Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD: Neuroscience for Everyone
146 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 703 ratingsBrain Science is hosted by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD (Podcast Hall of Fame 2022). She is an experienced physician with a passion for exploring how recent discoveries in neuroscience are revealing how our brains make us who we are. This podcast is for non-scientists, scientists, and everyone in between. It features interviews and discusses the latest books about the brain.
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Episodes
Announcement:
January 06, 2024 20:22At the end of last month's episode I announced that it was the last regular episode of Brain Science. It has been 17 years since episode 1 was released on December 15, 2023 and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has listened and supported the show over all these years. I am also grateful that others have taken up the challenge of sharing neuroscience via podcasting. The main reason I have chosen to bring the show to an end is that I want to have the time and energy to immerse myself i...
214 FREE Transcript PDF
December 15, 2023 10:30 - 353 KB application/pdfThis is the FREE Transcript for BS 214: Seventeenth Annual Review. If you are a Premium (MyLibsyn) Subscriber LOGIN to access additional transcripts in your browser or in the free Brain Science mobile app. Click here if you are a Patreon supporter. Scroll up/down for the audio.
BS 214 Seventeenth Annual Review Episode
December 15, 2023 10:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBThis is the 17th Annual Review episode of Brain Science, celebrating the first episode which aired on December 15, 2006. We review the highlights of 2023, which included both new guests and the return of several favorites. Episodes Released in 2023: BS 204 (Encore) and BS 205 featured molecular biologist Guy Caldwell, PhD from the University of Alabama. Caldwell uses the tiny roundworm C. Elegans to search for potential treatments of Parkinson's Disease. BS 206: Paco Calvo, PhD, author ...
213 Premium Transcript PDF
October 30, 2023 18:29 - 412 KB application/pdfThis is the Premium Transcript for BS 213 with Kevin Mitchell, author of Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will. If you are a Premium (MyLibsyn) Subscriber LOGIN to access this transcript in your browser or the free Brain Science mobile app. Click here if you are a Patreon supporter. You may also buy this transcript separately at https://brainsciencepodcast.com. Scroll up/down for the audio.
BS 213 Kevin Mitchell explores Free Will
October 27, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 79.3 MBIn the this episode of Brain Science we talk with neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell about his new book Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will. While many neuroscientists and philosophers argue that free will is an illusion, Mitchell argues that the ability to make meaningful choices is part of our evolutionary heritage. He also addresses the important issue of determinism, siding with those physicists who argue that the fundamental nature of our universe is NOT deterministic. These issues ...
212 FREE Episode Transcript
September 22, 2023 09:30 - 345 KB application/pdfThis is the FREE Transcript for BS 212 with is an encore presentation of an interview with Thomas Metzinger, author of The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self. Additional transcripts are available to Premium (MyLibsyn) subscribers and some Patreon supports. Learn more at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium. Scroll up/down for the audio.
BS 212 Thomas Metzinger on "The Ego Tunnel" (Encore)
September 22, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBThis 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 al...
BS 211 Molecular Biologist Seth Grant
August 25, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBThis 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., Zgra...
BS 210 Introduction to Neurotransmitters
July 28, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBThis 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...
BS 209 Luiz Pessoa "The Entangled Brain"
June 23, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBThis 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 ...
BS 208 "Foolproof" with Sander van der Linden
May 26, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBThis 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...
BS 207 Free Episode Transcript
April 28, 2023 09:30 - 397 KB application/pdfThis is the FREE Transcript for BS 207 with Luiz Pessoa. Go to brainsciencepodcast.com/premium to learn how you can get transcripts for every episode. Scroll up/down for the audio.
BS 207 Luiz Pessoa "The Cognitive-Emotional Brain"
April 28, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBThis month's episode is an encore presentation of an interview with neuroscientist Luiz Pessoa discussing his fascinating book "The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration." We explored the surprising role of the amygdala in decision making and learned that cognition and emotion are deeply intertwined at every level. Links and References: The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration by Luiz Pessoa Luiz Pessoa, PhD (University of Maryland) Please ...
