brain circuitry

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. There is currently no cure, but scientists in Pittsburgh, PA have an ambitious plan to develop a treatment based on the placebo effect. NPR science correspondent, Jon Hamilton, tells the story of how this plan came to be. It involves a batch of illegal drugs, the rabies virus, and figuring out what makes a monkey really happy.

Watch the video of the cyclist with Parkinson's disease here: https://bit.ly/3GPZ6PK

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In this episode, Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, a Professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology & Toxicology, explains the vascular hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease which says the central problem is a progressive neuronal energy crisis of impaired blood flow to the brain and impaired mitochondrial respiration. He walks us through the ways we can intervene in this process and also shares details of the exciting future of Alzheimer’s treatment and prevention.

We discuss:

• Background and interest in the brain [5:15];
• The unique nature of the human brain [9:15];
• Why we’ve made so little progress in Alzheimer’s research [23:00];
• The amyloid beta hypothesis [28:30];
• Hypometabolism in the brain leading to cognitive decline [39:30];
• Early signs of AD, and deciphering between age-related decline versus something pathologic [47:45];
• The vascular hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease [54:00];
• The relationship between mitochondria, cytochrome c oxidase, and Alzheimer’s disease [1:08:00];
• Chronic inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase leads to chronic neurodegenerative disease [1:22:45];
• Major risk factors for AD, head trauma, and other forms of dementia [1:33:45];
• Methylene blue for treating and preventing neurodegeneration [1:38:15];
• Current standard of care for AD, and the reasons for a lack of advancement [2:01:45];
• Near infrared light as a targeted treatment for cognitive decline [2:05:30];
• The ketogenic diet as a treatment and preventative measure [2:13:15];
• Exciting future research coming from Francisco [2:23:00];
• Methylene blue for traumatic brain injuries [2:25:15]; and
• More.

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One of the most important interpersonal skills is empathy, which allows us to tune into and understand other people. Dr. Hanson and Forrest continue their discussion on Intimacy by exploring how we can grow this key strength. If you'd like to start making real, positive changes to your brain and your life, but you don't have a lot of extra time, then you may want to check out Rick Hanson's new program: Just One Minute. Use the code BEINGWELL at checkout for 10% off the purchase price. Sponsor Message: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Connect with the show: Visit us on the web Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes The material in this podcast comes in large part from our book Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness. If you like the podcast, you'll love the book! Timestamps: 0:30: Why do we need to be empathic in order to be intimate? 1:50: Where does empathy come from biologically? 5:15: Summary of the three ways we can show empathy. 5:50: Is empathy a trait that can be developed? 8:15: Sustaining your attention to other people. 10:35: Letting yourself be truly affected by another person. 12:30: Empathic joining vs. problem solving. 13:55: Having empathy for perspectives very different from your own. 18:45: Ways to have empathy in the moment. 20:00: Feeling felt. 21:20: Using empathy responsibly. 22:00: Empathic imagination. 24:15: How to avoid playing the psychologist. 26:00: Being aware of true intentions. 27:40: Managing tone and using empathy to communicate. 30:25: Finding me and we through empathy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices