1,035 older women.Curiosity was directly associated with greater cognitive reserve — the brain's buffer against age-related decline.Curious brains keep building new connections. Incurious ones atrophy.Mindset is a biological variable. Curious people don't merely think differently — their brains physically maintain themselves better.Which means in business terms:The relentless drive to learn boosts your neurons and adaptability as much as any supplement or course.How We Lose Curiosity (And Why That Kills Businesses)We aren't born numb.However, school, social conditioning, and performance culture often suppress questioning. By the time most people start or grow a business, their curiosity has nearly vanished.We learn to:* Stop experimenting unless there's a guaranteed outcome* Protect what we already “know” instead of updating* Prioritize looking competent over actually learningLayer AI “shortcuts” on top of that and the effect compounds. You can ship more, post more, automate more — without ever engaging the deeper questions:* What is really happening in my market right now?* What are my clients actually struggling with beneath the surface?* Where am I out of alignment with what I'm selling?Without those questions, your wealth stops evolving in any meaningful way. You may still be iterating on tactics, but your inner model of reality is frozen.Numbness plus speed is just a faster way to hit the wall.The most dangerous thing that can happen to your brain — or your business — is to stop being surprised.How to Crank Your Learning Rate Back Up Five strategies for creative agency:1. Create information gaps intentionally. Curiosity arises when you know enough to spot gaps but not enough to fill them. Before meetings, read halfway through an article and enter with questions, not answers.2. Schedule daily “explore time.” Dedicate 30 minutes to learning about unfamiliar fields to keep your curiosity alive without aiming for expertise.3. Ask “dumb” questions among experts. Genuine learners ask for explanations, even in rooms full of accomplished people.4. Change your physical inputs. Perceptual and intellectual curiosity; try new routes, restaurants without menus, or confusing places to stimulate dopamine.5. Teach what you learn within 24 hours. Sharing knowledge helps organize and consolidate it—similar to fine-tuning data in LLMs.Curiosity, AI, and the “Whole Human” In a world obsessed with speed and automation, the temptation is to outsource not just your tasks, but your actual thinking — your contact with reality.But the future we actually want isn't built by numbed-out operators running frozen mental models, propped up by ever-fancier tools.It's built by people who are:* Awake enough to notice when they've gone numb* Curious enough to re-open the questions about what they're building* Grounded enough to use AI as support for their nervous systems and insight — not as a mask over their disconnectionThat's the through-line from the last piece to this one:* From extraction → to contribution* From performance → to presence* From “how do I hack the algorithm?” → to “how do I keep my own learning rate high enough to truly serve?”What This Means for YouIf you're an entrepreneur: Your competitive advantage isn't your product. It's your rate of learning. Build a culture that rewards questions over answers. Hire curious people over credentialed people.If you're an executive or practitioner: Schedule one hour a week to explore a field completely outside your industry. Those who survive disruption are the ones whose mental models are still updating.If you're investing in yourself: Bet on your curiosity the way a smart investor bets on a sole proprietor founder's adaptability. Curiosity predicts adaptability — and adaptability predicts survival.If you're a parent or leader of others: Count the questions in the room. If the number is dropping, the issue isn't the people — it's the environment. Protect spaces where real learning (which is always a little messy) is allowed.The Invitation to the Deeper MindLet the FOMO cool.Keep experimenting with AI — but pair every tool with a question:* What is this teaching me about my clients, my patterns, my assumptions?* Where am I tempted to go numb instead of stay curious?Rebuild your foundation with timeless ingredients: connection, care, community, and a living curiosity that aligns you with life—not just trends. Curiosity reconnects you with reality, countering numbness.That's how I use Generative AI in Oracle work: To awaken intuition, not replace it.When you open The Light Between Oracle, you enter an immersive experience blending symbolic language, somatic regulation, and guided integration—so insights land in your body, not just your mind.Here's the process:* You arrive scattered or braced.* The Oracle helps you downshift to hear yourself.* It reflects the clearest pattern at play.* You leave with one grounded step to take that day.The goal isn't more information—it's becoming someone whose inner model continually updates through presence, questions, and authentic connection.If you felt this piece in your bones, take the next step with me:Try The Light Between Oracle here: [Insert your link to the Oracle app]What you'll get from it:* Clarity without overwhelm (a focused prompt + practical direction)* Nervous system replenishment (so your guidance doesn't get drowned out by stress)* Better decisions through curiosity (questions that reopen your learning rate)* Aligned momentum (action that feels clean, not performative)* A daily wisdom + strategy practice you can actually sustainIf you want, hit reply and tell me what you're navigating right now—and I'll tell you the best place to start inside the Oracle. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelightbetween.substack.com/subscribe

Unlock the hidden understanding of how past head trauma shapes your brain—and what you can do now to heal, protect, and optimize your mental vitality. If you've ever wondered how invisible injuries impact your cognition, mood, and overall wellness—especially as we age—this episode offers groundbreaking insights backed by neuroresearch, seasoned with Grandpa Bill's candid stories and proactive approach.This isn't just about MRI results or medical jargon—it's about exploring the profound, often unseen effects of multiple head impacts over a lifetime. Grandpa Bill shares his personal journey through brain health, from surviving concussions to accessing advanced imaging techniques like DTI and fMRI. Discover how micro-tears, microglia activation, and neuroinflammation can influence everything from processing speed to emotional resilience—all with practical steps you can integrate today.You'll learn about:The limitations of standard MRI scans in detecting microscopic brain injuriesHow Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) can reveal hidden wiring tearsThe crucial role of neuro inflammation and microglia in aging and trauma recoveryThe impact of repetitive head impacts on brain plasticity, cognition, and sensory processingSimple, intentional practices—like deep calming breaths and sensory integration—that support neuro plasticity and mental clarityDiscover how past head trauma can silently shape your brain's future. Join Grandpa Bill as he explores the unseen impacts of brain injuries and shares practical steps for healing and optimizing mental vitality. Learn about advanced imaging techniques and holistic practices that support brain health at any age.Grandpa Bill Asks:How can understanding microstructural brain damage change your approach to aging?What role does neuro plasticity play in recovering from past head trauma?Ever wondered how childhood head impacts can echo into your senior years?

Come funziona davvero l'agopuntura, se togliamo di mezzo Qi, meridiani e racconti mistici? Il lato scientifico degli aghi: dalle fibre nervose che portano i segnali al midollo spinale, al rilascio di endorfine e altri oppioidi endogeni, fino ai cambiamenti osservati con fMRI e PET nel cervello dei pazienti con dolore cronico. Parliamo di gate control, sistemi discendenti di controllo del dolore, modulazione dello stress e del sistema immunitario, ma anche del ruolo enorme dell'effetto placebo, che oggi la ricerca vede come un fenomeno neurobiologico misurabile. Vai su Klarna e ottieni flessibilità e cashback, tutto in un'unica app per pagamenti, premi, shopping intelligente e controllo delle tue finanze. #agopuntura #dolorecronico #neurologia #neuroscienze #endorfine#placebo #cervello #salute #benessere #medicinaintegrata#podcastitaliani #cosemoltoumane #divulgazionescientifica #medicina#stress #ansia #maldischiena #emicrania #terapiecomplementari Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are a woman in midlife who is exhausted, foggy, losing your hair, and being told it is just aging — this episode is going to change how you look at your body forever. I sat down with Julie Sawaya, the co-founder of Needed, and what I learned blew my mind. Julie is a trained nutritionist with a Stanford MBA. She was doing EVERYTHING right — farmer's market every Sunday, nutrition certifications, incredibly intentional about every bite. And then she tested herself. Almost every nutrient came back in the red zone. If two trained nutritionists were massively depleted, what is happening to the rest of us? Here is the kicker. The nutrition standard we are all measured against — the RDA — was created in 1941. For men. Going to war. Based on the minimum needed to keep troops from getting sick. That is the floor we are still being measured against in 2026. As women. In midlife. Going through one of the most nutritionally demanding phases of our lives. Ninety-five percent of women are nutritionally depleted. Ninety-seven percent of pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin and are STILL depleted. And nobody is connecting the dots between pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause as one long depletion pipeline. We go DEEP on: The 1941 RDA standard, why it was built for wartime men, and why it is still failing women today The depletion pipeline: how pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause stack on top of each other and most women never get to refill the tank CHOLINE — the nutrient behind midlife brain fog that almost nobody is talking about (and the brand new April 2026 fMRI study showing a single dose improved working memory connectivity within three hours) Omega-3 and the midlife brain — why 89% of US adults are in the high cardiovascular risk range and why plant-based sources alone do not cut it Magnesium — the most Instagrammed supplement in the world right now, and why most women are taking the form their body literally cannot absorb The supplement trap: folic acid vs. methylfolate, magnesium oxide vs. glycinate, cyanocobalamin vs. methylcobalamin — and why 40% of us cannot even process the cheap forms because of an MTHFR variant Red flags and green flags to look for the next time you flip over a supplement bottle Why the protein RDA is laughably low for midlife women, and what we actually need to preserve muscle as estrogen declines The "repletion not restriction" reframe — why midlife is the time to add MORE of the right things, not eat less Your action plan for this week: how to get a nutrient panel, what to look at on your labels, and the food-first changes you can start tomorrow morning This is not a thyroid 101. This is not a supplement infomercial. This is the conversation I wish every midlife woman was given the day she started feeling like something was off. You are not broken. You are not crazy. You are not just aging. You may be running on accumulated nutritional debt that nobody told you to repay. That changes today. Use code NATALIEJILL for 20% off your first order at https://needed.sjv.io/c/5810852/1770238/20859    Connect with Julie Sawaya and Needed: Website: thisisneeded.com and use code NATALIEJILL for 20% off your first order Instagram: @needed Backed by 15,000+ practitioners worldwide Connect with Natalie: Instagram: @nataliejillfit Newsletter and resources: nataliejillfitness.com Midlife Conversations is the podcast made for midlife women who refuse to accept "you are just getting older" as an answer APPROXIMATE TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — The wake-up call: two trained nutritionists, both in the red zone 06:00 — Where the RDA actually came from (spoiler: 1941, wartime, men) 12:00 — The depletion pipeline: pregnancy to perimenopause as one continuum 18:00 — The forgotten gap between postpartum and perimenopause 25:00 — Choline: the nutrient behind midlife brain fog nobody is talking about 32:00 — Omega-3 and the midlife brain: why most women are not getting close 38:00 — Magnesium forms: why the cheap one in your multivitamin is barely doing anything 42:00 — The supplement trap: what is actually in your generic multivitamin 48:00 — Red flags and green flags on a supplement label 55:00 — Protein in midlife: why the RDA is wrong and what you actually need 62:00 — Repletion, not restriction: what an ideal midlife day of eating looks like 65:00 — Your action plan for this week   Thank you to our show sponsors:  QUANTUM UPGRADE: Try Quantum Upgrade completely free for 15 days—no credit card required. Use code NATALIEJILL at checkout on https://quantumupgrade.io/start  Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com   Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit   For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/  Disclaimer: Information provided in the Midlife Conversations podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not use the information provided in this podcast for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your current regimen.  Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

