Podcasts about White matter

In this short episode, newly titled Dr. Bethany Facer shares insights from her PhD research on Parkinson's disease. Sahir and Bethany also discuss their upcoming podcast series on cross-cultural research funded by the International Association of Cross Cultural Psychology (IACCP).Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Tommy Wood, BM, BCh, PhD, is a professor of neuroscience at the University of Washington and an expert on brain health, neuroplasticity, and cognitive performance. Dr. Wood explains how to use specific forms of exercise, dietary strategies, and compounds to enhance the rate and stability of mental and/or physical skill development. We also discuss science-based tools to preserve cognitive function, reduce dementia risk, and offset loss of memory after a concussion or other brain injury. This episode provides practical, science-based tools for learning new information and skills and for improving your overall ability to learn. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Rorra: https://rorra.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Tommy Wood (00:04:05) Neuroplasticity; Neurogenesis; Synaptic Pruning (00:11:11) Aging & Neuroplasticity; Familiar vs Novel Tasks (00:14:33) Protocols Book; Sponsor: David (00:16:49) Aging, Training & Processing Speed (00:21:56) Enhancing Neuroplasticity with Age, Tool: Motor & Cognitive Challenge (00:26:56) Learning New Skills, Dance, Sports, Arts; Psychological Benefits of Challenge (00:36:50) Flow, Clutch States; Virtuosity (00:46:59) Power of Practice (00:50:55) Sponsor: AG1 (00:52:14) Tools for Focused Work & Learning; Distractions (01:00:17) Nutrition for Brain Health, Dementia; Critical Nutrients (01:06:56) Nutrient Timing, Supplementation; Omega-3s, Tool: Blood Tests (01:16:41) Sponsor: Function (01:18:19) Enhancing Brain Health, Nutrition & Supplements (01:23:10) GLP-1s, Peptides, Supplements & Evaluating Efficacy (01:32:56) Stimulants: Feeling vs Performance (01:37:18) Exercise & Enhancing Cognitive Function, Tool: Optimize Exercise Volume (01:43:18) Long-Term Cognitive Health & Exercise, HIIT (01:47:17) Sponsor: Rorra (01:48:31) Cortisol Benefits, Acute vs Chronic Stress (01:54:24) Resistance & Aerobic Exercise, Brain Gray & White Matter, Cognitive Health (02:03:37) Cognitive Decline, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Modifiable Risk Factors (02:09:47) Shingles Vaccine & Dementia Risk; Tool: Avoid Illness for Cognitive Health (02:18:28) Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Creatine (02:24:04) Treating TBI, Supplements, Physical Therapy (02:32:16) Strongman Competition (02:38:51) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A correção da esotropia infantil pode "mudar" o cérebro das crianças?No Journal club de hoje destrinchamos um estudo fascinante que avaliou a recuperação da substância branca cerebral em crianças operadas.Se você quer entender mais sobre o poder da neuroplasticidade e como intervenções na infância impactam o desenvolvimento neurológico a longo prazo, esse episódio é para você.Link para o artigo: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12817619/Referência: Zhang, Yue et al. “Age-dependent recovery of white matter integrity after surgical correction in children with infantile esotropia.” BMC neurology vol. 26,1 34. 12 Dec. 2025, doi:10.1186/s12883-025-04578-7

Dr. Alex Menze and Dr. Breton Asken discuss the long-term impacts of repetitive head impacts in football players, focusing on inflammation, brain microstructure, and cognitive decline. Show citation:  Emanuel OM, Miner AE, Lee SY, et al. Inflammation, Limbic White Matter Microstructure, and Clinical Symptoms in Retired American Football Players With Repetitive Head Impacts. Neurology. 2026;106(6):e214646. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214646 

Dr. Alex Menze talks with Dr. Breton Asken about the long-term impacts of repetitive head impacts in football players, focusing on inflammation, brain microstructure, and cognitive decline. Read the related article in Neurology®.  Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org. 

Si, Lana & The Breakfast Club are joined by Philippa Worthington from the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust for a conversation that goes far beyond the game of Celebrity Treasure Island. As Simon prepares to compete on the island, he shares the deeply personal motivation behind his choice of charity. Having lost his beloved wife Jodi to brain cancer, Simon discusses the reality of the "forgotten" costs of the disease and how the Trust provides vital support to New Zealand families facing their toughest battles. DONATE INFO CLICK HERE. In this moving interview: The Inspiration: Simon speaks candidly about Jodi’s legacy and why this cause is his ultimate "why" on the island. The Mission: Philippa Worthington explains how the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust helps patients with the practical, often overlooked needs during treatment. A Call to Action: How you can support Simon’s journey and the incredible work being done for brain cancer warriors across NZ. This is a raw and heartfelt look at the heart behind the player.

