This month's episode of Brain Science features Thomas Metzinger, author of "The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self." Metzinger is a philosopher with a longstanding interest in Philosophy of Mind with a focus on incorporating the findings of neuroscience. We discuss the implications of the discovery that consciousness is a biological process generated by the interaction of the brain, body, and external world. Metzinger also emphasized the importance of considering altered states including dreaming, out of body experiences, and even virtual reality. Links and References: The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self, by Thomas Metzinger. Being No One: The Self-Model Theory of Subjectivity, by Thomas Metzinger. Blanke, et al., "Stimulating Illusory Own-Body Perceptions," Nature, 419:269-270 (2002)   O. Blanke & T. Metzinger,"Full-Body Illusion and Minimal Phenomenal Selfhood," Trends in Cognitive Neuroscience 13(1):7-13 (2009). T. Metzinger, "Out of Body Experiences as the Origin of the Concept of a 'Soul,'"  Mind and Matter 3(1):57-84 (2005) Beyond the Body: An Investigation of Out of Body Experiences by Susan Blackmore  Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts. Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on August 10, 2023. She is working at Tōtara Hospice. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastodon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This episode of Brain Science features the return of molecular biologist Seth Grant. We briefly review his decades of research into the complexity of the protein structure of the synapse and then we focus on his most recent paper, which describes how the life-span of synapse proteins appears to change as animals age. Grant reflects of the significance of this finding both for animal research and human medicine. Papers discussed in this episode:  Bulovaite, E., Qiu, Z., Kratschke, M., Zgraj, A., Fricker, D. G., Tuck, E. J., Gokhale, R., Koniaris, B., Jami, S. A., Merino-Serrais, P., Husi, E., Mendive-Tapia, L., Vendrell, M., O'Dell, T. J., DeFelipe, J., Komiyama, N. H., Holtmaat, A., Fransén, E., & Grant, S. G. N. (2022). A brain atlas of synapse protein lifetime across the mouse lifespan. Neuron, 110(24), 4057–4073.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.009 Cizeron, M., Qiu, Z., Koniaris, B., Gokhale, R., Komiyama, N. H., Fransén, E., & Grant, S. G. N. (2020). A brainwide atlas of synapses across the mouse life span. Science (New York, N.Y.), 369(6501), 270–275. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba3163 Seth Grant has previously appeared on Brain Science several times including BSP 51, BSP 101, BS 137, BSP 150 and BS 176.   Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell arrived in New Zealand on August 10, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This episode is our first review of neurotransmitters since episode 8 way back in 2007. We start with some basics of neuron function and brain anatomy, but the meat of the episode is a discussion of neurotransmitters and how they work. The key idea is that a simple molecule, such as dopamine, can have a wide variety of effects because of the existence of multiple receptors. This episode is appropriate for listeners of all backgrounds, but might be a little challenging for new listeners. It will be a review episode for longtime listeners and those with backgrounds in neuroscience. Links and References: Essentials of Modern Neuroscience by Franklin Amthor, W. Anne Burton Theibert, David Standaert, and Erik Roberson; 1st ed. 2020 Molecular & Cell Biology For Dummies, 2nd Edition by Rene Fester Kratz BS 118: Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain (2008) by David Bainbridge BS 169: Glial Cells with Doug Fields BS 186: The Spike with Mark Humphries BS 197: Neuroscience For Dummies 3rd Edition by Frank Amthor The War of the Soups and the Sparks: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute Over How Nerves Communicate by Elliot Valenstein Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.In Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by August, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with Luiz Pessoa, author of The Entangled Brain: How Perception, Cognition, and Emotion Are Woven Together. This is Pessoa's first book aimed at a general audience and it provides a concise overview of our current understanding of basic brain function. However, he also explains the limitations of the traditional modular view of the brain. A key take home point is that emotion and cognition are deeply intertwined at every level. Links and References: The Entangled Brain: How Perception, Cognition, and Emotion Are Woven Together by Luiz Pessoa The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration by Luiz Pessoa: BS 207 (encore) Luiz Pessoa, PhD: Professor of Psychology,University of Maryland Twitter: @PessoaBrain Mastadon: @PessoaBrain Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.   Please Visit Our Sponsors: Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by August, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode is an interview with Cambridge Psychology professor Sander van der Linden, author of "Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity." We discuss the important topic of how techniques like appealing to emotion contribute to the spread of misinformation. Dr. Campbell reflects on why this topic is important. Links and References: Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity by Sander van der Linden Sander van der Linden, Phd (University of Cambridge) Learn more via video games at https://inoculation.science/ Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.   Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by July 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]