הגענו לקו הסיום של סדרת הביקורת המהירה שלנו, אבל עם פתרון שהולך לשנות לכם את הבית. בפרק הזה, הרב צבי וילור צידון נותן לכם את "אתגר ה-48 שעות" שילמד אתכם איך להאיר על הטוב במקום להעיר על הרע. איך גורמים לבן/בת הזוג לרצות לשנות התנהגות מתוך אהבה והערכה?טיזר לעונה החדשה: הצצה ראשונה לסדרת העומק הפסיכולוגית שמתחילה בפרק הבא (חלק 7) – "מביקורת לחיבור: המדריך הפסיכולוגי המלא". אנחנו הולכים לנתח סריקות מוח (fMRI), להבין את לולאת ה"דרישה-נסיגה" ההרסנית, ולגלות למה המוח שלנו מתרגם ביקורת לסכנה קיומית.אל תשכחו להירשם לערוץ כדי לקבל התראה ברגע שהפרק הבא עולה!#פודקאסטזוגיות #ייעוץזוגי #ביקורתבזוגיות #הרבצביוילורצידון #פסיכולוגיה #מדעיהמוח #שלוםבית #התפתחותאישית #גוןגוטמןלקרוא עוד על ביקורת זוגיתhttps://heb.centernyc.com/love1/ הרשמו לזריקת חסידות בערוצים השוניםלומדים יהדות וחסידות ברשת, הרשמו לערוץ היוטיוב, פייסבוק,  ווצאפ ,פודקאסטים ועודhttps://heb.centernyc.com/zrikat

Eleanna Varangis is assistant professor of Movement Science in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan, director of the ATHINA lab, and member of the Faculty Council at the Michigan Concussion Center,How does your brain change over your life and adapt to new environments and circumstances? Eleanna's is examining these questions and to find ways we can live our healthiest lives, no matter age or circumstance. In part 2, we talk about the importance of social support and interaction when recovering from a brain injury, Eleanna talks about the commonality of CTE and Alzheimers, she explains and fMRI machine and what their doing at her ATHINA Lab at the University of Michigan.PLEASE SHARE, LIKE, SUBSCRIBE! WHATEVER THOSE OTHER PODCASTS AND YOUTUBE CHANNELS ASK YOU TO DO FOR THEM, DO FOR US TOO!Check us out on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook! @concussiontalk & @lziaksThank you!Subscribe and leave a review!Visit https://www.concussiontalk.com/ for more!Follow and subscribe! @concussiontalk on YouTube, Instagram & Facebook 2014 e-book, Detour: https://leanpub.com/detourFollow Lauren on Instagram @lziaksConcussion Talk Podcast discusses traumatic brain injury (TBI) by featuring interviews with experts (physiotherapists, doctors, researchers, athletes, community leaders, etc.) and people who have experienced TBI first-hand.Chronically dives deeper into concussions and brain injury as I team up with Lauren Ziaks; a DPT, ATC, and wealth of knowledge of chronic health conditions post-concussion. Join us as we interview more experts, spread awareness of brain injury and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

בפרק 247 של הפודקאסט אירחתי את טליה גרין טיטיון פסיכולוגית קלינית מומחית, מורשה להיפנוזה ומתמחה בשינוי הרגלים, השגת מטרות, ושיפור יכולת ההשפעה והשכנוע. צללנו בפרק אל אחד התחומים המרתקים והמושמצים ביותר במדעי המוח – ההיפנוזה הקלינית. בעוד שהתודעה הציבורית עדיין שבויה בדימויים של קוסמים על במות ואובדן שליטה, המציאות המדעית חושפת כלי טיפולי עוצמתי המגובה במחקרים מהרווארד וסטנפורד ומוסדר בחוק הישראלי בקפידה. היפנוזה אינה שינה ובוודאי לא "קסם"; זהו מצב של עוררות ופוקוס קיצוני, המאפשר למוח להפוך ל"נוירופלסטי" – רך וגמיש כמו פלסטלינה מחוממת. במצב זה, הביקורת הרציונלית המגבילה נסוגה לצד, ומאפשרת לנו לגשת ישירות לחיווטים העצביים העמוקים ביותר האחראים על חרדות, עישון והרגלים אוטומטיים.במהלך הפרק נחשפים סיפורים אישיים מטלטלים המדגימים כיצד המיינד יכול לרפא את הגוף במקומות שהרפואה הקונבנציונלית הרימה ידיים – החל מהתאוששות מאי ספיקת לב קשה ועד לשיקום יד משותקת כנגד כל הסיכויים הרפואיים. דרך המונח "Refire to Rewire", אנו לומדים ששינוי אמיתי אינו מסתכם בטיפול בסימפטום החיצוני, אלא ביצירת חיווט עצבי חדש ומבני במוח. זהו מסע בין מדע לנס רפואי, המזכיר לנו שבסוף, גם עם כל הכלים העוצמתיים ביותר, הקבלה של האנושיות והפגיעוּת שלנו היא המפתח האמיתי לטרנספורמציה.בפרק תמצאו תשובות לשאלות * מהו ההבדל המהותי בין מדיטציה להיפנוזה, ומדוע היפנוזה מכונה "מדיטציה עם מטרה"? * איך נראה המוח בזמן היפנוזה בבדיקת fMRI והאם אנחנו באמת מאבדים שליטה? * מדוע קשה כל כך לשנות הרגלים כמו עישון או אכילה רגשית באמצעות היגיון בלבד? * מהו המקרה הטרגי שהוציא את ההיפנוזה הבידורית מחוץ לחוק בישראל? * כיצד ניתן להשתמש בהיפנוזה עצמית כדי להשפיע על החלמה פיזית של הגוף?האם הייתם מוכנים להפקיד את המפתחות של "מבקר הפנים" שלכם כדי לתקן את מה שבור מבפנים?להתחיל את המסע לשקט נפשי עם הקורסים ״לא כולם נרקסיסטים״ ו״מתחילה מחדש״אוהבים את הפודקאסט? דרגו אותנו באפליקציה האהובה עליכםלקבוצת הפייסבוק בית ספר לקארמה טובהhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/660622764666404/לבלוג 3 סיפורים מהשבוע החולףWww.Ruth-dayan.comלאתר משרד רות דיין-וולפנר - משרד עו"ד דיני משפחהWww.ruthdayan.co.Ilהאינסטגרם שלנוhttps://www.instagram.com/ruthi/

Heb je je ooit afgevraagd wat er precies gebeurt in je brein als de "ego-machine" even wordt uitgezet? In de nieuwste Wetenschap Op Woensdag (#361) duiken Istvan, Mario en Minya diep in de fascinerende wereld van psychedelica. Van de ontdekking van LSD op een Zwitserse fiets tot de duistere experimenten van de CIA (MK Ultra), en van het genezen van hardnekkige depressies tot het "horen van kleuren". We bespreken het allemaal!

You've probably heard that clutter is stressful. But what does it actually look like inside the brain? In this episode, I'm walking through what researchers at Princeton and Yale found when they put people in fMRI machines surrounded by visual clutter, and the results might surprise you. Your brain doesn't get to ignore what it sees, even when you think it does. FREE: QUIZ (Clutter Personality)

There's a pill on Amazon called Fukitol.  It contains nothing. And yet people buy it, swear by it, and give it five stars.  Today, Nir Eyal explains the remarkable science behind why placebos work. --- Listen to the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/40414a1b44 Nir's book Beyond Belief: geni.us/beyondbelief Nir's free belief change guide: nirandfar.com/belief-change Join 11,934 readers of the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Unlock the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/  --- Today's sources:  Ariel, G., & Saville, W. (1972). Anabolic steroids: The physiological effects of placebos. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 4(2), 124–126. Branthwaite, A., & Cooper, P. (1981). Analgesic effects of branding in treatment of headaches. British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.), 282(6276), 1576–1578. Dawkins, L., Shahzad, F. Z., Ahmed, S. S., & Edmonds, C. J. (2011). Expectation of having consumed caffeine can improve performance and mood. Appetite, 57(3), 597–600. Draganich, C., & Erdal, K. (2014). Placebo sleep affects cognitive functioning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(3), 857–864. Kaptchuk, T. J. (2018). Open-label placebo: Reflections on a research agenda. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 61(3), 311–334. Lee, C., Linkenauger, S. A., Bakdash, J. Z., Joy-Gaba, J. A., & Profitt, D. R. (2011). Putting like a pro: The role of positive contagion in golf performance and perception. PLoS One, 6(10), e26016. Plassmann, H., O'Doherty, J., Shiv, B., & Rangel, A. (2008). Marketing actions can modulate neural representations of experienced pleasantness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(3), 1050–1054. Richter, C. P. (1957). On the phenomenon of sudden death in animals and man. Psychosomatic Medicine, 19(3), 191–198. Rozenkrantz, L., Mayo, A. E., Ilan, T., Hart, Y., Noy, L., & Alon, U. (2017). Placebo can enhance creativity. PLoS One, 12, e0182466. Wager, T. D., Rilling, J. K., Smith, E. E., Sokolik, A., Casey, K. L., Davidson, R. J., et al. (2004). Placebo-induced changes in fMRI in the anticipation and experience of pain. Science, 303(5661), 1162–1167.