In part two of this series, Dr. Justin Abbatemarco, Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap, and Romy J. van Voorst discuss the patient management card and how patients should use it.  Show citation: and Clinical Management of Vanishing White Matter. Neurology. 2025;105(11):e214320. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214320  Show transcript:  Dr. Justin Abbatemarco: Hello and welcome back. This is Justin Abbatemarco here with Romy J. van Voorst and Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap. After discussing her article, Published Neurology Consensus Base Expert Recommendation for Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Vanishing White Matter Disease. Romy, I really want to talk with you about the patient management card. What inspired you to create that in this publication, and how should patients use that? Romy J. van Voorst:  So what the main motivation was of the study was actually a previous study that we did before. And in this study, we looked at the impact of any short matter on unaffected family members. And we found out that actually many family members encountered clinicians that were unfamiliar with its disease or disease-specific management. And during interviews, we saw that there was an urgent need for moral harmonization of care and also symptom management because families felt like they are left alone with just their child and no guidance on how to go further. And we wrote these recommendations to help families better understand the diagnostic and care process so they can also participate in informed decision-making. So they can understand what kind of preventive measures they can take and whether or not this interferes, for example, with quality of life goals. So there are a lot of different recommendations families can take home with. Dr. Justin Abbatemarco:  Marjo, anything else you want to add there? Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap:  Yeah, I think the management card also helps because they have a physical card when they go to consultation or to emergency room that they can hand over. It's an official publication. It's developed by the Finishing WebMetter Expert Consortium in combination with other experts in combination with patient advocates and representatives. And so it's really a sort of a guidance that cannot be denied. So it has some authority to it. Dr. Justin Abbatemarco:  But I think it's a theme that applies to many neurological diseases, and addressing that. You do it really practically. And I agree, giving something more tangible for patients to present, especially to non-neurologists to help them give some guidance. It's an idea that we need to think about in clinic all the time on how we're interacting and supporting caregivers and when they're interfacing with the medical community at large. So I love what you guys have done here and to make us think about this more broadly. Thanks again for all your time and your work on this topic. Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap:  Thank you for having us. 

In part one of this two-part series, Dr. Justin Abbatemarco, Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap, and Romy J. van Voorst discuss vanishing white matter disease, focusing on the clinical and MRI findings that would prompt the consideration of genetic testing.  Show citation: van Voorst RJ, Schoenmakers DH, Bonkowsky JL, et al. Consensus-Based Expert Recommendations for Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Vanishing White Matter. Neurology. 2025;105(11):e214320. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214320  Show transcript:  Justin Abbatemarco: Hello and welcome. This is Justin Abbatemarco here with Romy J. van Voorst and Marjo S. van der Knaap. After discussing their article published in Neurology, Consensus-Based Expert Recommendation for Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Vanishing White Matter. They both work for Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. And we're going to have a two-part episode dissecting maybe two elements of this paper. Marjo, maybe we could start here and just talking about what vanishing white matter disease is and what in the clinic and MRI findings would make us go towards a genetic testing. Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap:  There are two things about vanishing white matter that matter most to families, and one is the stress sensitivity. So any type of physical stress, like fever, viral infection, anything may cause a rapid decline and you never know when it comes. And that brings me to the second item that's very difficult and painful for families. And that's the unpredictability. You never know when a disease is going to hit and then your child is going to go down. So you really need the support of neurologists who know about this disease and help you go through this situation. Dr. Justin Abbatemarco: Right. And this paper serves as a great resource for folks that if they have a patient in clinic like this, medications to avoid, how to manage those stress responses. And so it's a really helpful publication to have there. And then I think another message we talked a lot about on the podcast was the importance of genetic testing when patients aren't fitting a typical bucket and this specific disease has unique characteristics. I think the cystic appearance of the MRI, which you do a great job highlighting, would really lead us down that road. So I think it's all really helpful and it gives us some ways to start in clinic with patients and our caregivers. So thank you. Come back and join us for the second part of The Neurology Minute episode where we're going to talk about the patient management. 

Dr. Justin Abbatemarco talks with Dr. Marjo S. van der Knaap and Romy J. van Voorst about expert consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vanishing white matter and the importance of standardizing care worldwide. Read the related article in Neurology®.  Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org. 

A new study shows a sex difference in the early growth of the human brain. Does it matter?

"AI is really bad at perspective taking…"Dr. Charlotte Grosse Wiesmann is a cognitive neuroscientist exploring how the human social brain takes shape in early life. She is a Professor at the University of Technology Nuremberg and directs the Research Group on Social Brain Development at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig. Her research blends developmental psychology, brain imaging, and computational modeling to uncover how infants begin to infer other people's beliefs, intentions and mental states. In this conversation, Dr. Wiesmann unpacks how children's brains develop the capacity for social understanding and theory of mind. Drawing on developmental psychology and neuroimaging, she reveals how the brain transforms as children first succeed on false-belief tasks, a fleeting yet powerful window into the emergence of the social mind. Within this context, the conversation explores white matter maturation, environmental influences, and brain plasticity, offering fresh insights into how studying infant development can inform the future of AI. Join the conversation to discover how early brain development is reshaping our understanding of our social minds.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - A Journey from Physics to Neuroscience14:25 - Neural Bases of Early Childhood Theory of Mind21:58 - False Belief Task and Theory of Mind25:11 - Attention Schema for Consciousness27:14 - Primary Areas Involved in Theory of Mind31:24 - Impact of Neuro Deficits on Social Cognition33:57 - Role of Environment and Timing on Social Cognition37:11 - Implicit and Explicit Mechanisms of Social Development45:02 - Social Cognition Across Species47:37 - Connecting Neural Code to Social Cognition49:56 - Temporal Progression in Theory of Mind Tasks54:54 - Future Research Directions in Understanding Social Cognition01:00:08 - Infant Learning Inspires AI Development01:04:50 - Advice for Aspiring ScientistsWorks mentioned:14:31 -  White matter maturation is associated with the emergence of Theory of Mind in early childhood37:20 -  Two systems for thinking about others' thoughts in the developing brain49:50 -  Timing matters: disentangling the neurocognitive sequence of mentalizingEpisode producers:Xuqian Michelle Li, Karthik Sama

