Explore every episode of the podcast The Brain Blown Podcast

Enjoy this DND exercise led by Laine — let's play together!

Most of us stopped playing long before we realized it — and it turns out, that might be costing us more than we know. In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of play: what it actually is (hint: it's not about the activity), why it's as fundamental to our biology as sleep and food, and what happens to our brains — and our lives — when we don't get enough of it. From dopamine and neuroplasticity to why boredom might actually be good for your kids, we're making the case that play isn't just for children. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience, joy, and mental wellness — at any age.

>> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠⁠

>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠info@brainblownpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠.

>> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠

Resources:

• The Importance of Pleasure in Play — Bruce Perry
• Selected Principles of Pankseppian Affective Neuroscience — Kenneth L. Davis & Christian Montag
• Yes, We Need a Neuroscience of Play — Phillip Stevens Jr.
• Neuroscience and the Magic of Play Therapy — Anne L. Stewart, Thomas A. Field & Lennis G. Echterling
• Neuroscience, Early Childhood Education and Play: We Are Doing It Right! — Stephen Rushton
• Neuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence — Liu, Solis, Jensen, Hopkins, Neale, Zosh, Pasek & Whitebread
• Adult Play: A Neuroscientific and Psychoanalytic Perspective — Ellen Park Psy.D.
• In Search of the Neurobiological Substrates for Social Playfulness in Mammalian Brains — Stephen M. Siviy & Jaak Panksepp
• The Playful Mediator, Moderator, or Outcome? — Shen & Masek
• Risky Play in Children's Emotion Regulation, Social Functioning, and Physical Health — Sandseter, Kleppe & Kennair
• National Institute for Play — Dr. Stuart Brown

Most of us stopped playing long before we realized it — and it turns out, that might be costing us more than we know. In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of play: what it actually is (hint: it's not about the activity), why it's as fundamental to our biology as sleep and food, and what happens to our brains — and our lives — when we don't get enough of it. From dopamine and neuroplasticity to why boredom might actually be good for your kids, we're making the case that play isn't just for children. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience, joy, and mental wellness — at any age.

>> ⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠

>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠info@brainblownpodcast.com⁠⁠.

>> Learn more at ⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com

Resources:

• The Importance of Pleasure in Play — Bruce Perry
• Selected Principles of Pankseppian Affective Neuroscience — Kenneth L. Davis & Christian Montag
• Yes, We Need a Neuroscience of Play — Phillip Stevens Jr.
• Neuroscience and the Magic of Play Therapy — Anne L. Stewart, Thomas A. Field & Lennis G. Echterling
• Neuroscience, Early Childhood Education and Play: We Are Doing It Right! — Stephen Rushton
• Neuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence — Liu, Solis, Jensen, Hopkins, Neale, Zosh, Pasek & Whitebread
• Adult Play: A Neuroscientific and Psychoanalytic Perspective — Ellen Park Psy.D.
• In Search of the Neurobiological Substrates for Social Playfulness in Mammalian Brains — Stephen M. Siviy & Jaak Panksepp
• The Playful Mediator, Moderator, or Outcome? — Shen & Masek
• Risky Play in Children's Emotion Regulation, Social Functioning, and Physical Health — Sandseter, Kleppe & Kennair
• National Institute for Play — Dr. Stuart Brown

We’ve engineered a life that minimizes effort. Food arrives. Work happens from chairs. Entertainment comes to us. But the brain didn’t evolve for efficiency — it evolved for interaction. This episode looks at the neuroscience behind movement and why it may be more foundational to how we think and feel than we realize.

Due to technical difficulties, this episode is audio-only. We hope to resume video next episode, but we’ll keep you posted.

>> ⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠

>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠info@brainblownpodcast.com⁠.