Dr. Mala Cunningham (PhD in Counseling Psychology, senior disciple of Swami Satchidananda, and founder of Neuroscience and Yoga TT, Cardiac Medical Yoga TT, and Mental Health, Neuroscience and Yoga TT) joins us to explore the powerful intersection of ancient yoga practices and modern neuroscience.Learn how yoga and meditation actually change your brain, stimulates your vagus nerve for instant calm, and why giving your brain conscious rest is so important. As well as the role of gratitude and intention in reshaping your neurobiology, micro-resting techniques, learning styles in meditation, body awareness, emotional safety, and much more.This conversation blends Neuroscience with Yoga techniques and strategies you can use immediately for better emotional regulation, stress reduction, emotional health, and peak performance.M. Mala Cunningham, Ph.D., E-RYT-1000, C-IAYT is a licensed psychotherapist, educator, trainer, author, and innovator in Neuro-Yoga Psychology™. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she specializes in integrative mental health, vagus nerve regulation, and psychodynamic therapy. A former Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, she developed the University of Virginia's Cardiac Medical Yoga Program and taught Integrative Medicine in the Nursing and Medical School for over 12 years. Dr. Mala is the CEO of Positive Health Solutions, LLC, and leads nationally recognized trainings in medical yoga, neuroscience, and mental health integration. She is an international speaker and consultant for healthcare professionals, yoga therapists, and educators. She lives in Charlottesville, VA. Her website is: www.cardiacyoga.comDr. Mala's new book:"Neuroscience, Yoga, and Psychology: Tools for Regulating the Vagus Nerve for Health and Peak Performance" (out June 2026). This book can be pre-ordered.Learn more & upcoming trainings:Cardiac Yoga / Positive Health Solutions:https://cardiacyoga.comNeuroscience & Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaville (Integral Yoga Ashram): Check yogaville.org--Timestamps below ⬇️If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a review — it helps more people discover these tools for healing and well-being.Chapters / Timestamps00:09 Introducing Dr. Mala Cunningham — yoga, neuroscience & counseling psychology01:01 How yoga impacts neurobiology and why technology finally proved it03:40 Yoga is now mainstream in science, business & government04:58 Personal experience: knowledge + practice gives real agency06:59 What is the vagus nerve? (The wanderer — 75% of parasympathetic system)08:12 Activating your inner pharmacy: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins (DOSE)10:43 Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic balance, dorsal/ventral vagal states & the gunas13:31 Simple ways to stimulate the vagus nerve (neck rolls, eyes, ears, breathing)14:52 Meditation, learning styles & why mantra didn't work for a visual learner18:29 Giving the brain conscious rest (more powerful than sleep)20:23 fMRI insights: Left prefrontal cortex, pleasure centers & BASS practice22:14 Ego, safety, emotional threat & defensive patterns28:52 Micro-resting technique (eyes, tongue, jaw, shoulders at stoplights)34:54 Gratitude practices — cognitive vs felt sense39:03 Intention (sankalpa), optimism & rewiring the amygdala42:24 Trauma wiring, protection & becoming objective50:38 Reading body language & genuine somatic awareness55:32 The power of a simple smile + deep sigh to activate parasympathetic56:35 Dr. Mala's upcoming Neuroscience & Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaville + new book Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We inhibited a brain region and connectivity went up. I thought it was an artifact..."Dr. Alessandro Gozzi is a systems neuroscientist investigating how the brain functions as an integrated network and how disruptions in that network relate to behavior and mental health. He is Senior Scientist and Group Leader of the Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory at the Italian Institute of Technology in Rovereto, Italy. His research combines fMRI, functional ultrasound imaging, optogenetics, chemogenetics, electrophysiology, and computational modeling to decode the neural underpinnings of brain connectivity in rodent models, with the goal of bridging circuit-level findings to human psychopathology.In this conversation, Dr. Gozzi unpacks what resting-state fMRI connectivity actually reflects and why the answer may be more surprising than the field assumes. Drawing on a series of elegant chemogenetic and pharmacological manipulations in mice, he reveals how regional excitability, rather than direct synaptic communication, may be a dominant driver of the connectivity patterns we observe. Within this context, the conversation explores the paradoxical relationship between neural silencing and hyperconnectivity, the evolutionary conservation of brain networks across species, and what rodent models of autism can and cannot tell us about human psychiatric disorders. Join the conversation to discover how mechanistic animal studies are reshaping our understanding of human brain connectivity.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Alessandro Gozzi05:12 - Gozzi's Unconventional Journey into Neuroscience13:17 - Transitioning from Industry to Academia20:49 - The Relevance of Rodent Models in Understanding Autism32:04 - Exploring the Complexities of Brain Connectivity38:57 - Excitability and Its Role in Connectivity Patterns42:27 - Exploring fMRI Connectivity and Local Computation45:28 - The Role of the Hearst Index in Brain Activity54:00 - Implications for Treatment in Psychiatric Disorders58:42 - The Intersection of Biology and Neuroscience Research01:07:08 - Balancing Life and Science: Personal ReflectionsWorks mentioned:00:12:48 - Gutierrez-Barragan, D. et al. (2024). Evolutionarily conserved fMRI network dynamics in the mouse, macaque, and human brain. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49245-600:17:40 - Zerbi, V., Pagani, M. et al. (2021). Brain mapping across 16 autism mouse models reveals a spectrum of functional connectivity subtypes. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01245-400:18:00 - Pagani, M. et al. (2021). mTOR-related synaptic pathology causes autism spectrum disorder-associated functional hyperconnectivity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26520-800:29:50 - Pagani, M. et al. (2025). Biological subtyping of autism via cross-species fMRI. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.04.64140000:40:40 - Rocchi, F. et al. (2022). Increased fMRI connectivity upon chemogenetic inhibition of the mouse prefrontal cortex. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28591-300:43:30 - Trakoshis, S., Martínez-Cañada, P. et al. (2020). Intrinsic excitation-inhibition imbalance affects medial prefrontal cortex differently in autistic men versus women. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.5568400:45:10 - Newbold, D.J. et al. (2020). Plasticity and spontaneous activity pulses in disused human brain circuits. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2020.05.007Episode producer:Xuqian Michelle Li

BUFFALO, NY — April 2, 2026 — A new #research paper was #published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on March 24, 2026, titled “Age-specific relationship between the modulation of brain dynamics in response to task demands and bimanual performance.” Led by first author Sara Magalhães Ferreira from Hasselt University, with corresponding author Koen Cuypers from Hasselt University and KU Leuven, the study examined how age affects BOLD variability and its modulation with task demands during a bimanual task. The authors used fMRI in 22 younger and 23 older healthy adults who performed three increasingly complex task conditions. The authors found that older adults showed higher BOLD variability in cerebellar lobule VIIIb and greater modulation across task conditions in sensorimotor and cerebellar regions. Modulation of BOLD variability predicted performance in an age- and region-dependent manner: in younger adults, reduced modulation in sensorimotor and visuospatial areas correlated with better performance, whereas in older adults, increased modulation in the inferior and superior parietal lobules was linked to higher performance. Across groups, better outcomes were associated with greater modulation in the middle occipital gyrus but lower modulation in cerebellar Crus I. “In sum, this study highlights the potential role of BOLD variability modulation in shaping bimanual performance during aging.” The authors note that, while the age-related differences in BOLD dynamics were clear, they did not find robust evidence supporting a brain-behavior relationship in bimanual performance, which limits how directly the neural findings can be interpreted behaviorally. They recommend future work using multimodal imaging, longitudinal designs, and studies that examine both cognitive and motor domains within the same participants to determine whether variability modulation reflects aging, experience, intervention, or broader cross-functional signatures of aging. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206363 Corresponding author - Koen Cuypers - koen.cuypers@uhasselt.be Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TbcGFCZV9s Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206363 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts Keywords - aging, bimanual coordination, Bimanual Tracking Task, BOLD variability, task modulation To learn more about the journal, please visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at: Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Aging-1945-4589 X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/AgingUS/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Aging-US Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Émile Coué genuinely seems to have wanted to help people by teaching them how to plant helpful directives in their subconscious minds. Whether he was effective is something that's still debated. Research: Baldwin, J. Mark, et al. “A Disclaimer.” Science, vol. 12, no. 309, 1900, pp. 850–850. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1629542 Baudouin, Charles. “Émile Coué and His Life’s Work.” American Library Service. New York. 1923. https://digirepo.nlm.nih.gov/ext/dw/55330740R/PDF/55330740R.pdf Baudouin, Charles. “Suggestion and Autosuggestion.” New York. Dodd, Mead and Company, 1921. https://dn720207.ca.archive.org/0/items/suggestionauto00bauduoft/suggestionauto00bauduoft.pdf Britannica Editors. "Émile Coué". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Feb. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emile-Coué “Coue, After Goodby Lecture, Flees City.” Boston Globe. January 31, 1923. https://www.newspapers.com/image/430295545/ “Coue Explains How to Use Auto-Suggestion.” Boston Globe. January 7, 1923. https://www.newspapers.com/image/430953338/?match=1&terms=Coue COUÉ, EMILE. “SELF MASTERY THROUGH CONSCIOUS AUTOSUGGESTION.” AMERICAN LIBRARY SERVICE PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK. 1922. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27203/27203-h/27203-h.htm “Delirium Tremens.” Cleveland Clinic. June 5, 2023. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25052-delirium-tremens “EMILE COUÉ DEAD; A MENTAL HEALER; Many Made Well by Saying ‘Every Day, in Every Way, I'm Growing Better and Better.’” New York Times. July 3, 1926. https://www.nytimes.com/1926/07/03/archives/emile-Coué-dead-a-mental-healer-many-made-well-by-saying-every-day.html Heid, Markham. “Is Hypnosis Real? Here’s What Science Says.” Time. March 2, 2023. https://time.com/5380312/is-hypnosis-real-science/ Myga, Kasia A et al. “Autosuggestion: a cognitive process that empowers your brain?.” Experimental brain research 240,2 (2022): 381-394. doi:10.1007/s00221-021-06265-8 Neal, E. Virgil, ed. “Hypnotism and hypnotic suggestion. A scientific treatise on the uses and possibilities of hypnotism, suggestion and allied phenomena.” New York State Publishing Company. Rochester, NY. 1906. https://archive.org/details/hypnotismhypnoti00roch/page/n9/mode/1up “Pliny 1813 Years Ahead of Coue … “ Boston Globe. January 30, 1923. https://www.newspapers.com/image/430295455/?match=1&terms=Coue Rapp, Dean R. “‘Better and Better—’ Couéism as a Psychological Craze of the Twenties in England.” Studies in Popular Culture, vol. 10, no. 2, 1987, pp. 17–36. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23413989 Sage, X. Lamotte. “Hypnotism As It Is: A Book for Everybody.” New York State Publishing Company. Rochester, NY. 1900. Accessed online: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Hypnotism_as_it_is%3B_a_book_for_everybody_%28IA_hypnotismasitisb00sage%29.pdf Sari, N. K. et al.“The role of autosuggestion in geriatric patients’ quality of life: a study on psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunology pathway.” Social Neuroscience, 12(5), pp. 551–559. 2017. doi: 10.1080/17470919.2016.1196243 Schlamann, Marc et al. “Autogenic training alters cerebral activation patterns in fMRI.” The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis 58,4 (2010): 444-56. doi:10.1080/00207144.2010.499347 Whiteside, Thomas. “Better and Better.” The New Yorker. May 9, 1953. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1953/05/16/better-and-better Yeates, Lindsay B. “Émile Coué and his Method (I): The Chemist of Thought and Human Action.” Australian Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy & Hypnosis, Volume 38, No.1, (Autumn 2016), pp.3-27. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374753633_Emile_Coue_and_his_Method_I_The_Chemist_of_Thought_and_Human_Action See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com  Heb.10:32 Don't ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity. 35 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.   We must remember What love is like! Pedro Calderon the poet says “Without madness there is no love”!     Rev. 12:11 By the word of our testimony we overcome the enemy.   Memories are free Spiritual nitro glycerin - explosive in our soul. And here is the secret - they don't have to just be our memories - they can be from other believers.    fMRI's tell us the affect on the brain in real time: Reliving memories :  restore emotional grounding and clear thinking. It is the emotional, mental and spiritual reset button.  You see the big picture and God for who he is.    Stories of healing, winning muslims to christ, provision, salvation.  

How can we better understand the brain as a dynamic, multi-scale system? Dr. Giulia Baracchini shares her work using fMRI to study the brain's fluctuations, and what measures of variability can reveal about how the brain functions. We discuss how ideas from complex systems science help make sense of brain activity across multiple scales, and why moving beyond single-level explanations is key to understanding how different levels of the brain interact. Dr. Baracchini also shares the unexpected places she draws inspiration from to study complex systems, including architecture!

Which brain imaging technique should you pick on the MCAT? In this episode, Mike and Molly break down every major brain imaging method you need to know: EEG, CT, PET, MRI, and fMRI. They cover what each technique actually measures (structural vs. functional), when to use each one, key limitations, and how to answer those tricky "which imaging method is most appropriate?" questions. Includes a rapid-fire quiz to test your understanding.Next episode: Electrostatics and how it connects to brain imaging.Get started with our resources!