Join Jay Gunkelman, QEEGD (the man who has analyzed over 500,000 brain scans), Dr. Mari Swingle, Dr. Andrew Hill, Anthony Ramos, John Mekrut, and host Pete Jansons for another engaging NeuroNoodle Neurofeedback Podcast episode discussing neuroscience, psychology, mental health, and brain training.✅ Autism & GI Problems: Exploring why nearly 70% of people with autism also experience gastrointestinal issues — and the overlooked neurological links.✅ Botox & Mental Health: From migraines to facial expressivity, how Botox may affect empathy, parenting, and even autism phenotypes.✅ Neurofeedback & White Matter: Can brain training actually influence myelination and improve cognitive function? Research findings discussed.✅ Additional Topics:

Physician and psychologist Heidi Feldman is a pioneer in the field of developmental behavioral pediatrics who says that the world's understanding of childhood disability is changing and so too are the ways we approach it. Where once institutionalization was common, today we find integrative, family-centered approaches, charting a more humane, hopeful path forward. For example, for children born prematurely with increased likelihood of disability, increasing skin-to-skin contact – what is called  “kangaroo care” – can literally reshape that child's brain development, she tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering's The Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Heidi M. FeldmanConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest  Heidi Feldman, professor of pediatrics at Stanford University.(00:03:26) Path to Developmental PediatricsHeidi's journey from education to developmental-behavioral pediatrics.(00:05:10) The Emergence of Developmental PediatricsHow developmental disabilities entered the medical mainstream.(00:07:30) Common Disorders in ChildrenThe most prevalent disabilities seen in practice and diagnostic trends.(00:09:46) Preterm Birth and Disability RiskWhy premature birth is a major risk factor for developmental challenges.(00:13:53) Brain Connections and OutcomesHow white matter and brain circuitry impact development.(00:17:09) Kangaroo Care's PotentialHow skin-to-skin contact positively influences brain development.(00:21:30) Inclusive Family and Community SupportWhy integrated care and inclusive classrooms benefit all children.(00:23:37) Social and Economic UpsidesCost savings and increased independence from inclusive care.(00:24:33) Transitioning to Adult CareGaps and opportunities in supporting disabled youth into adulthood.(00:27:12) Using AI to Improve Care QualityAI models help track whether care guidelines are being followed.(00:31:00) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

In the latest episode of the Brain Talks podcast, Sam Pauly is joined by a panel to discuss the importance of the pitch competition at the Brain Innovation Days and to present the Jury Prize-winning startup, BrainTale. Julie Rachline, the CEO of BrainTale and winner of the Jury Prize at the Pitch Competition, highlights the company's groundbreaking work in the field of neurological health. Along with Pascal Joncour, a member of the jury and partner at Convergence Partners, and Frédéric Destrebecq, Executive Director of the European Brain Council, the discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities startups face in the medtech space. The episode sheds light on how collaborations, especially at events like Brain Innovation Days, can drive innovation and support new ventures in advancing brain health technologies.

We've talked about glia and sleep. We've talked about glia and neuroinflammation. We've talked about glia in the brain fog that can accompany COVID or chemotherapy. We've talked about the brain's quiet majority of non–neuronal cells in so many different contexts that it felt like it was high time for us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. After all, glia science was founded here at Stanford in the lab of the late, great Ben Barres.No one is better suited to take us through this history and lead us to the frontiers of the field than today's guest, Brad Zuchero. A former Barres lab postdoc, and now an emerging leader in this field in his own right, Brad gives us an overview of our growing understanding of the various different kinds of glia and their roles in brain function, and shares the  exciting  discoveries emerging from his lab — including growing evidence of a role for myelin in Alzheimers disease.Learn MoreNeuroscientist Ben Barres, who identified crucial roles of glial cells, dies at 63 (Stanford Medicine, 2017)How exciting! Study reveals neurons rely on glial cells to become electrically excitable (Stanford Neurosurgery, 2024)Unlocking the secrets of myelin repair (Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, 2024)Q&A: Linking sleep, brain insulation, and neurological disease with postdoc Daniela Rojo (Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, 2023)From angel to demon: Why some brain cells go ‘bad' (Scope Blog, 2021)Get in touchWe want to hear from your neurons! Email us at at neuronspodcast@stanford.edu if you'd be willing to help out with some listener research, and we'll be in touch with some follow-up questions.Episode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne at 14th Street Studios, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker. Our logo is by Aimee Garza. The show is hosted by Nicholas Weiler at Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute and supported in part by the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience at Wu Tsai Neuro.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. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Send us a textIn this episode, we dive deep into the abnormal physiology that occurs at the cellular level during a concussion. From the disruption of ion gradients in neurons to the neurometabolic cascade that follows, we explore how these changes lead to an energy deficit disorder in the brain. Understanding these processes is crucial for grasping the long-term effects of concussions, including energy imbalance and neuronal dysfunction. Join us as we break down the intricate mechanisms behind concussion-related brain injury and their long-lasting consequences.-       Introduction/ Episode Set Up-       Cleaned Up; AFL and Concussions (02:16)-       Why I always ask “What is a Concussion?” & How I Approach the Definition (08:45)-       Whiplash, Concussion and the Complexities (12:16)-       What is a Concussion? (13:54)-       Grey and White Matter (17:04)-       Neurons (18:30)-       ATP (21:27)-       Action Potentials (23:08)-       Concussion Physiology – Stretching and Shearing (27:45)-       Excitatory Phase of Concussion (29:35)-       Spreading Depression Phase (34:35)-       Delayed onset concussion? (38:30)  Episode Resources:-       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30074832/-       https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525462030154X-       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25232881/ -       https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2025-luke-beveridge-says-jackson-archer-shouldnt-be-suspended-luke-cleary-concussion-western-bulldogs-vs-north-melbourne-afl-360-latest-news/news-story/28569985fc6a1ad0934f5521573596af -       https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/brisbane-lions/afl-2025-brandon-starcevich-future-after-latest-concussion-contracts-talks-with-brisbane-lions-free-agency-latest-news/news-story/f96c1b4f87c9312721ab0da7a956dea0  Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop fortnightlySocial media:Twitter: @first concussionFacebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcastInstagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