BS 206: Paco Calvo explores Plant Intelligence
March 24, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBThis month we have an intriguing interview with Dr. Paco Calvo from the Minimal Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Mercia in Spain. We talk with him about his new book Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Intelligence. We discuss the scientific evidence for plant intelligence while acknowledging that intelligence and consciousness are not the same. It is interesting to think of plants as demonstrating embodied cognition in contrast to the "intelligence" demonstrated by computer sof...
BS 205 Molecular Biologist Guy Caldwell (Part 2)
February 24, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBIn this follow-up interview with molecular biologist Dr. Guy Caldwell we learn more about how the tools of molecular biology are used to unravel questions in neurobiology and provide hope for better treatments for problems like Parkinson's Disease. Links and References: Guy Caldwell, PhD (University of Alabama) LinkedIn BS 204 Encore of 2009 interview The Worm Shack Mew, M., Caldwell, K. A., & Caldwell, G. A. (2022). From bugs to bedside: functional annotation of human genetic var...
204 Free Episode Transcript
January 27, 2023 10:30 - 346 KB application/pdfThis is the FREE transcript for BS 204 with Guy Caldwell. Additional transcripts are available via MyLibsyn Premium, Patreon, and at brainsciencepodcast.com. Scroll up/down for the episode audio. © copyright 2023 Virginia Campbell, MD
BS 204 Guy Caldwell: The Role of Molecular Biology in Neuroscience
January 27, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBThis month's episode is an encore presentation of an interview with Dr. Guy Caldwell from the University of Alabama. Dr. Caldwell explains how tools from molecular biology make it possible to use the famous C. Elegans roundworm to improve our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease. Dr. Caldwell will return to Brain Science next month to give us an update on his work. Links and References: Visit the Wormshack at the University of Alabama Molecular neurodege...
203 FREE Episode Transcript
December 23, 2022 10:30 - 412 KB application/pdfThis is the free episode transcript for BS 203, which is the 16th Annual Review Episode. Scroll down for the free audio file. For transcripts to ALL EPISODES sign up for MyLibsyn Premium. Patreon supporters ($4/month minimum) get new transcripts every month.
BS 203 Sixteenth Anniversary of Brain Science
December 23, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBThis month's episode (BS 203) celebrates the 16th Anniversary of Brain Science with the annual review episode. This is a listener favorite providing highlights and key ideas from the episodes of Brain Science that were posted in 2022. Topics included hearing, grief, emotion, embodied cognition, consciousness and more. Note: This month's episode transcript is FREE. Please Visit Our Sponsors: MasterClass at masterclass.com/ginger TextExpander at textexpander.com/brain-science 2022 Epis...
BS 202 Is Meditation Mind Science? with Evan Thompson
November 25, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 50 MBThe idea that meditation is a "mind science" is popular, but in this interview Canadian philosopher Evan Thompson argues that this claim does not stand up to either scientific or philosophical scrutiny. As one of the pioneers of the Embodied Cognition movement Thompson reminds us that the Mind is not restricted to the Brain and we must also consider how other recent discoveries in neuroscience fail to support the claim that meditation provides neutral scientific insight into how the Mind rea...
BS 201 Brain Development with Bill Harris
October 28, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with WA (Bill) Harris, author of Zero to Birth: How the Human Brain Is Built. We explore how the human brain develops from the fertilized egg up until birth. There are some surprises along the way, including the fact that we actually have more neurons before we are born than we will ever have again! Links and References: Zero to Birth: How the Human Brain Is Built by William A Harris Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for ad...
BS 200 Embodied Cognition in Education with Sheila Macrine and Jennifer Fugate
September 23, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 73.6 MBThis month's episode is a discussion with the editors of a fascinating new book Movement Matters: How Embodied Cognition Informs Teaching and Learning. We explore how embodied cognition challenges long standing dualist approaches to both cognition and learning. Sheila Macrine and Jennifer Fugate also share some of the innovative approaches that improve both how we teach and how we learn. Links and References: Movement Matters: How Embodied Cognition Informs Teaching and Learning edited by...
