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 expectancy of two to five years. A small percentage live five to ten years. And an even tinier group survive beyond a decade. Most famously, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking survived more than 50 years past his diagnosis, in part due to the intensive care he was able to afford. In this episode of the ‘Your Brain On...’ podcast, we discuss: • What ALS is, and how it affects the brain and the body • The onset and progression of ALS, from the earliest symptoms to the end-stage impacts • How ALS patients are diagnosed, treated, and cared for • Likely causes of ALS, including genetic predispositions and potential environmental risk factors • How new technologies are rapidly accelerating our understanding of ALS, especially in genetics Joining us for this installment of the show are two world-class experts on the disease: • Professor Ammar Al-Chalabi PhD, Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute at King's College. • Merit Cudkowicz, Director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... ALS’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 3 ——— LINKS PROFESSOR AMMAR AL-CHALABI at King’s College: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/ammar-al-chalabi [https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/ammar-al-chalabi] at Motor Neurone Disease Disease Association: https://www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/cure-finders/professor-ammar-al-chalabi [https://www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/cure-finders/professor-ammar-al-chalabi] Project MinE: https://projectmine.com/ [https://projectmine.com/] MERIT CUDKOWICZ at Massachusetts General Hospital: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/16904/merit-cudkowicz [https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/16904/merit-cudkowicz]  at Harvard University: https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/1520993/Merit-Cudkowicz [https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/1520993/Merit-Cudkowicz] ——— ANNOUNCING: NEURO WORLD RETREAT 2025 We’re so excited to share something very close to our hearts, which we’ve been working on over the past few months: our first ever brain health retreat! You’re warmly invited to join us in San Diego, California for the inaugural NEURO World Retreat 2025, taking place September 2–5, 2025 at the breathtaking Paradise Point Resort. For more information, and to book, visit: https://neuroworldretreat.com/ [https://neuroworldretreat.com/] ——— FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com [https://neuroacademy.com/] Instagram: @thebraindocs [https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs] Website: TheBrainDocs.com [https://thebraindocs.com/] More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast [https://thebraindocs.com/podcast] ——— References: Brown, Robert H., and Ammar Al-Chalabi. "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." New England Journal of Medicine 377.2 (2017): 162-172. Benatar, Michael, et al. "A roadmap to ALS prevention: strategies and priorities." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 94.5 (2023): 399-402. Voigtlaender, Sebastian, et al. "Artificial intelligence in neurology: opportunities, challenges, and policy implications." Journal of Neurology 271.5 (2024): 2258-2273. Zinman, Lorne, and Merit Cudkowicz. "Emerging targets and treatments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." The Lancet Neurology 10.5 (2011): 481-490. Raghav, Yogindra, et al. "Identification of gene fusions associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Muscle & Nerve 69.4 (2024): 477-489. Su, Feng-Chiao, et al. "Association of environmental toxins with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." JAMA neurology 73.7 (2016): 803-811. Talbott, Evelyn O., et al. "Case-control study of environmental toxins and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis involving the national ALS registry." Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration (2024): 1-10.

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 mental health treatment • The potential for ketamine use in reducing the impacts of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s • How technology and improvements in passive and active data collection are helping us better understand how ketamine affects cognition and neuroplasticity • The history of ketamine’s use as an antidepressant • How ketamine is actually administered, through various dosages and courses of treatment We’re welcoming two of the leading figures in this space to the podcast: Dr. Gerard Sanacora, who is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and the Director of the Yale Depression Research Program, and Dr. John Krystal, also from Yale: a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology. This is... Your Brain On Ketamine. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Ketamine’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 2 ——— LINKS DR. GERARD SANACORA Dr. Sanacora at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/gerard-sanacora/ [https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/gerard-sanacora/] The Yale Depression Research Program: https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/depression/ [https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/depression/] DR. JOHN KRYSTAL Dr. Krystal at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/john-krystal/ [https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/john-krystal/] ——— FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com [https://neuroacademy.com/] Instagram: @thebraindocs [https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs] Website: TheBrainDocs.com [https://thebraindocs.com/] More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast [https://thebraindocs.com/podcast]

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 our relationship with sex is altered as we age, and is affected by periods of change like menopause • The neuroscientific differences between masturbation and sex with a partner • The complex debate about pornography consumption, and the need for better sex education • The links between brain health, heart health, mental health, and sexual health • The benefits of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management for sexual health • Motivations and methods for freeing conversations about sex from stigmas and taboos — especially for women Joining us for this immensely important conversation are two fantastic guests: sexual behaviour expert and data scientist Dr. Nicole Prause, and sexual medicine expert and urogynecologist Rena Malik. This is... Your Brain On Sex. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Sex’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 1 (SEASON 4 DEBUT) — LINKS Dr. Nicole Prause at UCLA: https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/medicine/gastro/research/labs-and-programs/patel-laboratory [https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/medicine/gastro/research/labs-and-programs/patel-laboratory] Dr. Nicole Prause on Twitter: https://x.com/nicolerprause [https://x.com/nicolerprause] Dr. Nicole Prause on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicolerprause.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/nicolerprause.bsky.social] Dr. Rena Malik’s website: https://renamalikmd.com/ [https://renamalikmd.com/] Dr. Rena Malik on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RenaMalikMD [https://www.youtube.com/@RenaMalikMD] Dr. Rena Malik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renamalikmd/ [https://www.instagram.com/renamalikmd/] — FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com [https://neuroacademy.com/] Instagram: @thebraindocs [https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs] Website: TheBrainDocs.com [https://thebraindocs.com/] More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast [https://thebraindocs.com/podcast]