Full article: White Matter Hyperintensities on High-Resolution 3-T MRI: Frequency in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Associations with Clinical Markers—A Prospective Controlled Multicenter Study Pranjal Rai, MBBS, discusses the AJR article by Tanwar et al., reporting a prospective multicenter study evaluating the potential role of white matter hyperintensities as a biomarker of mild traumatic brain injury.

In this episode of the NeuroNoodle Neurofeedback and Neuroscience Podcast,

#realconversations #author #photographer #poet #philosophy #Mexico CONVERSATIONS WITH CALVIN WE THE SPECIES https://www.youtube.com/c/ConversationswithCalvinWetheSpecIEs 367 Interviews/Videos . GLOBAL Reach. Earth Life. Amazing People.  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE (You can almost find any subject you want) ** MEET JANET STERNBURG…. “Interestingly, this interview could've been converted to a script and made into a movie of Janet's life, journey, and accomplishments…..one of my favorite words is ”beyond.” What she has done and continues to do is beyond comprehension….a poet, philosopher, author (innovative photography and memoirs), photographer, and world traveler living in Los Angeles and Mexico….when we finished the interview, I described it as “Sumptuous.” Indeed, it was…. Her new photography book, ‘Looking at Mexico Mexico Looking Back' is a magnificent wondrous journey of pictures and words…a magic carpet journey to emotion, detail, imagination, and appreciation.” Calvin  ** JANET STERNBURG; Author (Looking at Mexico-Mexico Looks Back); Photographer, Poet, Philosopher; World Traveler; California Institute for the Arts; New School; LIVE from California & Mexico YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnYY5s5b_WQ PROMO PIXS: #3, #4  From book ‘Looking at Mexico Mexico Looking Back'  Copyright Janet Sternburg All Rights Reserved Contacts: (1) Photography: https://www.janetsternburgphoto.com/ (2)Writing: https://janetsternburg.com/ (3) Book on Amazon "Looking at Mexico/Mexico Looks Back"  http://amzn.to/4f0I5Eg (4) Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Sternburg BIO:  Janet Sternburg is a versatile artist, photographer, writer, filmmaker, and educator. Since 1998, her photography has been featured in Aperture, Art Journal, and The Utne Reader. She received a claim as one of the international artists and writers who challenged social norms with their work. Her monographs, "Over Spilling World" (2016-17) and I've Been Walking" (2021), showcase her unique photographic video. Her solo exhibitions have graced galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Milan, Munich, Mexi co, and Korea, where she created a full l-building in Tal location at Seoul Institute of the Arts. She's known for using disposable cameras to create borderless and internet-rating imagery. As a writer, she's authored seminal works like "The Writer on Her Work" (W.W. Nor ton, 1981 and 1991) and critically praised books such as "Phantom Limb" (2002) and "White Matter " (2016), blending memoir and essay forms. Her films "El Tearo Campes Into" and documentary "Virginia Woolf- The Moment Whole" garnered a claim. Sternburg resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with a residence in Downtown Los Angeles Little Tokyo. She's been honored with grants, feel fellowships, and artist residencies, including support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and MacDowell. She has all so contributed to academia, teaching at institutions like the New School University and the California Institute of the Arts. In 2016, she was the recipient of the REDCAT AWARD, celebrating her outstanding leadership in contemporary culture

Getting your five servings of fruit and vegetables a day good for you. But why exactly? And more specifically, what are some of the nutrients in fruits and veggies doing for your brain? In this episode, I'm bringing you some fresh data on Antioxidants & Alzheimer's disease. RefsLow Xanthophylls, Retinol, Lycopene, and Tocopherols in Grey and White Matter of Brains with Alzheimer's DiseaseBiomagnification Supplements and dry AMD Lutein zeaxanthin AD diagnosis ___Newsletter sign up How to Build a Healthy Brain* Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain* Patreon Original music my Juan IglesiasSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Episode 214 of Autism Parenting Secrets. This week we're joined by Dr. Krishna Doniparthi, a healthcare professional from Alpharetta, GA, specializing in lipid replacement therapy for cellular repair and rejuvenation.Dr. Doniparthi is the founder and medical director of Doniparthi Neurogen NeuroGEN Academy (DNA), a non-profit advancing education and research in neurodegenerative diseases, developmental disorders, and autism.We explore cellular health and its impact on individuals with autism. Dr. Doniparthi explains the vital role of phospholipids and plasmalogens in cell membranes and their importance in storing and releasing neurotransmitters.These compounds are vital for cognitive function, nerve conduction, and overall neurological health. Through personalized treatment and targeted nutritional supplementation, real-life transformations are happening in children with autism.The secret this week is...LIPIDS Are The Missing LinkYou'll Discover:Why Lipids and Plasmalogens Matter (3:23)The Wrecking Ball That Causes Inflammation (8:19)The NATURAL Way To Rid The Body of Toxins (13:28)Two Testing Categories To Consider (16:42)The Cornerstone For Better Health (20:00)Why It's A Motor Neuron Issue (28:00)A Call To Action You Don't Want To Ignore (33:44)The Difference Between Gray Matter and White Matter of the Brain (35:26)Why Chewing Your Food Matters More Than You Think (41:41)About Our Guest:Dr. Doniparthi, a healthcare professional based in Alpharetta, GA, prioritizes a patient-centric approach to identifying the underlying causes of ailments rather than merely treating symptoms. Operating from his clinic Functional Medicine Georgia (FMG), Dr. Doniparthi specializes in lipid replacement therapy, focusing on cellular repair and rejuvenation, particularly highlighting the significance of plasmalogens in bolstering cellular health. Additionally, Dr. Doniparthi is the founder and medical director of Doniparthi Neurogen Academy (DNA), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing education and research in neurodegenerative diseases, developmental disorders, and autism.www.dnadr.orgReferences in The Episode:Medical Academy of Pediatric & Special NeedsAdditional Resources:Take The Quiz: What's YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?To learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.comBe sure to follow Cass & Len on InstagramIf you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Are human brains growing larger over time, and how does that impact dementia risk? Find out about this and more in today's PeerDirect Medical News Podcast.

