Why Neuroscience Matters (Books and Ideas #42)

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On May 11, 2011 Ginger Campbell, MD gave a talk entitled "Why Neuroscience Matters" at the London Skeptics in the Pub. Episode 42 of Books and Ideas is an edited version of that talk, including the lively Q and A with the audience.

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Free Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

 

 

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References 

From the Brain Science Podcast

Announcements:

 

  • Dr. Campbell will be a speaker at The Amazing Meeting 9, which is coming up in Las Vegas, Nevada July 14-17.

 

Please send your feedback to Dr. Campbell at gincampbel at mac dot com, or post a comment on the Facebook Fan Page.

Don't forget to sign up for Ginger Campbell's Newsletter so you can get show notes for every podcast.

Brain Networks with Olaf Sporns (BSP 74)

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Olaf Sporns, PhDNetworks of the Brain by Olaf Sporns is an excellent comprehensive introduction to the use of Network Theory to study both the brain and the nervous systems of invertebrates. In Episode 74 of the Brain Science Podcast I interviewed Dr. Sporns (Indiana University) about some of the key ideas in his book. Network Theory is becoming increasingly important as a tool for dealing with the massive amaounts of data being generated by current techniques, such as brain imaging. It is also a valuable tool with dealing with the fact that nervous systems consist of multiple scales (from the molecular level up to billions of neurons), which can not be reduced to a single scale.

While Networks of the Brain will be of greatest interest to those working in neuroscience and to those with a background in fields like engineering, mathematics, and computer science, this interview provides an introduction for listeners of all backgrounds.

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Click here for detailed show notes including a free episode transcript.

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"Why Neuroscience Matters" (London, May 11, 2011)

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I had a wonderful visit to London May 10-14, 2011, which included giving a talk entitled "Why Neuroscience Matters" for the London Skeptics in the Pub. I especially enjoyed meeting fans of the Brain Science Podcast.

If you would like to hear the unedited version of my talk. It appears as part of Episode 84 of the Pod Delusion podcast. I hope to post an edited version in my Books and Ideas feed sometime in June.

Special thanks to Sid Rodrigues, Adrian Starkey,  and Reza Zamani.

Exploring 17th Century Medicine with Holly Tucker

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This month’s Books and Ideas podcast (#41) is an interview with Holly Tucker, author of Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution.  Dr. Tucker’s book is about the first blood transfusions—which, surprisingly, occurred way back in the 1660’s; 150 years before the first successful human-to-human transfusions.

The thing that makes Blood Work compelling is that Dr. Tucker puts these early efforts into the context of their time, and she helps us to consider how these events could be relevant to the medical controversies of our own time.  And, as we will allude to during our conversation, the story includes a fascinating murder mystery.

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Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

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 Links of Interest:

References:

Announcements:

 

Send feedback to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac dot com or leave voice mail at 205-202-0663. 

 

Training a Rescue Dog: the rewards of patience

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In January 2009, my husband and I adopted a rescued German Shepherd named Jake. I have been taking him to Manners in Motion for Obedience training once or twice a week for over 2 years and he has come a long way. Last weekend he competed in his first Rally competition, which is an obedience competition where the dog and handler have to follow a set course. We had a great time and he got qualifying scores on both days. This is an unedited video of Jake's first run on Saturday, April 9, 2011. 

 

To see Jake's second run go to my Flickr Photostream.

You can also read Jake's story in Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories About German Shepherd Dogs by Kyla Duffy and Lowrey Mumford. (I interviewed Kyla in Episode 34 of Books and Ideas.) His story also appears in Best of Lost Souls: Found! Audio Book, Vol. I.



BSP 73: Lawrence Shapiro on Embodied Cognition

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In his new book Embodied Cognition, Dr. Lawrence Shapiro provides a balanced introduction to an approach which attempts to challenge standard cognitive science. His interview in Episode 73 of the Brain Science Podcast is a discussion of a few of his book's key ideas. It also continues our ongoing exploration of the role of embodiment.


listen-to-audio Listen to Episode 73

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

Click here for detailed show notes and episode transcript. 