¿Y si el dolor crónico no fuera un espejo fiel del daño en tus tejidos, sino una alarma del sistema nervioso que aprendió a sonar demasiado fuerte y demasiado seguido? Nos adentramos en la terapia de reprocesamiento del dolor (PRT) para entender cómo el miedo, la hipervigilancia y el condicionamiento pueden convertir señales corporales inocuas en sufrimiento diario, y qué herramientas prácticas existen para reprogramar esa respuesta.A partir de estudios con fMRI y un ensayo clínico con resultados llamativos, examinamos el papel de la amígdala, la ínsula y la corteza cingulada cuando el cerebro interpreta peligro. Debatimos la paradoja clínica de las resonancias: personas sin dolor muestran hernias y degeneración por edad, mientras otras con imágenes similares viven con dolor incapacitante. También traemos a la mesa el efecto nocebo con el famoso caso del clavo en la bota, y el caso de Mary, que tras años de intervenciones fallidas encontró alivio con rastreo somático en cuestión de días. Desmenuzamos la “ventana de tolerancia” para explicar por qué la evitación táctica puede bajar el pánico y permitir el reentrenamiento, y por qué normalizar las recaídas ayuda a sostener el cambio neuroplástico.No todo es elogio ciego: señalamos riesgos de sobrediagnosticar dolor neuroplástico con criterios demasiado amplios y las posibles consecuencias de minimizar patologías estructurales. Contrastamos beneficios y límites de PRT, proponiendo una síntesis que honre la mente y la biomecánica: educación del dolor, exposición segura, mensajes de seguridad y seguimiento clínico riguroso ante banderas rojas. Si vives con dolor crónico, buscas alternativas a cirugías o medicamentos que no han resuelto el problema, o trabajas en salud y quieres integrar neurociencia con práctica responsable, este episodio ofrece una guía clara para actuar sin pánico y con criterio.Si te aportó valor, suscríbete, comparte este episodio con alguien que lo necesite y deja tu reseña con lo que más te hizo cambiar de perspectiva. Tu opinión nos ayuda a llegar a más personas que hoy necesitan apagar una alarma que no deja de sonar.Send a textSupport the showTuSaludMental.net

What's the actual difference between sensation and perception? And why does the MCAT test it so heavily?In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down one of the most commonly confused topics in psych/soc: sensation vs. perception. They walk through the key definitions, thresholds, theories, and perceptual principles you need to know, all with real-world examples, MCAT applications, and even a few optical illusions to prove how easily your brain can be tricked.In this episode, you'll learn:

“It's not a depression prevention plan, it's a life improvement plan. It's a whole…”Dr. John Allen is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience at the University of Arizona. He received his PhD in 1991 from the University of Minnesota, specializing in psychophysiology and biological measurement, and joined the Arizona faculty in 1992. A leading figure in psychophysiology and mood and anxiety disorders, John is known for his pioneering work on frontal EEG alpha asymmetry as a biomarker for emotional processing and depression risk. His research spans the etiology and treatment of depression, the integration of fMRI with autonomic nervous system measures to study brain-body interactions, and the development of novel interventions grounded in the neurobiology of emotional disorders—including transcranial ultrasound, EEG biofeedback, and transcranial stimulation techniques.In this episode, Peter and John trace John's path into psychology and his focus on mood and anxiety disorders. They discuss the significance of EEG asymmetry as an indicator of depression and explore the need for transdiagnostic approaches to mental health. The conversation delves into the potential of neuromodulation techniques—including psilocybin therapy and focused ultrasound—for treating depression, and examines the broader intersection of neuroscience, physiology, psychology, and technology in mental health treatment. They also touch on the challenges of translating research into clinical practice and the emerging role of AI in mental health assessment.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters00:00 - Introduction to John Allen and His Work05:26 - John's Journey into Psychology16:44 - Understanding EEG Asymmetry and Its Depression23:08 - Transdiagnostic Approaches to Mental Health26:32 - Exploring Neuromodulation and Psilocybin30:34 - Focused Ultrasound for Depression Treatment42:25 - The Future of Mental Health Interventions46:39 - Translating Research into Clinical Practice51:14 - The Role of Technology in Mental Health Interventions58:14 - AI's Potential in Mental Health Assessment01:03:40 - Advice for Aspiring NeuropsychologistsWorks mentioned:16:30 - Stewart et al. (2010). Resting frontal EEG asymmetry as an endophenotype for depression risk: Sex-specific patterns of frontal brain asymmetry. https://doi.org/10.1037/a001919618:00 - Coan et al. (2006). A capability model of individual differences in frontal EEG asymmetry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.10.00329:00 - Moreno et al. (2006). Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of psilocybin in 9 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v67n111031:00 - Schachtner et al. (2025). An open-label trial of stereotactic, non-invasive transcranial focused ultrasound targeting the default mode network for the treatment of depression. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.145182854:07 - Lord et al. (2024). Transcranial focused ultrasound to the posterior cingulate cortex modulates default mode network and subjective experience: an fMRI pilot study. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2024.139219901:01:17 - Kaplan et al. (2025). AI and the coming mental health zombie apocalypse. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-03323-3Producer's note: We ran into some technical issues with John's video, so you'll see captions in place of his footage throughout the episode. Audio quality is all good though! Thanks for understanding, and enjoy the conversation.Episode producers:Xuqian Michelle Li

The Pleasure Evolution with Kim AirsWatch or listen on YouTube + all major podcast platforms!We're back baby!! And we're kicking things off with an absolute legend: Kim Airs, the trailblazing sex toy pioneer who ditched her Harvard job in 1993 to open one of the first women-friendly sex shops and has been myth-busting, innovating, and celebrating pleasure ever since.In this juicy return episode, Kim spills the wild history of sex toys – from bathtub-caulk dildos to today's mind-blowing robot strokers and app-controlled vibes – while sharing hands-free orgasm secrets, breathwork magic, lazy toy-cleaning hacks, and why really letting go unlocks next-level fun.Jump to the Good Stuff: 02:40 – Welcome back after 19 months! Introducing legend Kim Airs03:30 – From boring marriage to smut hound: Kim's wild origin story04:30 – Writing for On Our Backs & the spark to open Grand Opening!05:48 – Quitting Harvard to sell “rubber dicks to girls”11:28 – The surprising bathtub-caulk origin of silicone dildos15:15 – Busting the silicone lube on silicone dildo myth - test it overnight!16:48 – Lazy cleaning hacks: Baby wipes & why most “toy cleaners” are overkill20:18 – Evolution of toys: From jelly rubber to app-controlled & discreet designs23:05 – Penis pleasure explosion: Robot strokers, spinning, thrusting & beyond Fleshlight27:00 – Sex dolls & AI companions - fascinating or concerning?39:03 – Hands-free orgasms: Kim's fMRI-proven breath & energy magic41:32 – Letting go = animal-level pleasure - scream, grab sheets!44:34 – Beginner tips: Pick what visually turns you on + check measurements48:42 – Final thoughts + where to find KimPleasure Highlights:Silicone's surprising origin: Bathtub caulk saved a marriage!Busting myths: Silicone lube + silicone toys? Test it—it's usually fine now.Hands-free Os are real (and learnable via breath/energy work).Modern penis toys are exploding—way beyond Fleshlight.Let go of control for animal-level pleasure (scream, grab sheets—it's hot!).Connect with Kim Airs:Instagram: @KimAirsTikTok: @TheKimAirsFacebook: @Kim.AirsPodcast: SexChat with Kim AirsCameo:  @Naughty GrandmaEnhance your self-awareness by acknowledging and understanding your behavior patterns, and foster a deeper connection with your inner self. Get the Unleashing My Power: A Women's Empowerment and Gratitude Journal to reclaim your personal power through the practice of daily gratitude and reflection. Learn more HERE. Connect with Jordan D'Nelle:Facebook @‌jordandnelle Instagram @‌jordandnelle Instagram @‌TheVVVPodcastTikTok @‌jordandnelleYoutube @jordandnelleEmail: JordanDnelle@VaginasVulvasandVibrators.comIf you loved this Episode, please support the Vaginas, Vulvas, and Vibrators podcast!Join the Patreon community: patreon.JordanDnelle.comLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews help this podcast impact more lives!Subscribe to Vaginas, Vulvas, and Vibrators on iTunes if you haven't already!Follow Jordan D'Nelle on social media for teasers and extras!Listen and Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple PodcastsSpotify PodcastsYoutube @jordandnelleWebsite Links:jordandnelle.comKim Airs LinkTreehttps://grandopening.com/ SEXchat with Kim Aires | Spotify Podcasts*Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The views and opinions expressed are my own, or those of my guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which I am affiliated.Vaginas, Vulvas, and Vibrators, the unapologetic women's sexual wellness podcast, normalizing pleasure, bodies, and sexual health through expert, shame-free conversations.

Get free access to our new Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy ebook here.Could changing your metabolism reduce alcohol cravings, ease psychiatric symptoms, and even make cancer immunotherapy more effective? The science is pointing to yes, and the mechanisms are fascinating.In this Journal Club episode, co-hosts Victoria Field, Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, and Dr. Angela Poff break down five peer-reviewed papers from their newly released Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy ebook (Volume 4). From a French preclinical study showing ketogenic diet enhances PD-L1 immunotherapy response in kidney cancer, to an NIH/UPenn trial using machine-learning-derived fMRI signatures to measure reduced alcohol cravings during ketosis, to Stanford's pilot trial demonstrating notable metabolic and psychiatric improvements in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, this episode covers the cutting edge of metabolic therapy research.Questions Answered in This Episode:Why does the brain crave alcohol in people with alcohol use disorder, and how might ketones help? How might a ketogenic diet affect a tumor's response to immunotherapy?Can insulin resistance in the brain contribute to psychiatric symptom severity?How does the ketogenic diet compare to the Mediterranean diet for autoimmune inflammation?Does timing of ketogenic diet initiation matter for chronic pain relief?Is it realistic for people with serious mental illness to adhere to a ketogenic diet?Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or someone looking to understand the latest science, this episode reveals just how far-reaching ketogenic metabolic therapy has become, spanning oncology, psychiatry, addiction, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, and much more!In every episode of The Metabolic Link, we'll uncover the very latest research on metabolic health and therapy. If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, follow, and leave us a comment or review on whichever platform you use to tune in!You can find us on all your major podcast players here and full episodes are also up on our Metabolic Health Summit YouTube channel!Find us on social: Instagram Facebook YouTube LinkedIn Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.