In this episode we are all about protecting your brain:  Researchers from King’s College London recruited nearly 400 twins, age 43 to 73, and tested different factors, including leg power and speed… and retested 10 years later. The result: The researchers found that leg strength was a better predictor of brain health than any other lifestyle factor looked at in the study.       Also, you’ll hear how every time we eat something that spikes blood glucose levels – like fast food and refined carbs - our hippocampus takes a hit.  Plus how eating cold-water fish twice a week will boost blood flow to your brain, and reduce plaque buildup, a top cause of Alzheimer's.   More resources and information are available at https://Tesh.com (00:00) Maximizing Memory(08:58) Habits That Ruin Your Memory(15:28) Impact of Diet on Brain Health

Is it ever too late to learn? What is the science behind how to change your brain? And what if the key to reshaping our brains and altering our perspectives lies within our grasp, regardless of our years?This is the fascinating life's work of today's esteemed guest, Dr. Lara Boyd.Dr. Lara Boyd, a Neuroscientist and Physical Therapist at the University of British Columbia, is an expert in mapping how our behaviours, environments, and experiences shape our brain health and learning capabilities.During this episode, Dr. Boyd guides us through the science behind neuroplasticity, highlighting the brain's inherent ability to rewire itself and learn new skills at any age. She emphasises that everything we do and encounter is continuously shaping our brains.Her work focuses on the impact of exercise and learning on our neurobiology, showcasing the profound effects these activities have on optimising our brain function. Dr. Boyd's research sheds light on how we can leverage our physical bodies to access and enhance different states of mind.In a world where stress, anxiety, and burnout are prevalent, Dr. Boyd's insights offer a beacon of hope for better self-regulation and human evolution. She shows us that we have the power to shape our brains in ways that align with our desires and aspirations."We only have one brain. We can shape it however we choose. So go out and build the brain you want." - Dr Lara BoydTimestamps:00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:50 - Background To Dr Boyd00:01:27 - What drove Dr Boyd's focus on Neuroplasticity & Human Physiology00:03:53 - How do we learn?00:05:25 - Misconceptions about Neuroplasticity?00:07:56 - White Matter, Human Critical Physiology and Anatomy00:13:00 - Can a Vaccine for The Epstein–Barr Virus Prevent Multiple Sclerosis?00:14:27 - Short vs. Long Term Memory Loss & Damage00:17:04 - Why Some People Find Learning Easier Than Others?00:23:44 - Trauma & Priming The Brain To Drive Neuroplasticity00:27:10 - Lessons from Post Stroke Trauma Studies, Neuroplasticity and Wider Society Learnings00:30:33 - The Study of Biomarkers & Remarkable Results00:35:37 - A Modern Epidemic (Stress, Anxiety, Burnout & Mental Health) & Relievers (Exercise, Cortisol, Growth Factors & The Bluezones).00:41:41 - A Study Between Runners and Yogi's & The Results00:45:47 - A Study on Burnout (Teachers, the NHS and beyond).00:48:00 - Personalised Medicine & Personalised Learning00:49:50 - AI, Concerns & The Evolution of Healthcare00:51:39 - The Broader Implications of Findings on Neuroplasticity in terms of Life Long Learning, Addiction & Behavioural Change?00:55:06 - Closing Thoughts & Key TakeawaysEnjoyed the podcast? Subscribe nowWatch on YouTubeConnect: Peter Bell, Dr Lara BoydInterested in becoming a sponsor or collaborating with us, reach out via Purpose Made. Your support helps us continue delivering the thought-provoking content to our audience.This podcast was recorded and produced by Purpose Made. Join our tribe and lets grow together https://plus.acast.com/s/purpose-made-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drs. Shuvro Roy and Monica T. Ly discuss brain lesions in former football players linked to vascular brain changes.  Show reference: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000208030

Dr. Shuvro Roy talks with Dr. Monica T. Ly about brain lesions in former football players linked to vascular brain changes. Read the related article in Neurology. Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org.