BS 199: Batja Mesquita on Cultural Origins of Emotion
August 26, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBThis month's episode is an interview with Batja Mesquita, author of "Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions." This is an important book because it describes the evidence that Emotions are not just something people experience "from the inside out," but they also occur between people, which means that culture plays a critical role. We also explore why it is important to appreciate why people from from different cultures may experience emotions in surprisingly different ways. Links and Ref...
198 Free Episode Transcript
July 22, 2022 09:30 - 279 KB application/pdfThis is a free transcript for BS 198 with Evan Thompson, author of "Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind." Since this is an encore episode the transcript if being provided for free to give a sample of the content available to Premium subscribers. Premium subscribers also get the entire back catalogue of audio content. You can sign up at: https://my.libsyn.com/auth/login/show_id/18369 Integration with Apple subscriptions is coming in the Fall!
BS 198 Embodied Cognition with Evan Thompson
July 22, 2022 09:00 - 56 minutes - 52.8 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is a free encore playing of my interview with Evan Thompson about his book Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind. We discuss how the enactive approach to embodied cognition offers potential clues to the mystery of how the brain can generate Consciousness. A free episode transcript is also available. This is the 2nd of two free encore episodes that are being shared to give listeners a taste of the diverse content available to Pr...
BS 197 Free Transcript: Frank Amthor "Neuroscience for Dummies"
July 12, 2022 20:33 - 426 KB application/pdfThis is the free transcript for Episode 197 with Frank Amthor, author of Neuroscience for Dummies. For unlimited access to all transcripts and the entire back catalogue of Brain Science sign up for our Premium Subscription. You can cancel any time.
BS 197 (Encore) Neuroscience for Dummies with Frank Amthor
June 20, 2022 12:11 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science features an encore playing of my interview with Dr. Frank Amthor, author of Neuroscience for Dummies and Neurobiology for Dummies. It is a great episode for newbies and will be a good review for longtime listeners. This is a FREE sample of my Premium content and the episode transcript is also FREE. Links and References: Essentials of Modern Neuroscience by Franklin Amthor, W. Anne Burton Theibert, David Standaert, and Erik Roberson Neurobiology Fo...
BS 196 Consciousness with Hakwan Lau
May 27, 2022 09:00 - 56 minutes - 52.8 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with Hakwan Lau, author of In Consciousness we Trust: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Subjective Experience. Lau talks about shortcomings in current theories about how the brain generates consciousness, but he also introduces something he calls perceptual reality monitoring. Although this is a somewhat technical discussion it is accessible to listeners who are new to the neuroscience of consciousness. Links and References: In Consciou...
BS 195 Neuroscience of Emotion with David Anderson
April 22, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBThis month's episode is an interview with David J Anderson from Cal Tech. We talk about his new book The Nature of the Beast: How Emotions Guide US. We talk about how emotion CAN be studied in animals by using methods that focus on brain states rather than verbal descriptions. Dr. Anderson also explains why this experimental work is essential to developing more effective treatment of mental illnesses. This episode is a follow up to my discussion of The Neuroscience of Emotion: A New Synthe...
BS 194 Mary-Frances O'Connor, author of "The Grieving Brain"
March 25, 2022 09:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBThe neuroscience of grief and grieving is a relatively new field, but one that offers practical discoveries for people of all backgrounds. This month we talk with Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How we Learn from Love and Loss. We talk about what has been learned from a variety of approaches, including both brain imaging and, surprisingly even from animal studies. We learn why it is so hard for our brains to accept the loss of a loved one and ...
BS 193 "Embodied Mind:" What does this mean?
February 25, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.6 MBIn this month's episode of Brain Science I explore two big picture questions: What does it mean to claim that the Mind is "embodied?" and How does this change our understanding of our place in the world? The conversation was inspired by the book "Out of the Cave: A Natural Philosophy of Mind and Knowing" by Mark L Johnson and Donald M Tucker. This episode builds on several previous discussions of "embodied cognition" so it might be challenging to newer listeners. I have included a list of ...
