Chicago Brain Buddies

At the Society for Neuroscience' 2018 meeting in San Diego Ca. #SFN2018 Brain Buddy Aaron Freeman talks with Dr. Bob Schafer of Lumosity about the real science behind "experience assisted neuroplasticity" and the controversy surrounding the product being marketed as a brain health, IQ-raising, Alzheimer's fighting, neuro super tool. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support [https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support]

Have you ever gotten pain relief from a placebo? Placebos, chemically inert pills, injections, even surgeries, relieve pain, ease suffering, and improve health even when the patient knows they're not getting "real" medicine. New research opens a window as to how and why that happens. Inspired by a recent New York Times Magazine article, Chicago Brain Buddies, comedian Aaron Freeman & University of Chicago Neuroscience professor and Coursera MOOC star, Peggy Mason, Peggy is still in Paris, France this week, merrily joke about and chat up placebo biology. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support [https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support]

Dr. Jules Lobel teaches law at the University of Pittsburgh. At the 2018 Society For Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, Ca Chicago Brain Buddies co-host Aaron Freeman talks with him about why he looked to neuroscience for a novel tool to persuade the criminal justice system to end solitary confinement. The courts have always drawn a sharp line between physical and psychological torture, the former is forbidden. Collaborating with neuroscientist Huda Akil Dr. Lobel demonstrated that social isolation damages the brains of prisoners, in some cases, for decades after their release. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support [https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support]

Your brain's cerebellum is not just for fine motor movements anymore! "The Great One," Dr. Peggy Mason & Chicago Brain Buddy Funnyman Aaron Freeman and our live online friends engage in a learning chat about the latest research from Princeton U on our "little brain" --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support [https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support]

New research reveals that human brains can predict sounds before they are spoken. A study of the auditory cortex shows that experimental subjects shown pictures have activation of their auditory cortices related to the specific sounds related to those images. In this Chicago Brain Buddies episode UChicago neuroscience Professor Peggy Mason & Chicago Council for Science and Technology Comedian Aaron Freeman joke about and explore the audio prognostications of our gray matter and what it may mean for medical science. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support [https://anchor.fm/chicago-brain-buddies/support]