References PLoS One. 2019; 14(1): e0210888 Trends Neurosci. 2015 Jun; 38(6): 364–374 Addict Biol. 2006 Sep; 11(3-4): 339–355 Sci Rep. 2022; 12: 19463. Beethoven, L. 1809. Piano Concerto #5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor Concerto " https://youtu.be/kiW-QnQzN9Y?si=qT6PgbhB9L5jpzcZ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dr-daniel-j-guerra/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dr-daniel-j-guerra/support

Did the pandemic impact how you work today? This week, Sarah and Skye take a look at the long-lasting legacy of working from home during COVID-19, take a deep dive into emotional dysregulation, and look into the white matter and inner workings of the ADHD brain. Hit play and let's get into it! The ADHD Academy: https://courses.unconventionalorganisation.com/the-adhd-academy Unconventional Organisation: https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/

In this conversation with Dr. Vanessa Milanese, we cover the importance of anatomy in neurosurgery and explore her intriguing work in both fields – and how they cross-informed one another. Vanessa is a functional neurosurgeon at A Beneficencia Portuguesa Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil and holds an adjunct assistant professorship of neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. We talk about her stellar work in combining her neurosurgical activity with anatomical work – which involves dissections of the white matter of postmortem brains using the Klingler's method. We will talk about the rare community of neurosurgeons involved in similar activities, world-wide and the big influence Dr. Al Rhoton had on the field and on Vanessa's career. We thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and learned a lot – and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we did! Thank you so much for tuning in! References we talked about in the episode: Holanda, Vanessa M., Michael S. Okun, Erik H. Middlebrooks, Abuzer Gungor, Margaret E. Barry, John Forder, and Kelly D. Foote. 2020. “Postmortem Dissections of Common Targets for Lesion and Deep Brain Stimulation Surgeries.” Neurosurgery 86 (6): 860–72.  https://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/abstract/2020/06000/postmortem_dissections_of_common_targets_for.14.aspx Holanda, Vanessa Milanesi, Maria Cristina Chavantes, Xingjia Wu, and Juanita J. Anders. 2017. “The Mechanistic Basis for Photobiomodulation Therapy of Neuropathic Pain by near Infrared Laser Light.” Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 49 (5): 516–24.  https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1002/lsm.22628.pdf Middlebrooks, Erik H., Ibrahim S. Tuna, Leonardo Almeida, Sanjeet S. Grewal, Joshua Wong, Michael G. Heckman, Elizabeth R. Lesser, et al. 2018. “Structural Connectivity-Based Segmentation of the Thalamus and Prediction of Tremor Improvement Following Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus.” NeuroImage. Clinical 20 (October): 1266–73. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6308387/ Middlebrooks, Erik H., Sanjeet S. Grewal, and Vanessa M. Holanda. 2019. “Complexities of Connectivity-Based DBS Targeting: Rebirth of the Debate on Thalamic and Subthalamic Treatment of Tremor.” NeuroImage. Clinical. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6543122/ Ferreira, Tancredo Alcântara, Jr, Erik H. Middlebrooks, Wen Hung Tzu, Mateus Reghin Neto, and Vanessa Milanesi Holanda. 2020. “Postmortem Dissections of the Papez Circuit and Nonmotor Targets for Functional Neurosurgery.” World Neurosurgery 144 (December): e866–75. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878875020320969?via%3Dihub Additional Resources we talked about: Mayo Functional Neuro Course 2024:  https://ce.mayo.edu/functionalneuro2024 Scaniverse app for 3D brain reconstruction: https://apps.apple.com/br/app/scaniverse-3d-scanner/id1541433223?l=en-GB Rhoton's book: https://shop.lww.com/Rhoton-Cranial-Anatomy-and-Surgical-Approaches/p/9781975226879 Stênio Holanda Filho Q&A book: https://www.dilivros.com.br/livro-neuroanatomia-pratica-e-ilustrada-questoes--e-respostas--3d-9788580531527,h18213.html Deep Brain Stimulation: A case-based approach https://academic.oup.com/book/29505

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Negar Fani, a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor at Emory University School of Medicine, joins host Whitney to delve deep into the profound effects of racial trauma on brain health. Nearly two decades of (systematically oppressed) research have revealed the chronic stress of structural and systemic racism as a damaging force on our brains.Dr. Fani, the head of the "Fani Lab" specializing in trauma neuroscience (including PTSD), sheds light on how her lab has long examined racial trauma as a unique form of trauma, a concept initially dismissed in the predominantly White field she operates within—until the tragic murder of George Floyd catalyzed change. During their conversation, they explore:The systemic challenges faced by women of color in researching and publishing on racial trauma.The influence of Dr. Fani's racial and cultural identities on her work.Key discoveries from the Fani Lab and collaborative research.Insights into how racial trauma contributes to neurodegeneration and its links to high rates of diseases like Alzheimer's in Black communities.Dr. Fani's aspirations for the practical application of this research.Suggestions for healing from racial trauma and providing much-needed rest for our brains.This episode validates what so many of us already know and experience: the impact of racial trauma is real. In our minds, emotions, skin, chakras, organs, and yes, in our brains.Watch this episode on YouTubeWashington Post Article:  Racism takes a toll on the brain, research showsConnect with Dr. Fanihttps://www.negarfani.comTwitter/X @NegarFaniAre you in the Atlanta area and interested in joining a study at Fani Lab? Click here! To learn more about Whitney, Impostrix Podcast, or to support the show, visit ImpostrixPodcast.com. And, please subscribe to the show on your favorite listening/watching app, and leave me your feedback by rating or reviewing the show! Thank you for helping us grow!IG: ImpostrixPodcastTikTok: WhitneyKnoxLeeLinkedIn: Whitney-Knox-LeeBe Validated!Support the showSUBSCRIBE to the Validating Voice NewsletterSUPPORT Impostrix Podcast