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How the Anti-vaccine Movement Threatens Us All

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Paul Offit, MDIn his new book Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All pediatrican Dr Paul A. Offit traces the history of the anti-vaccine movement from opposition to the small pox vaccine in the 19th century up through recent events. Unfortunately, the results are predictable. Reducing vaccination rates lead to reemergence of dangerous preventable infectious diseases. That is why the decision not to vaccinate is not a personal decision. It is one that involves the whole community.

This is the focus of the conversation I had with Dr. Offit in Episode 40 of Books and Ideas. This is a follow-up to Dr. Offit's first interview here in Episode 25.

Because I think this issue is literally a matter of life and death, I encourage you to share this podcast with others.

Listen to Dr. Offit's interview (Books and Ideas #40)

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

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Links and References

  • Paul Offit, MD: Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Books and Ideas Episode 25: In this 2008 interview we talked about Offit's book Autism's False Prophets and our shared fears about the consequences of falling vaccination rates.
  • van den Hof S, Conyn-van Spaendonck MA, van Steenbergen JE. Measles epidemic in the Netherlands, 1999-2000.  J Infect Dis. 2002 Nov 15;186(10):1483-6. Epub 2002 Oct 29. During a measles outbreak that occurred in the Netherlands between 1990 and 2000 researchers found that fully vaccinated children living in communities with low rates of vaccination were at greater risk than unvaccinated children living in highly vaccinated communities.
  • Brian Deer on Andrew Wakefield's conflicts of interest: "MMR:The Truth Behind the Crisis," Sunday Times (London), February 24, 2004.
  • I mentioned two important court decisions made in 2009 and 2010 by the Omnibus Autism Proceedings. In 2009 the court ruled that there is no evidence that thimrosal-containing vaccines cause autism and in 2010 it ruled that there is no evidence that thimirosal alone causes autism. The complete docket of the Omnibus Autism Proceedings are available at http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/2718.
  • All of Dr. Offits books (listed above) contain extensive references for those wishing to do more research.
  • Jenny McCarthy Body Count: there were at least 662 deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases between June 3, 2007 and February 19, 2011.

Announcements

  • Please feel free to share this podcast with others. Please contact me if you would like to use the interview-only in another podcast or for patient education.
  • I have moved the Brain Science Podcast Discussion Forum to Goodreads.com and I have started a thread for discussing Deadly Decisions and Episode 40.
  • I will be speaking to the London Skepticis in the Pub on May 11, 2010. Visit http://london.skepticsinthepub.org/ to learn more.
  • Don't forget to join the Books and Ideas Facebook Fan Page.
  • Leave reviews of Books and Ideas on iTunes® or wherever you get the podcast.
  • Join me next month for a new episode of the Brain Science Podcast. The next episode of Books and Ideas will be posted in April, 2011.

Send email feedback to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac dot com or leave voicemail at 205-202-0663.

Magic and the Brain (BSP 72)

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Neuroscientists Dr. Stephen Macknik and Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde have an unusual hobby: Magic! Actually, it is more than a hobby since for the last several years they have been working with leading magicians from around the world to create a new field: the neuroscience of magic. In Episode 72 of the Brain Science Podcast I talked with them about their new book Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions, which is the first book to explore the neuroscience of magic.

With the help of their co-author Sandra Blakeslee, Macknik and Martinez-Conde provide an excellent overview of this new and exciting field. Their book also provides an excellent review of many of the principles that I have introduced in the last 4 years.

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Click here for detailed show notes and episode transcripts.

 

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Eric Maisel talks about Productive Obsessions (Books and Ideas #39)

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Eric Maisel, PhDEric Maisel, PhD is a prolific author and his latest book Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions challenges the assumption that all obsessions are bad. In Episode 39 of the Books and Ideas podcast we talk about how to cultivate what Maisel calls "productive obsessions." We also talk about the relationship between creativity and meaning. Dr. Maisel emphasizes the "necessary paradigm shift from seeking meaning to making meaning." Such a shift offers the possibility of making meaning out of any life circumstance.

Listen to Episode 39

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

Links and References:

Announcements:

Send your feedback to gincampbell at mac dot com or leave voicemail at 205-202-0663.

Brain Science Podcast ends 4th Year (BSP 71)

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The latest episode of the Brain Science Podcast (BSP 71) is our 4th annual review episode. As usual I review highlights from this year's interviews, but this year I added a new feature: my personal reflections on how the Brain Science Podcast has impacted my life. This episode also contains a special announcement for UK listeners.

