Best Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute At Stanford University Nicholas Weiler Podcasts (2024)

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Programming Announcement 0:25

1h ago0:25

0:25

Hi everyone — quick programming announcement. As we head into summer, we'll be moving to an every-other-week cadence as we prepare more conversations from the frontiers of neuroscience. I'm very excited about what we're working on for you, so stay tuned! In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you! Email us at neuronspodcast@stanford.edu with your …

1
Neuroscience and AI: What artificial intelligence teaches us about the brain (and vice versa) | Surya Ganguli 27:38

1h ago27:38

27:38

The powerful new generation of AI tools that has come out over the past few years — DALL-E, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and the rest — have blown away our old ideas about what AI can do and raised questions about what it means for computers to start acting... intelligent? This week, we ask what the rise of these systems might teach us about our own bi…

1
How we remember, why we forget | Anthony Wagner 29:00

16d ago29:00

29:00

At some point in our lives, we all struggle with memory — learning a new name, remembering that book you were reading just yesterday or that word on the tip of your tongue. So what can neuroscience teach us about why we remember, why we forget, and how we might even improve our memories? To answer this question, I spoke with neuroscientist Anthony …

1
Psychedelics Part 2: How do drugs alter our perceptions? | Boris Heifets 23:36

7d ago23:36

23:36

Today, we're going to talk about how psychedelics alter our perception of reality and what that says about... reality! Welcome to part two of our conversation with Stanford anesthesiologist and psychedelics researcher Boris Heifets! Last time, we talked with Boris about the question of why psychedelics help people with mental health disorders. This…

1
Psychedelics, placebo, and anesthetic dreams | Boris Heifets (part 1) 30:27

18d ago30:27

30:27

Psychedelics are a hot topic in psychiatry today. They’re producing dramatic reversals for patients with severe depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. But scientists still have fundamental questions about why these drugs are so effective. For example, is the "trip" even necessary? Some think it is not and are working to design drugs …

1
Why our brains are bad at climate change | Nik Sawe 23:42

21d ago23:42

23:42

This week on From Our Neurons to Yours, we're talking about the neuroscience of climate change with neuroeconomist Nik Sawe. If you follow the science or the news, you know how big of a risk climate change is. Storms, coastal flooding, heat waves, extinctions, mass migration — the list goes on. But — as you can probably also appreciate — it’s reall…

1
Famous & Gravy: Mind Traveler | Oliver Sacks 59:43

2M ago59:43

59:43

This week we’re doing something a little different. My good friend Michael Osborne, who produces this show also has his own podcast, called Famous & Gravy – Life Lessons from Dead Celebrities. I recently guest-hosted an episode about one of my all time scientific and writerly heros, Oliver Sacks, which we're releasing for both our audiences. I hope…

1
The clocks in your body | Tony Wyss-Coray 22:07

2M ago22:07

22:07

Today: the clocks in your body. We're talking again this week with Tony Wyss-Coray, the director of the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience here at Wu Tsai Neuro. Last year, we spoke with Tony about the biological nature of the aging process. Scientists can now measure signs of aging in the blood, and can in some cases slow or reverse the aging …

1
Redefining Parkinson's Disease | Kathleen Poston 24:28

3M ago24:28

24:28

Today on the show, a new understanding of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders — right after Alzheimer's disease. It's familiar to many as a movement disorder: people with the disease develop difficulties with voluntary control of their bodies. But the real story is much more complicated. Th…

1
Space and Memory | Lisa Giocomo 25:12

3M ago25:12

25:12

This week on From Our Neurons to Yours, we sit down with Stanford neurobiologist Lisa Giocomo to explore the intersection of memory and navigation. This episode was inspired by the idea of memory palaces. The idea is simple: Take a place you're very familiar with, say the house you grew up in, and place information you want to remember in different…

1
OCD & Ketamine | Carolyn Rodriguez 22:41

4M ago22:41

22:41

In this episode of "From Our Neurons to Yours," we're taking a deep dive into the neuroscience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the recent discovery that the anesthetic ketamine can give patients a week-long "vacation" from the disorder after just one dose. Join us as we chat with Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez, a leading expert in the field, who …

1
Why we do what we do | Neir Eshel 22:38

3M ago22:38

22:38

Welcome to "From Our Neurons to Yours," from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University. Each week, we bring you to the frontiers of brain science — to meet the scientists unlocking the mysteries of the mind and building the tools that will let us communicate better with our brains. This week, we're tackling a BIG question in neuros…