BS 192 Nina Kraus talks about Sound and the Brain
January 28, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 50.1 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with Nina Kraus, author of "Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World." Dr. Kraus has spent 30 years exploring how the brain processes sound. We explore why sound processing involves much more that just the auditory cortex as well how the sounds we experience change our brains, both for better and for worse. Links and References: Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World by Nina Kraus Nin...
191 Free PDF: 15th Annual Review
December 27, 2021 17:49 - 398 KB application/pdfThis is the free transcript for BS 191, which is our 15th Annual Review episode. For unlimited access to all past episodes of Brain Science, including episode transcripts please sign up for our Premium MyLibsyn subscription at https://my.libsyn.com/auth/login/show_id/18369.
BS 191 15th Annual Review Episode
December 22, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBThis is our 15th annual review episode, which highlights the guests and key ideas we have shared in 2021. Interviews included return visits from Jeff Hawkins and David Eagleman. New guests including Anil Seth and Antonio Damasio, who both emphasized the importance of our bodies (not just our brains) in understanding Consciousness. Available soon: Free Transcript! Full Episode List: BS 180 Bruce Goldstein, author of The Mind: Consciousness, Prediction, and the Brain BS 181 Sir Simon ...
BS 190 How our Brain gets things done with David Badre
November 24, 2021 10:00 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science features David Badre, author of "On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done." He gives us an overview of recent research in the field of cognitive control, which has has actually overturned some popular assumptions about things like willpower. Our focus is on the practical implications of this research. Links and References: On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done by David Badre David Badre, PhD, Professor at Brown University Please visit http://brai...
BS 189 Antonio Damasio, author of "Feeling and Knowing"
October 29, 2021 09:00 - 52 minutes - 49.7 MBNeurologist and best-selling author Antonio Damasio is one of our most requested guests. This month we finally had the opportunity to talk about his newest book "Feeling & Knowing: Making Minds Conscious," which he explained is somewhat different from his previous efforts. His goal was to write something "briefer" and more accessible. Thus it is definitely a book that requires no background in neuroscience. The key theme is that feelings and emotions are foundational aspects of Consciousne...
BS 188 Anil Seth on Consciousness
September 24, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBBS 188 features neuroscientist Anil Seth discussing his new book "Being You: A New Science of Consciousness." We have had many guests talk about consciousness, but Seth represents the newer generation who have actually been able to devote their careers to this fundamental question: How does the brain generate conscious experience. His perspective is both practical and illuminating. Links and References: Being You: A New Science of Consciousness by Anil Seth Making up the Mind: How the B...
BS 187 David Eagleman on his new book "LiveWired"
August 27, 2021 09:00 - 52 minutes - 49.5 MBBS 187 features bestselling author and neuroscientist David Eagleman. We talk about his latest book "Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain." It is a great overview of the current science of brain plasticity appropriate for both new listeners and longtime fans. Links and References: Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain by David Eagleman More from David Eagleman author website at https://eagleman.com Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by Davi...
BS 186 Mark Humphries author of "The Spike: An Epic Journey Through the Brain in 2.1 Seconds"
July 23, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 46.1 MBThis month's episode features Mark Humphries, author of "The Spike: An Epic Journey Through the Brain in 2.1 Seconds." We explore how the brain uses electrical signaling in surprising ways, beginning with a look at how an action potential (aka. "the spike") is produced. Then we consider what Humphries calls "the dark neurons," which are neurons that rarely generate spikes. We explore their role and also how it relates to the brain's spontaneous activity. One of the more surprising recent dis...
BS 185 Stephen Fleming on "the neuroscience of self-awareness"
June 25, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 76.7 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with Dr. Stephen Fleming, author of "Know Thyself: The Science of Self-Awareness." We explore the concept of metacognition and learn that while explicit metacognition (thinking about thinking) may be unique to humans, it is built on building blocks shared with other species. We also explore what can go wrong and why it matters. Special Offer: sign up for free newsletter and get a Free Gift Links and References: Know Thyself: The Scie...