Ron Johnson was one of the most successful retail executives in America. He'd made Target hip. He'd built the Apple Store from nothing into a retail phenomenon. So when J.C. Penney hired him as CEO in 2011, expectations were sky-high. Johnson moved fast. He killed the coupons. Eliminated the sales events. Redesigned the stores. When his team suggested testing the new pricing strategy in a few locations first, Johnson said five words that explain everything that happened next: "We didn't test at Apple." Within seventeen months, sales dropped twenty-five percent. He was fired. And here's the part nobody talks about: Johnson had access to all the data. Every week, the numbers told the same story. Customers were leaving. Revenue was collapsing. The board was getting nervous. He could see it all. He just couldn't act on it. Because changing course would mean he wasn't the visionary who reinvented retail. He wasn't making a business decision anymore. He was protecting who he believed he was. That's the identity trap. And it doesn't just happen to CEOs.  What if changing your mind didn't have to feel like losing yourself? Let's get into it. Why Identity Bias Looks Like Your Best Qualities The trap doesn't target bad thinkers. It targets good ones. Think about the entrepreneur who poured three years and her life savings into a startup. The data says it's failing. The metrics are clear. Her advisors are suggesting it's time to pivot or shut down. She has every analytical tool to evaluate this accurately. And she can't do it. She's plenty smart. The problem is that admitting failure would mean she's "a quitter." And she is not a quitter. That's not who she is. Johnson wasn't stupid either. He was brilliant. His identity as the retail visionary just happened to make him blind to the one thing that could save his company: the possibility that what worked at Apple wouldn't work at Penney's. He experienced his blindness as conviction. As leadership. And that's the disguise. Every other thinking error in this series, uncertainty, depletion, time pressure, social pressure, you can feel those happening. You know when you're tired. You know when you're rushed. But identity fusion is invisible from the inside. It disguises itself as your best qualities. The entrepreneur calls it perseverance. Johnson called it vision. The investor who won't sell a losing position? He calls it discipline. Your ego doesn't announce that it's taking over. It puts on a costume that looks exactly like your strengths. And your brain? Your brain is in on it. Why Changing Your Mind Feels Like a Threat When a belief becomes part of your identity, your brain defends it as it would defend your body. Challenge that belief, and your brain responds the same way it would to a physical threat. Not metaphorically. The same neural circuits that protect you from danger activate to protect you from being wrong. That's why arguments about strategy or direction can generate so much heat and so little light. You're not debating a position anymore. You're defending territory. And sometimes you defend it long past the point where the evidence says stop. A project you've poured months into. A strategy you championed. A hire you fought for. The data says cut your losses, but you keep going because walking away would mean all that time, all that effort, all that money was wasted. That's the sunk cost fallacy. And most people think it's about the money or the time. But it's not. Sunk cost is about identity. Think about that manager who spent eighteen months building a new system. The team knows it's not working. She knows it's not working. But scrapping it doesn't just waste eighteen months of budget. It means her judgment failed. It means she led her team down the wrong road for a year and a half. "I've invested too much to quit" sounds like a financial calculation. It's not. It's an identity statement. What she's really saying is: "If I quit, I'm the kind of person who wastes eighteen months of people's lives." The sunk cost isn't financial. It's existential. And suddenly you can see that every time you've held on too long, stayed in something past its expiration date, defended something you knew wasn't working, the force holding you there wasn't logic. It was your self-image refusing to absorb the hit. So how do you loosen the grip once you realize it's there? Three Warning Signs Your Ego Has Taken the Wheel Here's what to watch for. 1. Emotional Intensity That Doesn't Match the Stakes Someone suggests a different approach to a process you built. Not a criticism. Just an alternative. And you feel a flash of heat in your chest. Defensiveness. Maybe irritation. The reaction is way out of proportion to the suggestion. Pay attention to that gap. The intensity isn't about the process. It's about what being wrong would say about you. 2. How You Argue When someone pushes back on your position, watch what happens. If you find yourself attacking the person instead of engaging their argument, that's identity talking. "You don't understand our industry." "You haven't been doing this as long as I have." The moment you shift from "here's why the evidence supports my position" to "here's why you're not qualified to question it," you've stopped defending a conclusion and started defending yourself. The tell is subtle: you'll feel righteous, not curious. 3. The Evidence Filter When you're evaluating something objectively, new information can move you in either direction. But when identity is involved, watch what happens. You accept supporting evidence quickly, uncritically, almost with relief. Contradicting evidence? You tear it apart. You find flaws in the methodology. You question the source. You say, "That's just one study." When you're applying completely different standards depending on which direction the evidence points, that's not critical thinking. That's identity protection wearing a lab coat. How To Loosen the Grip So what do you do once you recognize the grip? Early in my career, I championed a technology direction that I was convinced was right. The evidence started coming back that it wasn't working. And I was doing exactly what I just described. Scrutinizing the bad data, embracing the good data, and getting irritated when people questioned me. It wasn't until a colleague looked at me and said, "You're not evaluating this anymore. You're defending it," that I realized my identity had completely hijacked my judgment. What helped was a shift in language that sounds simple but changes everything. Stop holding beliefs as part of your identity. Start holding them as a working thesis. The Reframe Listen to the difference between these two statements. First: "I believe this company will succeed." Second: "My working thesis is that this company will succeed." The first version fuses the belief to you. If the company fails, you were wrong. You made a bad bet. The second version builds in the expectation that your thinking will evolve. New data doesn't make you wrong. It makes you better informed. The Proof That colleague I mentioned? After that conversation, I started framing every strong opinion as a working thesis in my own head. Not out loud at first. Just internally. And the effect was immediate. I stopped feeling attacked when contradicting data came in. I started treating it as an update instead of a threat. The position I was defending? I reversed it completely. And the thing I was most afraid of — looking like I'd wasted everyone's time — never happened. The team was relieved. The Practice Next time you find yourself defending a position with more heat than it deserves, pause and restate it starting with "My working thesis is..." Then ask yourself: "What would I need to see to change this?" If you can't answer that question, if there's literally no evidence that could change your mind, that belief has become part of your identity. And your brain will protect it like one. The Door The goal isn't to be wishy-washy. Commit fully to your working thesis. Act on it with confidence. The difference is that you've built a door in the wall, and you've given yourself permission to walk through it if the evidence changes. That door is the difference between updating when you're wrong and doubling down until it costs you. Why Identity Is the Amplifier The identity trap doesn't operate alone. It recruits every other force we've covered in Part Two of this series. Facing uncertainty? Identity says, "You're not the kind of person who hesitates." Someone manufactures a deadline to pressure you? "Leaders are decisive. Act now." The whole room disagrees with your position? Identity whispers "I'm a team player" — or digs in with "I'm the one who sees what others miss." Identity is the amplifier. It takes every vulnerability from Episodes 10 through 13 and cranks up the volume. That's why we saved it for last. Everything else we've covered in Part Two? Necessary. But not sufficient. Because if you haven't dealt with your identity's grip on your beliefs, those skills have a backdoor that ego walks right through. And this is exactly what mindjacking exploits. I go much deeper into an article I wrote and in my dedicated mindjacking episode, links below. But the core mechanism is this: mindjacking doesn't just offer you convenient conclusions. It attaches those conclusions to who you are. "People like us think this." "Smart people choose this." Once a belief becomes a badge of identity, you'll convince yourself. No external persuasion required. From Seeing the Trap to Building the Escape Here's your challenge this week. Pick one belief you hold that you've never seriously questioned. Something professional. Your management philosophy. Your investment thesis. Your view on how your industry works. Something you'd describe as "just who I am." Now find the strongest argument against it. Not a straw man. The real, best case the other side would make. Sit with it. See if you can engage with it without your threat response kicking in. If you can? You've just proven that your thinking is bigger than your identity. And that is the most important skill in this entire series. If this episode shifted something for you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And in the comments, tell me: what's a belief you held that you later realized was more about identity than evidence? I think we can all learn from each other on this one. Episode 15 is about designing your decision environment. Not tips. Systems. Structures that protect your thinking, so willpower becomes optional. Now you can see the trap. Next, we build the escape route. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it, and I'll see you in the next one.   Endnotes — Episode 14 How To Quit Defending Decisions You Know Are Wrong "He'd made Target hip. He'd built the Apple Store from nothing into a retail phenomenon": Brad Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes That Led to Ron Johnson's Ouster at JC Penney," TIME, April 9, 2013, https://business.time.com/2013/04/09/the-5-big-mistakes-that-led-to-ron-johnsons-ouster-at-jc-penney/. Johnson is credited with creating Target's "cheap chic" brand positioning in the early 2000s and subsequently designing and launching Apple's retail stores, which became the highest-grossing retail outlets per square foot in America. "We didn't test at Apple": Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes" (cited in note 1). When Johnson's team proposed testing the new pricing strategy on a limited basis before rolling it out chain-wide, Johnson reportedly shot down the idea with this statement. The quote has been widely attributed in retail industry reporting. See also James Surowiecki, "Why Ron Johnson Is Struggling at J.C. Penney," The New Yorker (The Financial Page), March 25, 2013. The article is archived under The New Yorker's legacy URL format; for a summary of Surowiecki's argument, see Derek Thompson's coverage in The Atlantic and Quartz: https://qz.com/58487/jc-penneys-ceo-wasnt-the-one-who-killed-it. "Within seventeen months, sales dropped twenty-five percent. He was fired.": Multiple sources confirm these figures. Sales fell $4.3 billion in 2012 — a 25 percent decline — and same-store sales dropped 31.7 percent in Q4 2012, which analysts called "the worst quarter in all retail history." Johnson was terminated on April 8, 2013, seventeen months after taking over. See Tuttle, "The 5 Big Mistakes" (cited in note 1); Sean Williams, "This May Be the Worst Quarter in Retail History," The Motley Fool, February 28, 2013, https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/02/28/this-may-be-the-worst-quarter-in-retail-history.aspx; and the Ron Johnson entry at Wikiwand, which aggregates and cites the primary financial reporting, https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Ron_Johnson_(businessman). "When a belief becomes part of your identity, your brain defends it as it would defend your body": Jonas T. Kaplan, Sarah I. Gimbel, and Sam Harris, "Neural Correlates of Maintaining One's Political Beliefs in the Face of Counterevidence," Scientific Reports 6, 39589 (December 23, 2016), https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39589. doi:10.1038/srep39589. Using fMRI on 40 participants with strong political beliefs, the researchers found that challenges to identity-linked beliefs activated the amygdala and insular cortex — brain structures involved in threat detection and emotional processing — while also engaging the Default Mode Network, associated with self-referential thinking. Participants who resisted changing their minds showed the strongest activity in these areas. Lead author Kaplan noted: "The amygdala in particular is known to be especially involved in perceiving threat and anxiety." A 2026 replication by an independent European team confirmed these findings. See Kossowska, M., Szwed, P., Czarnek, G. et al., "Neural Correlates of Belief Change in Political and Non-Political Domains Among Left-Wing Individuals Confronted with Counterarguments," Scientific Reports 16, 4895 (January 8, 2026), https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-35397-6. doi:10.1038/s41598-026-35397-6. "That's the sunk cost fallacy": Hal R. Arkes and Catherine Blumer, "The Psychology of Sunk Cost," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 35, no. 1 (February 1985): 124–140. doi:10.1016/0749-5978(85)90049-4. Available via ScienceDirect: https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(85)90049-4. Arkes and Blumer defined the sunk cost effect as "a greater tendency to continue an endeavor once an investment in money, effort, or time has been made" and demonstrated across multiple experiments that the effect is driven by the desire not to appear wasteful — a fundamentally identity-protective motive rather than a financial calculation. "Sunk cost is about identity": The connection between sunk cost escalation and self-concept draws on Barry M. Staw, "Knee-Deep in the Big Muddy: A Study of Escalating Commitment to a Chosen Course of Action," Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 16, no. 1 (1976): 27–44. doi:10.1016/0030-5073(76)90005-2. Available via ScienceDirect: https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(76)90005-2. Staw's central finding was that individuals committed the greatest resources to failing investments when they were personally responsible for the initial decision — an "intra-individual process in which people tend to act in ways to protect their own self-image." This reframes sunk cost escalation as identity protection rather than mere financial irrationality. See also Hal R. Arkes and Catherine Blumer, "The Psychology of Sunk Cost" (cited in note 5), whose findings complement Staw's by emphasizing the role of waste-avoidance norms tied to self-presentation. "To consider an alternative view, you would have to consider an alternative version of yourself": Jonas T. Kaplan, quoted in Emily Gersema, "Hardwired: The Brain's Circuitry for Political Belief," USC Press Room, December 23, 2016, https://pressroom.usc.edu/hardwired-the-brains-circuitry-for-political-belief/. This quote from the lead author of the fMRI study (cited in note 4) captures the identity-belief fusion mechanism described throughout this episode. Kaplan added: "Political beliefs are like religious beliefs in the respect that both are part of who you are and important for the social circle to which you belong."  