1
Brain-Computer Interfaces | Jaimie Henderson 22:21

4M ago22:21

22:21

Imagine being trapped in your own body, unable to move or communicate effectively. This may seem like a nightmare, but it is a reality for many people living with brain or spinal cord injuries. Join us as we talk with Jaimie Henderson, a Stanford neurosurgeon leading groundbreaking research in brain-machine interfaces. Henderson shares how multiple…

1
An electrical storm in the brain | Fiona Baumer 19:26

6M ago19:26

19:26

Imagine an electrical storm in your brain, a power surge that passes through delicately wired neural circuits, making thousands of cells all activate at once. Depending on where it starts and where it travels in the brain, it could make your muscles seize up. It could create hallucinatory visions or imaginary sounds. It could evoke deep anxiety or …

1
Seeing sound, tasting color | David Eagleman 21:03

6M ago21:03

21:03

Imagine Thursday. Does Thursday have a color? What about the sound of rain — does that sound taste like chocolate? Or does the sound of a saxophone feel triangular to you? For about 3% of the population, the sharp lines between our senses blend together. Textures may have tastes, sounds, shapes, numbers may have colors. This sensory crosstalk is ca…

1
Why sleep keeps us young | Luis de Lecea 20:35

6M ago20:35

20:35

Welcome back, neuron lovers! In this week's episode of From Our Neurons to Yours, we're talking about the neuroscience of sleep. Why is slumber so important for our health that we spend a third of our lives unconscious? Why does it get harder to get a good night's sleep as we age? And could improving our beauty rest really be a key to rejuvenating …

1
Where ant colonies keep their brains | Deborah Gordon 17:48

7M ago17:48

17:48

Welcome back to "From Our Neurons to Yours," a podcast from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University. In this episode, we explore the collective intelligence of ant colonies with Deborah Gordon, a professor of biology at Stanford, an expert on ant behavior, and author of a new book, The Ecology of Collective Behavior. We discuss h…

1
Why we get dizzy | Kristen Steenerson 17:18

7M ago17:18

17:18

Welcome back to "From Our Neurons to Yours," a podcast where we criss-cross scientific disciplines to take you to the frontiers of brain science. This week, we explore the science of dizziness with Stanford Medicine neurologist Kristen Steenerson, MD, who treats patients experiencing vertigo and balance disorders. In our conversation, we'll see tha…

1
How we understand each other | Laura Gwilliams 22:06

7M ago22:06

22:06

Welcome back to our second season of "From Our Neurons to Yours," a podcast where we criss-cross scientific disciplines to take you to the cutting edge of brain science. In this episode, we explore how sound becomes information in the human brain, specifically focusing on how speech is transformed into meaning. Our guest this week is Neuro-linguist…

1
Exercise and the brain | Jonathan Long 22:29

11M ago22:29

22:29

We all know exercise has all sorts of benefits beyond just making us stronger and fitter. It lowers and inflammation. It buffers stress and anxiety. It clarifies our thinking. In fact, regular exercise is one of the few things we know with reasonable confidence can help extend our healthy lifespan. But for all the evidence of the benefits of exerci…

1
Aging and Brain Plasticity | Carla Shatz 21:22

12M ago21:22

21:22

When we're kids, our brains are amazing at learning. We absorb information from the outside world with ease, and we can adapt to anything. But as we age, our brains become a little more fixed. Our brain circuits become a little less flexible. You may have heard of a concept called neuroplasticity, our brain's ability to change or rewire itself. Thi…

1
Brain stimulation & "psychiatry 3.0" | Nolan Williams 24:52

12M ago24:52

24:52

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a technology that uses magnetic fields to stimulate or suppress electrical activity in brain circuits. It's part of a transformation in how psychiatrists are thinking about mental health disorders that today's guest calls psychiatry 3.0. Nolan Williams has recently pioneered a new form of TMS therapy that …

1
Brain Fog | Michelle Monje 20:21

1y ago20:21

20:21

One of the strangest and most disconcerting things about the COVID 19 pandemic has been the story of long COVID. Many COVID long-haulers have continued experiencing cognitive symptoms long after their initial COVID infection — loss of attention, concentration, memory, and mental sharpness — what scientists are calling "brain fog". For some patients…