A new editorial paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 16, entitled, “Microvascular contributions to white matter injury in Alzheimer's disease.” In their new editorial, researchers Zsolt Bagi, Larry S. Sherman and Stephen A. Back from Augusta University discuss mechanisms of cognitive impairment and dementia. Impairments in cognitive and executive function of presumed cerebral microvascular origin are important and recently recognized neuropathological manifestations of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). It has been long known that hypertensive cerebrovascular disease also involves a spectrum of subcortical small vessel diseases, such as arteriolosclerosis and lipohyalinosis of small penetrating arterioles, which contribute to progressive injury of periventricular, frontal and parietal white matter (WM). “However, until recently, recognition of the role of WM injury during aging and the progression of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) was very limited.” Despite growing interest in VCID and AD/ADRD, there have been few studies of mechanistic links between subcortical small vessel disease, WM injury and cognitive decline. Even though WM constitutes >80% of the human cerebral hemispheres, a PubMed search of AD and WM injury yielded only 381 articles (including reviews) vs. 193,303 articles for AD alone. Notably, 50% of diagnosed AD patients have mixed vascular and AD pathology. Hence, there is a critical need to explore connections between AD, WM injury and cerebral small vessel disease to define mechanisms and diagnostic features of mixed vascular and AD neuropathological change (ADNC). “To provide rigorous access to human WM lesions, we recently developed a unique rapid autopsy brain procurement protocol using specimens donated by participants in the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, a prospective, population-based study of aging and incident dementia among men and women in Seattle, Washington [5].” DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204997 Corresponding author - Zsolt Bagi - zbagi@augusta.edu Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204997 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts Keywords - aging, cerebrovascular, neuropathology, vasodilation, parenchymal, arteriole About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

In this Papers Podcast, Dr. Silvana Mareva discusses her JCPP paper ‘Transdiagnostic profiles of behaviour and communication relate to academic and socioemotional functioning and neural white matter organisation'. Silvana is the first author of the paper. 

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.07.31.551318v1?rss=1 Authors: Riccardi, C., Ghezzi, S., Amorosino, G., Zigiotto, L., Sarubbo, S., Jovicich, J., Avesani, P. Abstract: In clinical neuroscience, the segmentation of the main white matter bundles is a mandatory premise for pre-operative neurosurgical planning, neuro-rehabilitation prognosis and monitoring of neuro-related diseases. The automation of the task of bundle segmentation is achieving a good accuracy on healthy individuals taking advantage of data driven approaches and deep learning models. The lack of large clinical datasets is preventing the translation of these results to patients. Inference on patients data with model trained on healthy population is not effective because of domain shift. This study aims to carry out an empirical analysis to investigate how techniques of transfer learning might be beneficial to overcome these limitations. For our analysis, we consider an open publicly available dataset with hundreds of individuals and a clinical dataset with several tens of glioma patients. We focus our preliminary investigation on corticospinal tract. The results show that transfer learning might be effective to overcome the component of domain shift related to systemic bias. Nevertheless, the alterations induced by the tumors are not successfully managed by transfer learning and are still preventing the successful translation of model trained on healthy population. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast Episode 5. In this episode of What Is A Concussion part 2: I will introduce you to the abnormal physiology of a cell, neuron and action potential's that takes place during a concussion, leading to the neurometabolic cascade preceding the energy deficit disorder which takes place.   - Introduction to the episode- Cleaned Up Segment (2:50)- Grey and White Matter (10:04)- Concussion Explained (11.50)- Excitatory Phase (12.55)- Spreading Depression Phase (17.30)- Post Episode (21.10)  Episode Resources:-       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30074832/-       https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525462030154X-       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25232881/   Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop fortnightly  Social media:Twitter: @first concussionFacebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcastInstagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2023.07.03.547451v1?rss=1 Authors: Shailja, S., Chen, J. W., Grafton, S. T., Manjunath, B. S. Abstract: We present ReTrace, a novel graph matching-based topological evaluation and validation method for tractography algorithms. ReTrace uses a Reeb graph whose nodes and edges capture the topology of white matter fiber bundles. We evaluate the performance of 96 algorithms from the ISMRM Tractography Challenge and the the standard algorithms implemented in DSI Studio for the population-averaged Human Connectome Project (HCP) dataset. The existing evaluation metrics such as the f-score, bundle overlap, and bundle overreach fail to account for fiber continuity resulting in high scores even for broken fibers, branching artifacts, and mis-tracked fiber crossing. In contrast, we show that ReTrace effectively penalizes the incorrect tracking of fibers within bundles while concurrently pinpointing positions with significant deviation from the ground truth. Based on our analysis of ISMRM challenge data, we find that no single algorithm consistently outperforms others across all known white matter fiber bundles, highlighting the limitations of the current tractography methods. We also observe that deterministic tractography algorithms perform better in tracking the fundamental properties of fiber bundles, specifically merging and splitting, compared to probabilistic tractography. We compare different algorithmic approaches for a given bundle to highlight the specific characteristics that contribute to successful tracking, thus providing topological insights into the development of advanced tractography algorithms. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Mold mycotoxins are known for causing demyelinating disease or MS. On an MRI it is seen as white matter brain disease. These mycotoxins create damage and cause autism, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and ALS to name a few diseases. Can we reverse demyelinating disease, short answer is yes-sometimes. It depends on how progressive the disease is...

Can Lyme, Chlamydia, HHV6 or other infections cause white matter brain disease or MS? The research shows that Chlamydia Pneumonia and other diseases cross the blood-brain barrier. Dr. Muth shares what symptoms these infections cause and how to address them.  Do not miss these highlights: 03:37 Viruses and bacteria can be reactivated over time and...