Listen to BSP 71

Click here for full show notes and episode transcript.

 

The Brain Science Podcast has been nominated as the best Science Podcast in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards.

The deadline for voting is December 15, 2010, but you are allowed to vote once a day until then.

Thank you for your support.

Other Announcements:

 

 

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Send me feedback at gincampbell at mac dot com or leave voice mail at 205-202-0663.

 

 

 

Novelists Christiana Ellis and Skyler White (B&I 38)

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Books and Ideas Episode 38 was recorded live at Dragon*Con 2010, and it is an interview with novelists Skyler White (and Falling, Fly) and Christiana Ellis (Nina Kimberly the Merciless). Ellis and White talk about their work, and share lessons they have learned. This episode will be of particular interest to aspiring writers.

 Listen to Episode 38 of Books and Ideas

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

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Show Notes and Links:

Books by Skyler White and Christiana Ellis:

Other Books and Resources:

Special Thanks To:

 Announcements:

  • Get a discount on Scott Sigler's new book The Starter by using the code GINGER
  • I have an essay in the revised and expanded edition of The Myth of Free Will by Chris Evatt
  • Books and Ideas is moving to a bi-monthly schedule, so the next episode should be out in mid-December.

Please send your comments and feedback to gincampbell at mac dot com.

 

Welcome to my new website

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Welcome to my new main website.

If you are new to my work you can learn in the About section of this site.

This site incorporates the previous contents of virginiacampbellmd.com and docartemis.com/blog. It also contains all the show notes, etc. for my Books and Ideas podcast.

I will also be updating the websites for the Brain Science Podcast and SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG in the near future.

Some links on this site still need to be updated. Please let me know if you find a bad link or have other suggestions.

Brain Science Podcast Returns

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The latest  Brain Science Podcast (BSP 70) is an interview with Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, co-author of 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior. This episode was recorded live at Dragon*Con 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. We focused our conversation on the fact scientific reasoning and critical thinking do NOT come naturally. Instead, we all tend to make similar errors, such as mistaking correlation for causation. Dr. Lilienfeld shared his experiences and a extensive question and answer session with the live audience allowed him to explore additional examples.

Click for detailed show notes.

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Schedule for Dragon*Con 2010

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Thursday I will be heading to Atlanta, Georgia for Dragon*Con 2010. I will be on several panels and I will be doing two live interviews that will be posted later as podcasts. Here is my official schedule: Please note that I did not write most of these descriptions! Title: Popular Psychology Myths Description: Pop Psychology is a confusing mixture of myth and science. Learn how to tell the difference and Why it Matters. Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: 207 / 206 / 205 - Hilton (Length: 1 Hour) ------------------- Title: Skepticism and Sexuality Description: When do we get skeptical about sex, the media? When alien cults want to save African clitorises, this panel is here to discuss the facts. Time: Fri 10:00 pm Location: 207 / 206 / 205 - Hilton (Length: 1 Hour) Fridays panels are in the Skeptic Track. Pop Psycology Myths is an interview with Dr. Scott Lillienfeld, co-author of 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior. An edited version of this interview will be posted at http://brainsciencepodcast.com in mid-late September. ------------------- Title: Oil Disasters Description: Oil disasters, effects of spills on humans and environment, peak oil crisis, nothing is sacred on this topic! Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: L508 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour) ------------------- Title: Global Insurgency Open Discussion Description: Open discussion on the effects of terror strikes.  Medical, sociological, and financial effects on the military, the public and the infrastructure Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: L508 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour) Saturday's panels are in the Apocalypse Rising track. I have never been to this track, so it should be an interesting change of pace. ------------------- Title: Books and Ideas Podcast Description: Join host Dr. Ginger Campbell interviews author Skyler White about her book "and Falling, Fly." I will also be interviewing Christiana Ellis. Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: 204 - Hilton (Length: 1 Hour) This interview will be conducted in the Podcasting Track and the edited version will appear in the Books and Ideas podcast feed in October.
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Philosophy of Science with Massimo Pigliucci (podcast 37)

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Ginger and Massimo Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk by scientist-turned-philosopher, Massimo Pigliucci is an excellent discussion of the challenges faced by the average non-scientist in today's information-rich world. After explaining what distinguishes science from pseudoscience (a major source of "bunk"), his book gives practical advice about trusting experts. (hint: having a PhD doesn't make one an expert!) Pigliucci also discussed these themes during a talk he gave last month at The Amazing Meeting 8, which was held in Las Vegas, NV. That's where I recorded the interview that I am posting today as Books and Ideas Episode 37. The focus of the interview is the role of philosophy of science in today's complex world.