BS 184 Premium Transcript
May 30, 2021 14:09 - 390 KB application/pdfThis is the premium episode transcript for BS 184 with Mark Solms author of The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness. To access make sure you are signed into your MyLibsyn account. This transcript can also be purchased at brainsciencepodcast.com. © copyright 2021 Virginia Campbell, MD
BS 184 Mark Solms, author of "The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness"
May 28, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBIn this month's episode of Brain Science, neuroscientist Mark Solms talks about his new book "The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Origins of Consciousness." Solms was inspired by the pioneering work of Jaak Panksepp who argued that the origins of consciousness can be traced to the brainstem. In his new book Solms presents the evidence for this viewpoint and explains how the work of computational neuroscientist Karl Friston has provided additional support. We consider the implications for our...
BS 183 Jeff Hawkins shares his new theory of Intelligence
April 23, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBJeff Hawkins has spent nearly twenty years on a quest to discover how the brain's cortex generates intelligence. In this episode he talks about his new book A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence, which describes some of his most recent research in a way that is accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Links and References: A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins Detailed References on Numenta website Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for ad...
BS 182 Iris Berent author of "The Blind Storyteller"
March 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science features Iris Berent, author of "The Blind Storyteller: How We Reason About Human Nature." We explore how our deeply entrenched biases toward dualism and essentialism impact our attitudes toward neuroscience and toward problems like mental illness. Links and References: The Blind Storyteller: How We Reason About Human Nature by Iris Berent A Skeptic's Guide to the Mind: What Neuroscience Can and Cannot Tell Us About Ourselves by Robert Burton In B...
BS 181 Sir Simon Baron-Cohen
February 26, 2021 10:00 - 44 minutes - 42.1 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science features Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, one of the world's leading researchers on the neuroscience of autism. We discuss his latest book "The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention." This book reminds us that many different kinds of science can enrich our lives and our understanding of what it means to be human. Sir Baron-Cohen explores the overlap between the human ability to invent and experiment and the condition that is currently called autism....
BS 180 E Bruce Goldstein
January 22, 2021 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with neuroscientists E. Bruce Goldstein, author of "The Mind: Consciousness, Prediction, and the Brain." We review some key ideas about how the brain creates the Mind, the important role of unconscious processes and prediction. It is a great starter episode for new listeners and a concise review for longtime fans. Links and References: The Mind: Consciousness, Prediction, and the Brain by E. Bruce Goldstein Author website Please ...
BS 179 Free Episode Transcript
December 25, 2020 10:30 - 316 KB application/pdfHere is a free transcript of Brain Science 179, which is our 14th Annual Review Episode. You can buy additional episode transcripts at brainsciencepodcast.com.
BS 179 14th Annual Review Episode
December 25, 2020 10:00 - 51 minutes - 48.1 MBIt's time for our 14th Annual Review Episode! Despite the challenges of 2020, it has been an outstanding year for Brain Science: the show passed 11 million downloads and Dr. Campbell released of second edition of Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty. This episode is also a great introduction for new listeners. It can be enjoyed even if you haven’t listened to the episodes being discussed. A free transcript is also available for this episode. Here is a list of this year's ep...
BS 178 Peter Sterling
November 27, 2020 10:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBThis month's episode of Brain Science features neuroscientist Peter Sterling sharing the key ideas for his new book What Is Health? Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design. In recent years neuroscientists have developed a growing appreciation of the predictive functions of the brain. Sterling takes this principle to the next level by asking what this means for human health. He argues that medicine's traditional focus on homeostasis ignores the much larger role of what he calls allostasi...
BS 177 Bernaard Baars with David Edeleman
October 23, 2020 09:00 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBBernard Baars is a pioneer in the neuroscience of consciousness. He first proposed Global Workspace Theory back in 1980, which was before consciousness was considered an acceptable topic of scientific research. His approach inspired others including the current Global Neuronal Workspace Theory, which I discussed briefly in episode 160. This episode is an interview with Dr. Baars that focuses on his most recent book On Consciousness. He is joined by his colleague David Edelman. Links and Re...