Protein — how much do we need? What’s the healthiest way to consume it? Can we get enough from plant-based diets? Until recent decades, protein hasn’t been quite as prominent in public health discussions as sugar and fats.  However, with longer lifespans emphasizing the importance of protein for long-term health, and growing confusion around the quality and quantity of protein needed, it has become a highly debated macronutrient. In ‘Your Brain On… Protein’, we explore: • The brain health benefits (and general health benefits) of protein • Plant-based protein vs. meat protein, and supplements like protein powders • How much protein we really need to eat every day • Ways we can all introduce more protein into our diets • Why ‘health’ influencers are suddenly recommending unusually  high levels of protein consumption • How we measure the quality of proteins, including digestibility and absorption In this episode, we’re joined by two fantastic nutrition experts: DR. MATTHEW NAGRA, nutritionist and science communicator. DR. ALAN FLANAGAN, esteemed nutrition scientist (previously featured in ‘Your Brain On… Sugar’ and ‘Your Brain On… Fats’ ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/ ‘Your Brain On... Protein’ • SEASON 3 • EPISODE 10 (SEASON 3 FINALE!) ——— LINKS: Dr. Matt Nagra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra [https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra] Website: https://drmatthewnagra.com/ [https://drmatthewnagra.com/]  Dr. Alan Flanagan Alan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenutritionaladvocate Alinea Nutrition: https://www.alineanutrition.com/ [https://www.alineanutrition.com/] ——— REFERENCES: Dietary Patterns and Risk of Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9516-4 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9516-4] Dietary fat composition and dementia risk. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.038 Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets—A Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893534/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893534/] Animal vs Plant-Based Meat: A Hearty Debate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38934982/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38934982/] High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33599941/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33599941/] Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/] Digestibility issues of vegetable versus animal proteins: protein and amino acid requirements--functional aspects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23964409/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23964409/] Soy and Isoflavone Consumption and Multiple Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies and Randomized Trials in Humans. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201900751 [https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201900751] No Difference Between the Effects of Supplementing With Soy Protein Versus Animal Protein on Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength in Response to Resistance Exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29722584/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29722584/] Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/] The health effects of soy: A reference guide for health professionals. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9410752/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9410752/] The Effect of Plant-Based Protein Ingestion on Athletic Ability in Healthy People—A Bayesian Meta-Analysis with Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2748 [https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2748] Effects of high-quality protein supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with metabolic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.013 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.013] Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/]

The digital age has made it easier than ever to access health information, but how can we know which sources to trust? Social media is saturated with misinformation. Some of it is inadvertent — many bold pseudoscientific claims seem very convincing, and anyone could be forgiven for sharing it with the best intentions. But, a more deliberate manipulation of scientific information has become commonplace, often used to push certain narratives or turn a profit. Combating this misinformation machine can feel impossible. So, we assembled five experts from different corners of the science communication community to help equip you for the fight: Dr. David L. Katz, MD, MPH, a renowned figure in the field of preventive medicine, public health, and nutrition. (Website: https://davidkatzmd.com/ [https://davidkatzmd.com/]) Steven Novella MD, clinical neurologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine, a host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, and a founder of the New England Skeptical Society. (Website: https://theness.com/neurologicablog/ [https://theness.com/neurologicablog/]) Dr. Jessica Steier PhD, public health scientist and host of the wildly popular Unbiased Science podcast. (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unbiasedscipod [https://www.instagram.com/unbiasedscipod]) Dr. Jonathan Stea PhD,  clinical psychologist and author of the book ‘Mind the Science’. (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_jonathan_stea/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr_jonathan_stea/] / Website: https://www.jonathanstea.com/ [https://www.jonathanstea.com/]) Dr. Idrees Mughal, AKA ‘Dr. Idz’, one of the most popular online misinformation-debunking social media icons. (TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr_idz [https://www.tiktok.com/@dr_idz] / Website: https://www.schoolofdridz.com/ [https://www.schoolofdridz.com/]) Together, we discuss: • The telltale signs of pseudoscientific messaging. • Where misinformation comes from, and why it often spreads faster than evidence-based facts. • Why we can be so susceptible to believing misinformation. • Who profits by poisoning the science communication space. • How we can improve our scientific literacy and avoid echo chambers. • Ways academics can improve their public health communication. • ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Misinformation’ • SEASON 3 • EPISODE 9