This Is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg

What's causing the "Covid fog" and "long-haul Covid" that have been all over the news lately? Neuropsychologist Heidi Bender, PhD, and infectious disease specialist Lish Ndhlovu, MD, PhD, explain how the virus is sneaking into the brain, what it does when it gets there, and how that affects cognition, emotions, and behavior. Plus... hear firsthand from a patient who went through the fog — and came out the other side.

Pain and fear are inevitable, especially these days, but we can retrain our brains to reduce suffering. Dr. Sara Lazar, Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School, reveals how just eight weeks of mindful meditation can visibly change parts of the brain to be less reactive to pain. Plus... how meditation apps put the power of mindfulness right in your hand. Links to the meditation apps mentioned in this episode: www.calm.com www.headspace.com https://insighttimer.com

More than an evolutionary waste of energy, dreams are one of the last mysteries of human cognition. Dr. Raphael Vallat, a neuroscientist and sleep researcher at UC Berkeley, explains what we know about what happens during REM sleep, why we have recurring nightmares, and even how that evening cocktail affects your dreams. Plus… the weirdest things some people do while they're asleep

A brain experiment on abstract vs representational art reveals the secrets of how we make decisions, and how we impulsive humans may finally learn to delay gratification. Psychologist Daphna Shohamy, Professor of Psychology at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute at Columbia University, explains "construal level theory" and what that means about art -- and dessert. Plus... The Stendahl Syndrome (aka an Art Attack), in which great works can quite literally knock you flat.

Delve into a comedian's brain to discover what makes people laugh -- and when the comic is also a neuroscientist, it's no joke. Dr. Ori Amir studies what goes on in the brain as jokes are born, and he's learned how to “get out of his head” to write some pretty funny stuff. Be afraid: He is working on using artificial intelligence to come up with new puns to make us groan.

Welcome to the International Brain Bee, where the innovators of tomorrow — most of them still too young to drive — are spending their days memorizing brain parts, studying neurons, and even dissecting cadaver brains. Meet Norbert Mylinski, who founded the worldwide competition, and Julianne McCall, a Brain Bee alum who is now ‎co-director of the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine. Plus... How many Brain Bee questions could YOU answer?  

Menopause can wreak havoc on mood and body temperature as it signals the end of fertility, but some of the biggest changes it causes are in the brain. Emily Jacobs, assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at UC Santa Barbara, explains how the precipitous decline in estrogen during the "change of life" disrupts the endocrine system, and why menopause makes some women feel like they're going crazy while others sail through unscathed. 

After the shocking 2011 shooting that sent a would-be assassin’s bullet through her brain, former U.S. Rep. Giffords had to re-learn how to breathe, walk, and talk. In the Season 2 premiere episode of This Is Your Brain, Dr. Stieg talks with neurologic music therapist Maegan Morrow, whose innovative techniques helped Giffords “rewire” her brain and regain her voice. Bonus: Special appearance by Ms. Giffords herself.

Season 2 starts January 15! In a preview of the highly anticipated season premiere, Dr. Stieg talks to the music therapist who helped former Representative Gabrielle Giffords regain her speech after an assassin's bullet pierced her brain. In a special bonus, we'll hear from Ms. Giffords herself.

One in three cases of Alzheimer's disease may be preventable, and some cases are even predictable. Dr. Richard Isaacson, Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine, explains how scientists look at genetics, lifestyle, and medical history to evaluate an individual's risk of developing the disease. Plus... how your belly size affects your memory center

When Children Have Seizures

In this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, Dr. Stieg talks to psychiatrist Richard Friedman about the neuroscience of fear: How parents can transmit anxiety to their kids, how some babies seem hard-wired for anxiety, and why a little anxiety is good for you (but too much is like a burglar alarm that sounds all the time). 

Microbes in your intestine are talking to cells in your brain all the time – and what they say can affect everything from inflammatory diseases to psychiatric disorders. Microbiologist David Artis, PhD, and psychiatrist Conor Liston, MD, PhD, explain the connection between your microbiota and your mind – and how to influence their conversation. Plus… another reason to avoid unnecessary antibiotics

Diagnosing and treating attention deficit disorder can be tricky – not every hyperactive kid has ADHD, and some very calm children are extremely inattentive. Pediatric clinical neuropsychologist David Salsberg, PhD, explains what part of the brain is “asleep” in those with true ADHD, and how to identify kids who need intervention. Plus… when is medication really necessary?

From drug cocktails to deep brain stimulation, there is new hope for brain-injured patients with "locked-in syndrome”  in minimally conscious states. Dr. Nicholas Schiff, Professor of Neuroscience at the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells the dramatic stories of patient reawakenings from ​comas lasting many years.