Have you had a diagnosis that you knew wasn't right? MS (multiple sclerosis) is one of them. What else could it be? Join this series of episodes to explain why just because you have a diagnosis of white matter disease it may not be MS.  Do not miss these highlights: 01:24 You're not supposed to...

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed as "Aging (Albany NY)" by MEDLINE/PubMed and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 14, Issue 23, entitled, “White matter hyperintensity load is associated with premature brain aging.” Brain age is an MRI-derived estimate of brain tissue loss that has a similar pattern to aging-related atrophy. White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are neuroimaging markers of small vessel disease and may represent subtle signs of brain compromise. In this new study, researchers Natalie Busby, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Sara Sayers, Roger Newman-Norlund, Sarah Wilson, Samaneh Nemati, Chris Rorden, Janina Wilmskoetter, Nicholas Riccardi, Rebecca Roth, Julius Fridriksson, and Leonardo Bonilha from University of South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina and Emory University tested the hypothesis that WMHs are independently associated with premature brain age in an original aging cohort. “We hypothesized that a higher WMH load is linearly associated with premature brain aging controlling for chronological age.” Brain age was calculated using machine-learning on whole-brain tissue estimates from T1-weighted images using the BrainAgeR analysis pipeline in 166 healthy adult participants. WMHs were manually delineated on FLAIR images. WMH load was defined as the cumulative volume of WMHs. A positive difference between estimated brain age and chronological age (BrainGAP) was used as a measure of premature brain aging. Then, partial Pearson correlations between BrainGAP and volume of WMHs were calculated (accounting for chronological age). Brain and chronological age were strongly correlated (r(163)=0.932, p

 Damage to myelin, or white matter, is almost always present in multiple sclerosis and the disease has long been thought of as one in which the immune system attacks myelin. Yet damage to the cell that is wrapped in myelin also occurs. As with the chicken or the egg, the experts debate which comes first—gray matter damage, or white?

In this episode, we discuss the function and components of the brain to help understand how consciousness works.  The brain does not produce consciousness but serves as a information transmitter so that you, the observer, may experience the life of a unique human in the physical world.Sources:https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain#:~:text=The%20brain%20is%20a%20complex,central%20nervous%20system%2C%20or%20CNS.www.HigherConsciousThinker.com

How is CTE different from a concussion?  Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O'Reilly discuss concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, with former NFL lineman, Leonard Marshall, and neuroscientist, Heather Berlin, PhD.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.Thanks to our Patrons Walter Johnson, Ali AlWaheedy, Armen Gevorgyan, Jenny K Leasure, WIGwigWIG, Denny, MaKayla A Holloway, Anna Dupre-Whiting, Allain Brideau, and David for supporting us this week.Photo Credit: Garpenholm, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Justin Abbatemarco talks with Dr. Aurora Pujol about diagnosing genetic white matter disorders by singleton whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing using interactome-driven prioritization. Read the full article in Neurology.

Dr. Aurora Pujol discusses diagnosing genetic white matter disorders by singleton whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing using interactome-driven prioritization. Show references: https://n.neurology.org/content/98/9/e912/tab-figures-data

References Dr Guerra's Lecture notes Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (TRCI) Volume7, Issue1 2021 e12217 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dr-daniel-j-guerra/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dr-daniel-j-guerra/support

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://donnyferguson.com/2021/08/30/brain-study-finds-cannabis-use-not-correlated-with-changes-in-white-matter-integrity/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/donny-ferguson/message

The human brain doesn't work out of the box: it has to learn tasks; processing has to be developed. By “grey matter” we mean the 80 billion or so brain cells with which we're born, but it's the fatty white matter – or myelination – growing along the cells' axonal projections, connecting different parts of the brain, that make it work faster and better. In this episode of the Neuromantics, we take a look at the surprising effects of that learning process on the neurophysiology of older people, as studied by Yuko Yotsumoto et al, in “White Matter in the Older Brain is More Plastic than in the Younger Brain” (2014).Both the young and the elderly can do new things. In Yotsumoto's experiment, they learn to pick out letters against a variety of backgrounds (and both age groups get better at it). But MRIs show that the really marked changes in white-matter arrangement are confined to older participants. Why? Is that a good or bad thing? And how might these changes be related to more general cognitive decline, where, because the grey cells are dying off, white matter no longer has much to connect?Maintaining a connection with the world, as well as suffering its loss, is one of later life's challenges, and nowhere is it more beautifully evoked than in Alice Munro's short story about the strange plasticity of affection, “The Bear Came Over the Mountain”, first published in the New Yorker in 1999. Fiona has Alzheimer's and goes into care. But it's her unworldly and rather selfish husband, Grant, who finds himself changing, unlearning assumptions, and being driven by love to an act of uncommon kindness.

Today on Hempresent Vivian is Joined by Jayda Suttie. Jayda who has terminal illness had her dream come true when she met popular daytime television host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres before an appearance at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Eleven-year-old Jayda Suttie, who has a rare genetic disease called Vanishing White Matter, only learned that she would be meeting her hero about an hour before her show. In 2016, Jayda bumped heads with another student during gym class and was rushed to the hospital where she went into a coma. She awoke three days later to learn that doctors discovered she had Leukodystrophy, which is also known as vanishing white matter disease, or V.W.M. It is estimated that only about 200 people worldwide have the disease, which is part of the reason why Jayda was so eager to meet DeGeneres. Jayda now hopes to raise awareness about Leukodystrophy.