If you're still marketing the old way — guessing what customers want, hoping they'll buy, and watching your competition pull ahead — you're leaving massive money on the table. In today's hyper-competitive world, the winners don't just sell products… they understand the human brain. Amazon didn't become the most valuable company on earth by accident. They mastered the science of influence. Neuromarketing reveals exactly how the brain makes buying decisions — 95% of which happen subconsciously. Instead of relying on surveys or a gut feeling, you measure real brain activity (through eye-tracking, EEG, and fMRI) to trigger instant desire, trust, and action. Amazon lives and breathes this every single day. They don't guess — they know precisely which words, colors, and experiences light up the reward centers in your customers' brains and make them click "Buy Now" without hesitation. maximizeyourinfluece.com

Adele Spraggon is an award-winning author, thought leader, and internationally recognized expert in personal development, mindset transformation, and neuroplasticity. With a deep understanding of behavioral change, she helps individuals break free from self-sabotaging patterns and rewire their thinking for success. Adele's innovative four-step approach, rooted in neuroscience, empowers people to shift their mindset and achieve lasting transformation. She has received numerous accolades, including the Woman of Inspiration: Customer Experience Award and Top Behavioral Expert of the Year. As a sought-after keynote speaker and trainer, she inspires audiences worldwide to embrace change and unlock their full potential. Adele is the author of Shift: 4 Steps to Personal Empowerment, a best-selling guide to overcoming mental roadblocks and achieving personal breakthroughs. Passionate about guiding people toward a more fulfilling life, she continues to make a profound impact through her coaching and thought leadership. Adele Spraggon Vroom Vroom Veer Summary Adele discussed her business growth, including her decision to train facilitators, which represents a significant step toward creating a lasting legacy. She shared her personal journey, including her upbringing in Venezuela and her current dual citizenship as a British and Canadian citizen. Adele expressed excitement about transitioning into retirement while ensuring her business continues to thrive. Childhood Experiences with Mental Illness Adele discussed her childhood in Venezuela, where her mother, struggling with a mentally ill husband, moved with their three young daughters to a new country. Adele attended school in Ontario, Canada, where she faced self-esteem issues. They explored how mental illness medications were less effective in the past, with Adele's father being diagnosed with various conditions including bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. The conversation concluded with a discussion about brain chemistry and overdose prevention, drawing parallels to addiction rituals and the body's natural protective mechanisms. Overcoming Trauma and Finding Fulfillment Adele shared her journey from surviving high school to pursuing accounting despite lacking self-esteem, influenced by childhood trauma. She described her career transition from accounting to running a daycare, which she found fulfilling despite the challenges. Adele also mentioned her struggle with panic attacks and her decision to seek therapy, eventually leading her to write a book about behavior change and the human subconscious. Self-Discovery Technique for Panic Attacks Adele shared her personal journey of overcoming panic attacks and other behavioral issues through a process of self-discovery and reprogramming. She explained how she transformed her understanding of her brain's patterns and developed a technique involving four steps to address and rewire negative thought processes. Adele successfully applied this method to eliminate her panic attacks and quitting behavior, and she later decided to teach this technique to others by gathering 13 friends in her basement to share her approach. Meditation Research and Brain Studies Adele and Jeffery discussed the effectiveness of a four-step meditation process, with Adele sharing her extensive meditation experience and Jeffery exploring how meditation can enhance sensory awareness. They agreed on the potential benefits of using fMRI technology to study brain changes during the meditation process, with Adele mentioning a former participant who is now pursuing a PhD to conduct research on the four steps. Empowerment Technique and Practice Adele shared a technique for personal empowerment involving four steps: identifying a pattern of physical sensation, emotion, and thought without judgment; acknowledging that one created their reality; deconstructing the pattern; and creating a new pattern. She emphasized that this process, similar to exercise, requires daily practice and takes about 6 weeks for the brain to adapt. Adele encouraged Jeffery to try the technique, which is detailed in her free book available at shift4steps.com. Morning Routines Jeffery shared his morning routine tips, including getting morning sunlight before 10 AM, taking electrolytes with water, and delaying coffee for 90 minutes to improve sleep and reduce cortisol levels. Connections Website Shift4steps.com - Free copy of Adele's book

A concussion isn't just a bump on the head; it disrupts entire networks and can have long term implications when ignored. Unfortunately, even with advances in modern neuroscience, recovery is difficult and sometimes ineffective. In this episode, we discuss how psychedelics may enhance neuroplasticity and what that could mean for concussion recovery with Dylan, a graduate student studying the intersection of psychedelics and traumatic brain injuries. We dive into the biological mechanisms behind neuroplasticity, why concussions disrupt it, and how psychedelic compounds are being investigated as potential tools to support the brain's adaptive processes. We also discuss personal experiences with concussions, current research limitations, and what the next generation of studies aims to uncover. Dylan Graff is a second-year master's student at Queen's University Centre for Neuroscience Studies, where he works under the supervision of Dr. Douglas James Cook. His research focuses on using advanced neuroimaging methods, particularly resting-state fMRI, to understand how mild traumatic brain injuries affect brain connectivity and network function. Driven by a strong interest in both brain injury and mental health, Dylan's work also examines the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies. He aims to bridge findings from psychedelic research in mood disorders with neuroimaging studies in brain injury, exploring whether these emerging treatments may help address persisting symptoms after concussion. 

徒手攀岩專家霍諾德 (Alex Honnold) 無繩攀登世界其中一楝最高的摩天大樓，台北 101 創下壯舉，令外界再次提起十年前，他曾經做過那次功能性核磁共振造影 (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, fMRI)，了解他處理恐懼的方式，是否異於常人。

Valentine's Day may be all about couples, but this week's episode celebrates heartbreak, breakups, and proudly being single as a Pringle.Part 1: Getting dumped is the push psychologist Jiawen Huang needs to step outside his comfort zone.Part 2: While completing her PhD in neuroscience, Leslie Sibener is determined to fix her relationship. Jiawen Huang obtained his PhD in Psychology from Columbia University, where he studied how prior knowledge provides a scaffold for prediction and memory. He grew up in China, and did his undergrad at University College London where he scanned people watching movies in fMRI scanner. In his free time, he can be found dancing salsa, practicing Spanish, and whittling wood carvings, all of which he started doing this past year.Leslie Sibener is a neuroscientist and science communicator based in New York City. She received degrees in Neuroscience and Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and her PhD at Columbia University where she studied movement and motor learning. Now as a postdoctoral fellow at Rockefeller University, Leslie researches the mechanisms that allow specific memories to be stored for long term memory in the brain, while others are forgotten. She has always been passionate about sharing science outside of the lab. This has manifested in being the group leader the science writing group NeuWrite, a team member of Stories of WiN, and founder of Scientist on the Subway. Additionally, she has collaborated with a variety other groups, such as BioBus, Facts Machine Podcast, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, to engage the public with science.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Science of Creativity, Dr. Keith Sawyer interviews cognitive neuroscientist Dr. John Kounios, one of the world's leading researchers on insight, the "aha moment," and the neuroscience of creativity. Kounios—coauthor of The Eureka Factor—has spent decades studying how sudden breakthroughs emerge, what's happening in the brain when insight strikes, and how we can increase the odds of having more creative ideas. Together, Keith and John unpack the mysteries of insight, from Archimedes' bathtub to shower thoughts, jazz improvisation, and why some kinds of creativity flourish only when we're relaxed, a little fuzzy, and not trying too hard. You'll learn what brain areas activate during an aha moment, how EEG and fMRI reveal the timing and location of insight, and why creativity requires both hard analytical work and moments of letting go. This wide-ranging conversation covers the neuroscience of insight, the psychology of mind-wandering, the power of sleep, the secrets of flow states, improvisation, ADHD and creativity, and practical techniques anyone can use to boost creative thinking. In This Episode What the "Eureka effect" really is—and what makes an insight different from everyday thinking Why most people have many small insights they never notice How researchers trigger and measure insights in the lab The brain signature of an aha moment (and why it's like a sudden electrical "pop") Why insight and analytical thinking rely on different brain systems How positive mood, low pressure, and "psychological safety" expand thought Why we get ideas in the shower—and why Thomas Edison napped with steel balls How sleep reorganizes memory and produces breakthrough ideas Why creativity is a "strong spice"—powerful, but only useful at the right moment The surprising connection between ADHD symptoms and insight-based problem solving The neuroscience of flow and why expertise makes effortless creativity possible What jazz improvisation teaches us about creative brain states Practical steps for becoming more creative this week Five Key Takeaways Insight is sudden, non-obvious, and comes with a burst of neural activity. It's a different cognitive process than deliberate problem-solving, and each mode has strengths. Positive mood, reduced pressure, and mind-wandering increase insight. Psychological safety and relaxation widen the scope of thought, allowing remote associations to surface. You can't have insights without preparation. Expertise and hard work load the mind with the building blocks that insights rearrange in new ways. Sleep is one of the most powerful creativity boosters. It consolidates memory, breaks fixation, and often produces solutions you couldn't find the day before. Flow emerges from expertise and reduced frontal-lobe control. In high-skill improvisation (like jazz), creativity becomes automatic, effortless, and deeply absorbing. Practical Advice from John Kounios Get more sleep. It improves mood, reorganizes memory, removes fixation, and dramatically increases insight. Make time for creativity. Insights won't happen if you never give yourself space to think, wander, or play. Music by license from SoundStripe: "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich   Copyright (c) 2026 Keith Sawyer

What if most of your automatic thoughts aren't true—and your body pays the price when you believe them? We sit down with Dr. Lee Warren, W. Lee Warren, MD, is a neurosurgeon, an award-winning author, an Iraq War veteran, and the host of The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast. He teaches the art of connecting neuroscience, faith, and daily practices for leading a healthier, better, and happier life. www.DrLeeWarren.com The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery - https://www.netgalley.com/widget/897209/redeem/8bef54f4147ff6d63f2dfe6b94784e67155f495b79ab8b6190a88f48c82ddb68SELF-BRAIN SURGERY MIGHT JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bd26c48b2cf79b5897a6c45/t/68b701504975283eb3c60afb/1756823889694/Press+Kit+-+The+Life+Changing+Art+of+Self-Brain+Surgery.pdfThrough a vivid fMRI moment and hard-won personal story, he shows how a single choice of thought can alter brain activity, shift physiology, and open a path out of anxiety, grief, and chronic stress.We unpack the difference between emotions and feelings, and why your heart racing can signal fear or excitement depending on the story you attach to it. Dr. Warren explains neuroplasticity in plain language—neurons that fire together wire together—and how rumination keeps cortisol high, sleep poor, and pain persistent. You'll learn his “thought biopsy” method to test whether a thought is true before letting it run your day, plus how to move decisions from the amygdala's fight-or-flight to the frontal lobes where wisdom lives. We also dig into patterns behind migraines and avoidance loops, and how reframing, gratitude, and scripture-backed replacements can transform relationships—starting with a powerful marriage turnaround story.If you've felt stuck, spiritually numb, or trapped by old patterns, this conversation offers a practical, hopeful plan: notice, pause, and rewire with truth. Dr. Warren shares three steps you can start today to separate mind from brain, reclaim agency, and build healthier defaults that feel like peace. His new book, The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery, lands on February 3 with tools, stories, and science to help you renew your mind and restore your life.If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a quick review so more people can find these tools. Your next thought could change everything.✨ Join the EMPOWERED BY FAITH: 5 Days To A Lighter You Challenge!