1
Assembling the brain | Sergiu Pasca 23:24

1y ago23:24

23:24

Nearly one in five Americans lives with a mental illness. Unfortunately there’s a limited set of options for treating psychiatric disorders. One reason for that is that these disorders are still defined based on people’s behavior or invisible internal states — things like depressed mood or hallucinations. But of course, all our thoughts and behavio…

1
Parenting Lessons from Frogs and Spiders | Lauren O'Connell 19:20

1y ago19:20

19:20

Today we’re going to talk about frogs — and spiders — as parents. What today’s show is really about is “pair bonding” — that’s the scientific term for the collaborative bonds that form between two parents — as well as the bonds between parents and their offspring. It turns out that if you look across the animal kingdom, strong family bonds are way …

1
Virtual Touch | Allison Okamura 19:57

1y ago19:57

19:57

Recently on the show, we had a conversation about the possibility of creating artificial vision with a bionic eye. Today we're going to talk about technology to enhance another sense, one that often goes underappreciated, our sense of touch. We humans actually have one of the most sensitive senses of touch on the planet. Just in the tip of your fin…

1
Brain Rejuvenation | Tony Wyss-Coray 16:44

1y ago16:44

16:44

Hi listeners, we're shifting to a biweekly release schedule after this episode. See you in a couple weeks! --- Most of us probably know someone who developed Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia as they got older. But you probably also know someone who stayed sharp as a tack well into their 80s or 90s. Even if it’s a favorite TV actor, l…

1
Building a bionic eye | EJ Chichilnisky 17:59

1y ago17:59

17:59

We take this for granted, but our eyes are amazing. They're incredible. We process the visual world so automatically and so instantaneously, we forget how much work our eyes and our brains are doing behind the scenes, taking in light through the eyeball, transforming light into electrical signals in the retina, packaging up all that information, an…

1
Respect your Biological Clock | Erin Gibson 15:40

1y ago15:40

15:40

We've probably all heard of circadian rhythms, the idea that our bodies have biological clocks that keep track of the daily cycle, sunrise to sunset. Maybe we've even heard that it's these biological rhythms that get thrown off when we travel across time zones or after daylight savings. So on one hand, it's cool that our body keeps track of what ti…

1
Is Addiction a Disease? | Keith Humphreys 10:08

1y ago10:08

10:08

What makes addiction a disease? I think we all know at this point that addiction is another major epidemic that is sweeping our country and the world, but there are few topics that are more misunderstood than addiction. In fact, some people question whether addiction is even truly a disease. To delve into this question of why neuroscientists and he…

1
Your gut - the second brain? | Julia Kaltschmidt 14:22

1+ y ago14:22

14:22

You may have heard the idea that the gut is the second brain, but what does that really mean? Maybe it has to do with the fact that there are something like 100 to 600 million neurons in your gut. That's a lot of neurons. That's about as many as you'd find in the brain of say, a fruit bat, or an ostrich, or a Yorkshire Terrier. And it turns out, th…

1
The Octopus Brain | Ernie Hwaun & Matt McCoy 13:42

1+ y ago13:42

13:42

What can octopus and squid brains teach us about intelligence? One of the incredible things about octopus's is that not only do they have an advanced intelligence that lets them camouflage themselves, use tools and manipulate their environments and act as really clever hunters in their ecosystems, they do this with a brain that evolved essentially …

1
The Mystery of Migraines | Gabriella Muwanga 13:27

1+ y ago13:27

13:27

If you've ever had a migraine, you know that the symptoms — splitting headache, nausea, sensitivity to light — mean you're going to want to spend some time in bed, in a dark room. Migraines are flat out debilitating, and the statistics back this up. Migraines are the third most common neurological disorder. They affect as many as a billion people a…

1
Psychedelics and Empathy | Rob Malenka 18:42

1+ y ago18:42

18:42

Why are psychiatrists taking a fresh look at MDMA? Recently, there's been growing excitement in the scientific community about revisiting the potential medical benefits of psychedelic drugs that have been off limits for decades. Scientists are discovering or rediscovering applications of psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and other compounds for treating peopl…

1
Announcing: From Our Neurons to Yours! 1:39

1+ y ago1:39

1:39

Announcing: From our Neurons to Yours, the new podcast from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University. On this show, we criss-cross scientific disciplines to bring you to the frontiers of brain science, one simple question at a time. Send us a text! Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us …

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Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute At Stanford University Nicholas Weiler Podcasts

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