Listen to Episode 37 of Books and Ideas

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

Episode 37 Show Notes:

Further Reading: Announcements:
  • The next episode of Books and Ideas will be recorded LIVE at 8:30 PM (Eastern Time) Sunday September 5 at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia. I will be interviewing novelists Skyler White and Christiana Ellis.
  • I am also scheduled to interview Dr. Scott Lilenfield co-author of 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior. This interview will be posted in the Brain Science Podcast feed in late September.
  • For updates please subscribe to Ginger Campbell's newsletter.
  • You can now stream or download episodes and transcripts of this podcast directly to your iPhone®, Touch® or iPad® using the Books and Ideas application.
  • Please share Books and Ideas with your friends and don't forget to leave reviews in the iTunes® Store.

Subscribe to Books and Ideas Podcast:

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New Discoveries about Glial Cells (BSP 69)

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Recent research has discovered that glial cells (the non-neuronal cells that make up about 85% of the cells in the human nervous system) actually do more than just support neurons. In Episode 69 of the Brain Science Podcast I explore some of these recent discoveries with pioneering researcher, R. Douglas Fields, PhD. Dr. Fields is the author of The Other Brain: From Dementia to Schizophrenia, How New Discoveries about the Brain Are Revolutionizing Medicine and Science. The Other Brain provides a compelling introduction to this exciting new field. It is aimed at general readers, but it should also be on the must-read list for all students of neuroscience.

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Another look a "The Myth of Alzheimer's" (B&I 36)

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The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis (2008) argues that we should re-evaluate our current approach to dementia. Earlier this month I posted an interview with the book's main author, Dr. Peter Whitehouse (BSP 68). Episode 36 of my Books and Ideas podcast is a follow-up interview with his co-author, Daniel George. As a medical anthropologist George helps put current attitudes into an historical perspective. Labeling  large numbers of older people with the diagnosis of "Alzheimer's Disease" is a relatively new practice and a closer examination of how this occurred provides an interesting example of how the history of medicine (and science) is interwoven with political and social history. While Whitehouse and George challenge the current approach to dementia, there message is actually one of hope. I am recommending The Myth of Alzheimer's to people of all ages.

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Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

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References:

Useful Links: Announcements:

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"The Myth of Alzheimer's" with Dr. Peter Whitehouse (BSP 68)

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Brain Science Podcast 68 is an interview with Dr. Peter Whitehouse, co-author (with Daniel George) of The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis. Alzheimer's Disease originally referred to a relatively rare form of premature dementia, but in recent decades the diagnosis has been expanded to include patients of all ages. This change is not based on science and in this interview we talk about why being labeled with with Alzheimer's may be doing older patients more harm than good. Dr. Whitehouse is one of the pioneering researchers in this field, but advocates devoting resources to helping elders with with a wide range of age-related brain changes. This interview should be of interest to physicians, scientists, as well as patients and their families. I will be posting a supplemental interview with Daniel George, the co-author of The Myth of Alzheimer's later this month. (Learn more at /.)

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Help Support German Shepherd Rescue

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In Episode 33 of my Books and Ideas podcast I interviewed Kyla Duffy from Happy Tails Books. I am proud to announce that my dog Jake is one of the dogs featured in Duffy's latest book, which features stories of rescued German Shepherd Dogs. You will find Jake's story on page 91. Part of the purchase goes to support German Shepherd Rescue or you can choose contribute to helping rescue dogs in Haiti. Also, don't forget that Jake is also featured in this year's calender put out by German Shepherd Rescue of Central Alabama. Click here to buy Lost Souls Found: Inspiring Stories about German Shepherd Dogs by Kyla Duffy and Lowrey Mumford. Buy the 2010 Calender from German Shepherd Rescue of Central Alabama.
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