Send us a textListen to a fascinating conversation with neurosurgeon Dr. Lee Warren about how the art of "Self-Brain Surgery" can change your life for the better. Do you want to have more peace, contentment and happiness? How about less ruminating and worrying? If so, Dr. Warren's teachings can help you.We explore how the mind directs the brain, why most automatic thoughts are untrue, and how to use a “thought biopsy” to stop rumination, lower cortisol, and build realistic hope that holds up under grief and stress. Practical tools turn faith and neuroscience into daily habits that steady sleep, speech, and relationships.• mind versus brain distinction and why it matters• fMRI evidence of thoughts changing physiology• neuroplasticity creating worry racetracks• thought biopsy and replacement with realistic truths• one-thought-at-a-time focus and gratitude anchors• chronic stress, cortisol, and long-term health risk• hope and meaning amid sorrow without toxic positivity• shifting from patient to doctor of your own mind• practical steps to feel calmer and act wiserGet the book “The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery” and “Hope Is The First Dose.” Find Dr. Warren at drleewarren.com and follow @DrLeeWarren on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube Save 70%! Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential Learn more at StephanieNelson.comFollow us on Instagram @stephanie_nelson_cmFollow us on Facebook at CouponMom

On this episode of Trending in Ed with Mike Palmer, unlock the secrets of the reading brain and the future of educational technology in this deep dive with Dr. Ola Ozernov-Palchik. A researcher at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development and MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Dr. Ola sits at the cutting edge of cognitive neuroscience and the science of reading.

Here's a cheery one for our first episode of the year. Guess what happens when you give several sets of scientists the same dataset and ask them to answer the same question? Well, they all find the same results, right? Right!?Sadly not. This “Many Analysts” problem has been analysed and debated in multiple different scientific fields and across several papers. We cover them in this episode. What does it tell us about the objectivity of science if different teams draw different conclusions from the exact same data?The Science Fictions podcast is brought to you by Works in Progress magazine. Their excellent new article on how we're living in “the golden age of vaccine development”, as discussed on the show, can be found (along with the rest of their articles on science, history, and technology), at worksinprogress.co. We're very grateful that they support the podcast.Show notes* 2015 Nature commentary article on “crowdsourced research” (on racism in football)* And the full 2018 writeup titled “Many Analysts, One Data Set”* Gelman and Loken on the “Garden of Forking Paths”* 2020 many-analysts neuroscience (fMRI) paper* And the plan for the similar study on EEG* 2022 PNAS many-analysts paper on the “hidden universe of uncertainty”* 2026 critique on ideological bias from George Borjas* 2023 critique on effect sizes vs. statistical significance* 2025 ecology & evolution many-analysts paper on blue tits and eucalyptus* 2025 economics many-analysts paper with results on data cleaning* 2024 PNAS critique of many-analysts research* Julia Rohrer's critique of multiverse analysisCreditsThe Science Fictions podcast is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.com/subscribe

What if your workout could sharpen your mind as much as your muscles? We dive into the science and practice of Pilates as brain training—how breath-led, precision movement can upgrade focus, memory, and executive function while lowering stress and building long-term resilience. Drawing on studies that track improvements in cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control over 8 to 12 weeks, we unpack why neuroplasticity thrives when movement, breath, and alignment align with intention.We explore the mechanisms in plain language: why coordinating breath with form acts like strength training for neural pathways, how fMRI studies point to increased gray matter in regions tied to learning and emotion regulation, and why stronger white matter tracts support faster, clearer thinking. You'll hear practical examples—from dual task drills like single-leg circles with mental math to attention-rotation techniques—that translate directly to better focus at work, steadier decision making under pressure, and easier recall of complex routines.If you're new to Pilates, we lay out a simple plan: two to three sessions per week, even 15 to 20 minutes, with quality over quantity. Foundational moves paired with diaphragmatic breathing, internal narration, and visualization can yield noticeable gains in weeks. For seasoned practitioners, we share ways to keep the brain adapting with novelty, varied instructors, and progressive sequencing. We also connect stress science to the mat: parasympathetic activation, cortisol reduction, and vagus nerve stimulation produce mental clarity and a calmer baseline, creating ideal conditions for learning and creativity. Over time, consistent practice may build cognitive reserve that supports healthy aging.Ready to rewire your brain while you build strength and mobility? Press play, try the drills, and let us know which practice boosted your focus most. If the conversation resonated, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can discover smart movement for a sharper mind."Transform Your Life with Kore Fitness"Kore Fitness: Your path to a healthier, stronger you. Personalized training and proven results.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showhttps://www.kore-fit.com

Mark D'Esposito is a  Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute.  Drawing on his training in Neurology, Neuroscience and Psychology, his research focuses on investigating the neural bases of high-level cognitive processes such as working memory and cognitive control, achieved through several different experimental approaches and methodologies. First, functional MRI (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electrocorticography (ECoG) are used to identify the neural substrates and temporal dynamics of various cognitive processes, especially those supported by the prefrontal cortex, in normal human subjects. Second, the role of the dopaminergic system in working memory and cognitive control is investigated with pharmacological studies during which direct dopaminergic agonists are administered to normal human subjects, as well as patients with Parkinson's disease. Third, behavioral studies in patient populations with frontal lobe dysfunction (e.g. stroke, brain injury) are performed to further understand the mechanisms that underlie working memory and cognitive control. Fourth, based on the knowledge gained from our research on frontal lobe function, we are developing and implementing cognitive therapeutic approaches to patients with traumatic brain injury and healthy elderly with executive function deficits. Finally, our methodological research is aimed at developing improved techniques for the acquisition and the analysis of fMRI and TMS data.Center for Brain Health WebsiteSupport the show

How well do you know your future self?How much do you like yout future self?The answer to these two questions has implications for how you plan and provide for that person.Today, we cover the work of Hal Hershfield and others about how well or poorly we identify with Future Us, and what it means for how short- or far-sighted we are in our decision-making.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-being-human--5806452/support.

Judson Brewer, MD, PhD (“Dr. Jud”), is a New York Times best-selling author and a leading authority on habit change and the science of self-mastery. He serves as the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and as a professor at Brown University. An internationally recognized psychiatrist specializing in mindfulness for addiction, Dr. Jud has developed innovative mindfulness programs for smoking cessation, emotional eating, and anxiety. He has investigated the neural mechanisms of mindfulness using standard and real-time fMRI and EEG neurofeedback. He has trained U.S. Olympic athletes, coaches, and foreign government ministers. His work has been featured on “60 Minutes,” TED (one of the most-viewed talks of 2016 with over 20 million views), The New York Times, Time magazine, Forbes, BBC, NPR, and more. Today on the show we discuss: why anxiety isn't random but reinforced through habit loops and how understanding your brain changes everything, how dopamine drives both addiction and worry and why bad habits feel easier to form than good ones, the critical difference between fear worry and anxiety and how confusing them keeps people stuck, why willpower fails under stress and how curiosity becomes the fastest way to break anxiety cycles, how mindfulness works at a neuroscience level without meditation jargon or sitting on a cushion, and why anxiety has become an identity online and what actually helps people reduce it instead of managing it forever. ⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠ Please be advised; the topics related to health and mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health or mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you've consumed. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help: Emergency Medical Services—911 If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.  SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leigh Brasington explains how the mind progresses through the four jhānas—from initial access concentration and the energetic, pleasure-filled first jhāna to the progressively quieter states of happiness, contentment, and equanimity—emphasizing their practical characteristics, traditional similes, and their role in supporting insight practice.

