Your Brain On... Music
Your Brain On
Music is one of the most powerful forces of all time for human connection, cognitive stimulation, and therapeutic introspection. We’ve seen music help Alzheimer’s patients find their voice, children with speech disorders unlock new ways to communicate with rhythm and melody, and communities express their identity through song. In this episode, we discuss: • The cognitive, psychological, and mental benefits of music • Why learning to play an instrument is one of the best things you can do for your brain • The power of music as a means of connecting with others • Therapeutic uses of...
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Your Brain On... Supplements
Your Brain On
Supplements have become a hundred-billion dollar industry. But can they really boost your brain health in the ways they claim? They’re everywhere: shelves and shelves of pills and powders promising everything from improved immunity, boosted energy, and faster weight loss to better sleep, happier moods, and enhanced sexual wellness. Social media influencers won’t stop talking about them, and they seem to appear in TV commercials every five minutes. And yet... the evidence supporting most of the claims these supplements make is next-to-nought. So what’s the truth? In ‘Your Brain On......
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Your Brain On... Traumatic Brain Injury
Your Brain On
Traumatic Brain Injury is a major cause of death, disability, and cognitive decline. Thankfully, evolving research is helping us protect our heads and lessen the long-term impacts of TBIs. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’ we discuss: • The effects and symptoms of TBI, from mild concussions to more severe head injuries • What actually happens to your brain when you sustain a TBI • The links between TBI and neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairment • The prevalence of TBI in military personnel and sportspeople, and how we’re improving protective technologies •...
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Your Brain On... Omega-3
Your Brain On
Omega-3 supplements have become a multi-billion-dollar industry, promising to enhance your memory, boost your mood, and protect your brain. But where does the science end, and the marketing hype begin? Omega-3 fatty acids are a special category of ‘good fats’ that play vital roles in both brain and body health. Unlike some species, we can’t produce our own Omega-3s, so we must rely on our diets to get these essential fats. In this episode, we discuss how to get more brain-healthy quantities of Omega-3 into your diet, plus: • The brain health benefits of Omega-3 • The differences...
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Your Brain On... Social Media
Your Brain On
Two decades on from the start of the smartphone revolution, we have the first humans who, for as long as they’ve been alive, have had the entire internet just a few taps away. What has this done to our brains? It’s been an unprecedented period of rapid change, and, with the largest social networking sites using every neurological trick in the book to keep us endlessly scrolling down our feeds, what can we do to make our relationship with social media healthier? In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss: • The brain health risks of social media overuse (and rewards of healthy...
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Your Brain On... (Sherzai Family Holiday Special)
Your Brain On
Our incredible kids Sophia and Alex Sherzai join us for a special end-of-year episode of the ‘Your Brain On...’ episode! As a family of neuroscientists — Sophia in biomedical engineering, Alex in artificial intelligence, Ayesha in vascular neurology, and Dean in behavioral neurology — we have fascinating discussions (and debates) about all aspects of life and brain health almost every day. To close out the first year of the ‘Your Brain On...’ podcast, we’re bringing that energy to the show! We discuss: • Life as a family of neuroscientists • What we’ve been working on and...
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Your Brain On... Ketogenic Diets
Your Brain On
High in fats and low in carbs, ketogenic diets were originally developed in the 1920s to treat children with epilepsy. Now, they’ve gained popularity for weight loss, and even improved cognitive function. But how much truth is there in the purported brain health benefits we see on social media? In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we separate the facts from the fads, and discuss: • What one might eat on a typical ketogenic diet • How ketogenic diets affect brain metabolism • The different ways your brain uses sources of energy — glucose vs. ketones • The latest data on...
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Your Brain On... ALS
Your Brain On
ALS, a nervous system disease, ruled the headlines in the summer of 2014 thanks to the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. How has our knowledge of the disorder evolved a decade later? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ‘Lou Gehrig's disease’ (named after the iconic baseball player), is a progressive neurological disorder which breaks down a person’s motor neurons. The main symptoms are muscle weakness and impaired physical function — mild, at first, but in the latter stages of the disease’s progression, essential processes like breathing begin to fail. Most individuals face a life...
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Your Brain On... Ketamine
Your Brain On
For decades, ketamine has mainly been used as an anaesthetic, but in more recent years, it’s gained popularity in mental health treatment. Conversations around the benefits and risks associated with its therapeutic usage ignited towards the end of 2023, when actor Matthew Perry, star of the sitcom ‘Friends’, died from the acute effects of the ketamine he was using to treat anxiety. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss: • The neurochemical mechanisms of ketamine, and its interplay with depression • What we know about the opportunities and pitfalls of using ketamine in...
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Your Brain On... Sex
Your Brain On
From the first spark of attraction, all the way to climax, sex sets off chemical fireworks in your brain. And yet, this beautiful, powerful act has become mired in shame and stigma. But through open conversation and deeper scientific understanding, we can cast off those shackles, and even embrace sex as a marker for cognitive and overall health. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’ — our Season 4 debut! — we discuss: • The neurological processes involved with sex, arousal, attraction, and desire • Why studying the cognitive effects of sexual stimuli can be so complicated • How...
info_outline20 incredible conversations with leading scientists, in one hour.
We’re excited to present this special installment of Your Brain On, featuring highlights from some of the speakers talking at our first ever Brain Health Revolution Summit.
Our first summit, running September 30 through October 6 2024, features seven days of hour-long discussions with the scientists who are actually conducting the studies, publishing the papers, and pushing public health policy reforms that are shaping our world.
No matter when you’re listening to this episode, visit https://bhrsummit.com/ for more information about the summit — be it our first 2024 edition, or a future installment!
Day 1: The Brain Health Landscape: From Insights to Action
Day 2: Mental Health Matters and Heart Health for a Stronger Brain
Day 3: Women’s Brain Health: Hormones, Longevity, and Vitality
Day 4: Emerging Challenges in Brain Health
Day 5: Fuel for Thought: Nutrition, the Gut, and the Brain
Day 6: Move, Breathe, Thrive: Exercise and Stress Management
Day 7: Recharge and Optimize: Sleep and Cognitive Performance
This special episode includes excerpts of our conversations with:
Rachel Dolhun, MD
Michael Okun, MD
Charles DeCarli, MD
Ari Tuckman, PsyD
Amishi Jha, PhD
Danielle Belardo, MD
Margarett McCarthy, PhD
Lisa Mosconi, PhD
Lisa Genova
Idrees ‘Dr. Idz’ Mughal, MBBS, MRes, DipIBLM
Daniele Piomelli, PhD
Frank Lin, MD, PhD
Alan Flanagan, PhD
Matthew Nagra, ND
Stuart Phillips, PhD
Natali Edmonds, PhD
Satchin Panda, PhD
Donn Posner, MD
Sujay Kansagra, MD
Yaakov Stern, PhD
For more information about the Brain Health Revolution Summit, visit: https://bhrsummit.com/
The Brain Health Revolution Summit 2024 is presented in partnership with Healthy Minds Initiative: thymindsinitiative.org
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.