Brain Science Podcast Update

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I have just posted the February episode of the Brain Science Podcast and so I wanted to give you an update.

The new Premium Subscription is off to a good start. In addition many listeners are buying individual episodes and transcripts. These are on sell for only $1 each. However it is important to note that the most recent 25 episodes remain free to download or stream. Last year the Brain Science Podcast also became available on Stitcher.

Here is a brief description of the most recent free episodes:

Michael Merzenich (BSP 105)BSP 105 is an interview with Dr. Michael Merzenich, author of Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life. Although this is Merzenich's first book, he was also interviewed back in BSP 54. This interview focuses on why the choices each of us make effects whether brain plasticity is our friend or foe.

Listen to BSP 105 (right click to download)

BSP 106 is an interview with Dr. Luiz Pessoa, author of The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration. Although this book is aimed at students andLuiz Pessoa (BSP 106) working scientists, this interview gives all listeners a chance to learn about how recent experiments are challenging traditional assumptions about emotion and cognition.

Listen to BSP 106 (Right click to download)

 Please visit the Brain Science Podcast website for detailed show notes and episode transcripts.

 

 

 

Dr. Michael Merzenich on Brain Plasiticity (BSP 54)

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bsp-300-hi Brain Science Podcast #54 is an interview with Dr. Michael Merzenich, one of the pioneers of neuroplasticity. We talk about how the success of the cochlear implant revealed unexpected plasticity in adult brains and about how brain plasticity can be tapped to improve a wide variety of problems including dyslexia, autism, damage from disease and injury. Healthy people of all ages can also tap the resource of brain plasticity to help maintain and improve their mental functions.

listen-to-audio Listen to Dr Merzenich’s Interview

Episode Transcript (Coming Soon)

Subscribe to the Brain Science Podcast:   itunes-badge-30 zunelogo-70 mail-sticker-tiny feed-icon32x32

Go to Brain Science Podcast website for show notes and links.

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Dan Rather Presents Neuroplasticity

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Today HDNet™ is reshowing an episode of Dan Rather Reports called "Mind Science." It is an excellent review of neuroplasticity. It includes interviews with several leading scientists in the field. I especially enjoyed seeing Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel talk about his work with memory. (I talked about Kandel's work on the Brain Science Podcast in Episode 3 and Episode 12.) "Mind Science" also features the Dalai Llama and scientist Richard Davidson talking about the evidence that meditation can change the brain. Rather interviews Sharon Begely about her book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves (which I discussed in detail in Episode 10 of the Brain Science Podcast). Other scientists featured in the episode include Michael Merzenich on improving brain function as we age and Dr. Edward Taub on his revolutionary approach to stroke rehabilitation. (My show notes for Episode 10 include links for all the scientists interviewed by Rather.) It was particulary gratifying to see Dr. Kandel endorse Ed Taub's Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy. Dr. Taub was interviewed in Episode 28 of the Brain Science Podcast. If you don't get HDNet™ you can watch Dan Rather Reports on-line, via podcast or on Facebook. Summary of relevant episodes of the Brain Science Podcast: itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Helping Vets with Traumatic Brain Injuries get Rehab

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In a recent interview with Dr. Edward Taub (Brain Science Podcast #28) we learned that Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy has been shown to help people with traumatic brain injuries, but that the Veteran's Administration has been slow to acknowledge the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Fortunately, the problem seems to be receiving increasing attention. The January 25th episode of the Science Magazine podcast discusses an article exploring the possible mechanisms of brain injury ocurring in near-blast conditions, where often the effects may be delayed and subtle. Also, Easter Seals has just announced that it is funding a program that will provide access to Michael Merzenich's highly regarded Posit Science Program, an on-line program originally developed to help older patients regain and maintain their mental agility. I don't know if they have done any work with traumatic brain injury, but the program certainly shows promise. References: "Shell Shock Revisited: Solving the Puzzle of Blast Trauma," Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Science 25 January 2008: Vol. 319. no. 5862, pp. 406 - 408 Press Release: Easter Seals Launches Nationwide Program for U.S. Service Members and Veterans Deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan with Traumatic Brain Injury The IMPACT study: a clinical trial of the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program Posit Science Podcast: Dr. Merzenich presents the results of the IMPACT study
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