BONUS: When AI Knows Your Emotional Triggers Better Than You Do — Navigating Mindfulness in the AI Age In this thought-provoking conversation, former computer engineer and mindfulness leader Mo Edjlali explores how AI is reshaping human meaning, attention, and decision-making. We examine the critical question: what happens when AI knows your emotional triggers better than you know yourself? Mo shares insights on remaining sovereign over our attention, avoiding dependency in both mindfulness and technology, and preparing for a world where AI may outperform us in nearly every domain. From Technology Pioneer to Mindfulness Leader "I've been very heavily influenced by technology, computer engineering, software development. I introduced DevOps to the federal government. But I have never seen anything change the way in which human beings work together like Agile." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's journey began in the tech world — graduating in 1998, he was on the front line of the internet explosion. He remembers the days before the internet, watched online multiplayer games emerge in 1994, and worked on some of the most complicated tech projects in federal government. Technology felt almost like magic, advancing at a logarithmic rate faster than anything else. But when Mo discovered mindfulness practices 12-15 years ago, he found something equally transformative: actual exercises to develop emotional intelligence and soft skills that the tech world talked about but never taught. Mindfulness provided logical, practical methods that didn't require "woo-woo" beliefs — just practice that fundamentally changed his relationship with his mind. This dual perspective — tech innovator and mindfulness teacher — gives Mo a unique lens for understanding where we're headed. The Shift from Liberation to Dependency "I was fortunate enough, the teachers I was exposed to, the mentality was very much: you're gonna learn how to meditate on your own, in silence. There is no guru. There is no cult of personality." — Mo Edjlali   Mo identifies a dangerous drift in the mindfulness movement: from teaching independence to creating dependency. His early training, particularly a Vipassana retreat led by S.N. Goenka, modeled true liberation — you show up for 10 days, pay nothing, receive food and lodging, learn to meditate, then donate what you can at the end. Critically, you leave being able to meditate on your own without worshiping a teacher or subscribing to guided meditations. But today's commercialized mindfulness often creates the opposite: powerful figures leading fiefdoms, consumers taught to listen to guided meditations rather than meditate independently. This dependency model mirrors exactly what's happening with AI — systems designed to make us rely on them rather than empower our own capabilities. Recognizing this parallel is essential for navigating both fields wisely. AI as a New Human Age, Not Just Another Tool "With AI, this is different. This isn't like mobile computing, this isn't like the internet. We're entering a new age. We had the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Industrial Age. When you enter a new age, it's almost like knocking the chess board over, flipping the pieces upside down. We're playing a new game." — Mo Edjlali   Mo frames AI not as another technology upgrade but as the beginning of an entirely new human age. In a new age, everything shifts: currency, economies, government, technology, even religions. The documentary about the Bronze Age collapse taught him that when ages turn over, the old rules no longer apply. This perspective explains why AI feels fundamentally different from previous innovations. ChatGPT 2.0 was interesting; ChatGPT 3 blew Mo's mind and made him realize we're witnessing something unprecedented. While he's optimistic about the potential for sustainable abundance and extraordinary breakthroughs, he's also aware we're entering both the most exciting and most frightening time to be alive. Everything we learned in high school might be proven wrong as AI rewrites human knowledge, translates animal languages, extends longevity, and achieves things we can't even imagine. The Mental Health Tsunami and Loss of Purpose "If we do enter the age of abundance, where AI could do anything that human beings could do and do it better, suddenly the system we have set up — where our purpose is often tied to our income and our job — suddenly, we don't need to work. So what is our purpose?" — Mo Edjlali   Mo offers a provocative vision of the future: a world where people might pay for jobs rather than get paid to work. It sounds crazy until you realize it's already happening — people pay $100,000-$200,000 for college just to get a job, politicians spend millions to get elected. If AI handles most work and we enter an age of abundance, jobs won't be about survival or income — they'll be about meaning, identity, and social connection. This creates three major crises Mo sees accelerating: attacks on our focus and attention (technology hijacking our awareness), polarization (forcing black-and-white thinking), and isolation (pushing us toward solo experiences). The mental health tsunami is coming as people struggle to find purpose in a world where AI outperforms them in domain after domain. The jobs will change, the value systems will shift, and those without tools for navigating this transformation will suffer most. When AI Reads Your Mind "Researchers at Duke University had hooked up fMRI brain scanning technology and took that data and fed it into GPT 2. They were able to translate brain signals into written narrative. So the implications are that we could read people's minds using AI." — Mo Edjlali   The future Mo describes isn't science fiction — it's already beginning. Three years ago, researchers used early GPT to translate brain signals into written text by scanning people's minds with fMRI and training AI on the patterns. Today, AI knows a lot about heavy users like Mo through chat conversations. Tomorrow, AI will have video input of everything we see, sensory input from our biometrics (pulse, heart rate, health indicators), and potentially direct connection to our minds. This symbiotic relationship is coming whether we're ready or not. Mo demonstrates this with a personal experiment: he asked his AI to tell him about himself, describe his personality, identify his strengths, and most powerfully — reveal his blind spots. The AI's response was outstanding, better than what any human (even his therapist or himself) could have articulated. This is the reality we're moving toward: AI that knows our emotional triggers, blind spots, and patterns better than we do ourselves. Using AI as a Mirror for Self-Discovery "I asked my AI, 'What are my blind spots?' Human beings usually won't always tell you what your blind spots are, they might not see them. A therapist might not exactly see them. But the AI has... I've had the most intimate kind of conversations about everything. And the response was outstanding." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's approach to AI is both pragmatic and experimental. He uses it extensively — at the level of teenagers and early college students who are on it all the time. But rather than just using AI as a tool, he treats it as a mirror for understanding himself. Asking AI to identify your blind spots is a powerful exercise because AI has observed all your conversations, patterns, and tendencies without the human limitations of forgetfulness or social politeness. Vasco shares a similar experience using AI as a therapy companion — not replacing his human therapist, but preparing for sessions and processing afterward. This reveals an essential truth: most of us don't understand ourselves that well. We're blind navigators using an increasingly powerful tool. The question isn't whether AI will know us better than we know ourselves — that's already happening. The question is how we use that knowledge wisely. The Danger of AI Hijacking Our Agency "There's this real danger. I saw that South Park episode about ChatGPT where his wife is like, 'Come on, put the AI down, talk to me,' and he's got this crazy business idea, and the AI keeps encouraging him along. It's a point where he's relying way too heavily on the AI and making really poor decisions." — Mo Edjlali   Not all AI use is beneficial. Mo candidly admits his own mistakes — sometimes leaning into AI feedback over his actual users' feedback for his Meditate Together app because "I like what the AI is saying." This mirrors the South Park episode's warning about AI dependency, where the character's AI encourages increasingly poor decisions while his relationships suffer. Social media demonstrates this danger at scale: AI algorithms tuned to steal our attention and hijack our agency, preventing us from thinking about what truly matters — relationships and human connection. Mo shares a disturbing story about Zoom bombers disrupting Meditate Together sessions, filming it, posting it on YouTube where it got 90,000 views, with comments thanking the disruptors for "making my day better." Technology created a cannibalistic dynamic where teenagers watched videos of their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers being harassed during meditation. When Mo tried to contact Google, the company's incentive structure prioritized views and revenue over human decency. Technology combined with capitalism creates these dangerous momentum toward monetizing attention at any cost. Remaining Sovereign Over Your Attention "Traditionally, mindfulness does an extraordinary job, if you practice right, to help you regain your agency of your focus and concentration. It takes practice. But reading is now becoming a concentration practice. It's an actual practice." — Mo Edjlali   Mo identifies three major symptoms affecting us: attacks on focus/attention, polarization into black-and-white thinking, and isolation. Mindfulness practices directly counter all three — but only if practiced correctly. Training attention, focus, and concentration requires actual practice, not just listening to guided meditations. Mo offers practical strategies: reading as concentration practice (asking "does anyone read anymore?" recognizing that sustained reading now requires deliberate effort), turning off AirPods while jogging or driving to find silence, spending time alone with your thoughts, and recognizing that we were given extraordinary power (smartphones) with zero training on how to be aware of it. Older generations remember having to rewind VHS tapes — forced moments of patience and stillness that no longer exist. We need to deliberately recreate those spaces where we're not constantly consuming entertainment and input. Dialectic Thinking: Beyond Polarization "I saw someone the other day wear a shirt that said, 'I'm perfect the way I am.' That's one-dimensional thinking. Two-dimensional thinking is: you're perfect the way that you are, and you could be a little better." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's book OpenMBSR specifically addresses polarization by introducing dialectic thinking — the ability to hold paradoxes and seeming contradictions simultaneously. Social media and algorithms push us toward one-dimensional, black-and-white thinking: good/bad, right/wrong, with me/against me. But reality is far more nuanced. The ability to think "I'm perfect as I am AND I can improve" or "AI is extraordinary AND dangerous" is essential for navigating complexity. This mirrors the tech world's embrace of continuous improvement in Agile — accepting where you are while always pushing for better. Chess players learned this years ago when AI defeated humans — they didn't freak out, they accepted it and adapted. Now AI in chess doesn't just give answers; it helps humans understand how it arrived at those answers. This partnership model, where AI coaches us through complexity rather than simply replacing us, represents the healthiest path forward. Building Community, Not Dependency "When people think to meditate, unfortunately, they think, I have to do this by myself and listen to guided meditation. I'm saying no. Do it in silence. If you listen to guided meditation, listen to guided meditation that teaches you how to meditate in silence. And do it with other people, with intentional community." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's OpenMBSR initiative explicitly borrows from the Agile movement's success: grassroots, community-centric, open source, transparent. Rather than creating fiefdoms around cult personalities, he wants mindfulness to spread organically through communities helping communities. This directly counters the isolation trend that technology accelerates. Meditate Together exists specifically to create spaces where people meditate with other human beings around the world, with volunteer hosts holding sessions. The model isn't about dependency on a teacher or platform — it's about building connection and shared practice. This aligns perfectly with how the tech world revolutionized collaborative work through Agile and Scrum: transparent, iterative, valuing individuals and interactions. The question for both mindfulness and AI adoption is whether we'll create systems that empower independence and community, or ones that foster dependency and isolation. Preparing for a World Where AI Outperforms Humans "AI is going to need to kind of coach us and ease us into it, right? There's some really dark, ugly things about ourselves that could be jarring without it being properly shared, exposed, and explained." — Mo Edjlali   Looking at his children, Mo wonders what tools they'll need in a world where AI may outperform humans in nearly every domain. The answer isn't trying to compete with AI in calculation, memory, or analysis — that battle is already lost. Instead, the essential human skills become self-awareness, emotional intelligence, dialectic thinking, community building, and maintaining agency over attention and decision-making. AI will need to become a coach, helping humans understand not just answers but how it arrived at those answers. This requires AI development that prioritizes human growth over profit maximization. It also requires humans willing to do the hard work of understanding themselves — confronting blind spots, managing emotional triggers, practicing concentration, and building genuine relationships. The mental health tsunami Mo predicts isn't inevitable if we prepare now by teaching these skills widely, building community-centric systems, and designing AI that empowers rather than replaces human wisdom and connection.   About Mo Edjlali   Mo Edjlali is a former computer engineer, and also the founder and CEO of Mindful Leader, the world's largest provider of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training. Mo's new book Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness explores how ancient practices can help us navigate the AI revolution with awareness and resilience.   You can learn more about Mo and his work at MindfulLeader.org, check out Meditate Together, and read his articles on AI's Mind-Reading Breakthrough and AI: Not Another Tool, but a New Human Age.

In this episode of Quah (Q & A), Sal, Adam & Justin coach four Pump Heads via Zoom. Mind Pump Fit Tip: What are the big differences between lifting heavy vs lighter? (2:35) Training your CNS for change. (21:46) The unliftable man. (28:24) Leverage. (29:47) Kids say the darndest things. (32:42) Coaching your son. (33:52) Learning how to lose. (35:45) The science behind Brain.fm. (37:34) Subliminal messaging. (42:58) Social media platforms as weapons. (45:07) The locus of control. (47:40) Correlation of eating grass-fed meat and inflammation. (49:56) #ListenerLive question #1 – How do I maintain a healthy relationship with food and fitness while dealing with SIBO? (55:13) #ListenerLive question #2 – Do you think the root issue here is overtraining, compromising recovery, or more likely a neurological/sensory driver of these asymmetries? (1:05:11) #ListenerLive question #3 – Should I increase calories even though I've been doing this for a year now and continue to bulk, or should I concentrate on cutting still to lose fat? (1:21:16) #ListenerLive question #4 – How much of an impact could HRT (specifically estrogen and testosterone) have on my life, especially body composition and training/lifting goals? (1:30:54) Related Links/Products Mentioned Ask a question to Mind Pump, live! Email: live@mindpumpmedia.com Visit Brain.fm for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners. ** Get 30 days of free access to science-backed music. ** Visit Butcher Box for this month's exclusive Mind Pump offer!  ** Available for a limited time, a curated box pre-filled with Mind Pump's favorite cuts — no guesswork! Butcher Box members who sign up through Mind Pump will receive: $20 OFF their first box, Free chicken breast, ground beef, OR salmon in every box for a whole year! ** October Special: MAPS GLP-1 50% off! ** Code GLP50 at checkout. ** Bret Contreras Tempo Hypertrophy IG Video Sal Di Stefano's Journey in Faith & Fitness – Mind Pump TV Johnny Coulon - Wikipedia Attentional modulation of neural entrainment to sound streams in children with and without ADHD The brain in flow: A systematic review on the neural basis of the flow state Resting state fMRI-based brain information flow mapping Mind Pump #912: How to Change Your Mental State with Music Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX will be main investors in TikTok U.S., sources say Visit Seed for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code 25MINDPUMP at checkout for 25% off your first month's supply of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic** MP Holistic Health Mind Pump #2690: The NEW DIET Everyone Is Using For Fat Loss Visit Transcend for this month's exclusive Mind Pump offer! ** Telehealth Provider • Physician Directed GET YOUR PERSONALIZED TREATMENT PLAN!  Hormone Replacement Therapy, Cognitive Function, Sleep & Fatigue, Athletic Performance and MORE! ** Muscle Mommy Movement Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube Mind Pump Free Resources   People Mentioned Bret Contreras PhD (@bretcontreras1) Instagram Denis Roberts (@denis_kokushi) Instagram Jordan Shallow D.C (@the_muscle_doc) Instagram Justin Brink DC (@dr.justinbrink) Instagram LAUREN FITZ, M.D. (@drlaurenfitz) Instagram