>> Learn more at ⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com

Episodes Referenced:

Phantom Limbs (S2, Mini 1)

Motivation (Season 2, Mini 2)

Long-Term Decisions (Season 3, Mini 2)

REFERENCES:

• A New Dynamic Model of the Cortico-Basal Ganglia Loop — Atsushi Nambu
• A Computational Neuroanatomy for Motor Control — Reza Shadmehr & John W. Krakauer
• The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons — Sam Kean
• Exercise-Induced Neuroplasticity: A Mechanistic Model and Prospects for Promoting Plasticity — El-Sayes, Harasym, Turco, Locke & Nelson
• Movement: How the Brain Communicates with the World — Andrew B. Schwartz
• Impact of Physical Activity and Exercise on the Epigenome in Skeletal Muscle and Effects on Systemic Metabolism — Julio Plaza-Díaz et al.
• Recent Advances in the Study of the Neurobiological Mechanisms Behind the Effects of Physical Activity on Mood, Resilience and Emotional Disorders — Chong Chen & Shin Nakagawa

A lot of us aren’t just tired—we’re worn down. In a world that keeps demanding more attention, more productivity, and more endurance, our nervous systems are struggling to keep up. This episode kicks off our season on wellness by starting at the most basic place recovery happens: sleep.

You can also watch the very first Brain Blown Podcast episode on video on our YouTube channel!

>> Support the Brain Blown on Patreon

>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

>> Learn more at www.brainblownpodcast.com

REFERENCES:

• Falup‑Pecurariu, C., Diaconu, Ș., Țînț, D., & Falup‑Pecurariu, O. — Neurobiology of Sleep (Review)

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

• Lee, A. E., Ancoli-Israel, S., Eyler, L. T., Tu, X. M., Palmer, B. W., Irwin, M. R., & Jeste, D. V. — Sleep Disturbances and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Schizophrenia: Focus on Sex Differences

• Pocivavsek, A., & Rowland, L. M. — Basic Neuroscience Illuminates Causal Relationship Between Sleep and Memory: Translating to Schizophrenia

• Peever, J., & Fuller, P. M. — Neuroscience: A Distributed Neural Network Controls REM Sleep

• Aulsebrook, A. E., Jones, T. M., Rattenborg, N. C., Roth II, T. C., & Lesku, J. A. — Sleep Ecophysiology: Integrating Neuroscience and Ecology

• Simon, K. C., Nadel, L., & Payne, J. D. — The Functions of Sleep: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

• Urry, E., & Landolt, H.-P. — Adenosine, Caffeine, and Performance: From Cognitive Neuroscience of Sleep to Sleep Pharmacogenetics

• Kay, D. B., & Buysse, D. J. — Hyperarousal and Beyond: New Insights into the Pathophysiology of Insomnia Disorder through Functional Neuroimaging Studies

• Zielinski, M. R., McKenna, J. T., & McCarle, R. W. — Functions and Mechanisms of Sleep

• Marques, D. R., Gomes, A. A., Caetano, G., & Castelo-Branco, M. — Insomnia Disorder and Brain’s Default-Mode Network

Last episode, we dug into how people lose their sense of safety and control when something — or someone — hijacks it.
This week, we’re picking up the story from there: what it takes to rebuild.

What does it look like to find your footing after an experience that knocks you off course?
Why do some people regain a sense of agency faster than others?
And what does real resilience look like when you're living it, not just talking about it?

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Hunter, Gray & McEwen — The Neuroscience of Resilience

• Elsevier B.V. — Neuroscience of Resilience for Mental Health

• Baratta, Seligman & Maier — From Helplessness to Controllability: Toward a Neuroscience of Resilience

• Ruth Feldman — What Is Resilience: An Affiliative Neuroscience Approach

• Alex Iantaffi — https://www.alexiantaffi.com/

If you think you’d never be pulled into a cult, that belief itself is part of the danger. In this episode, we explore why the brain is far more influenceable—and more predictable—than most of us want to believe.

We take a closer look at what happens when belonging, something we’re biologically wired to seek, becomes a pathway into harm. Together, we examine how group dynamics, stress, and relationship patterns can quietly shift a person’s behavior and sense of self. Laine brings research and real-world examples that show just how thin the line can be between healthy connection and unhealthy devotion.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Cults: A Natural Disaster—Looking at Cult Involvement Through a Trauma Lens
  Shelly Rosen

• Pedagogical, Neuropsychological and Social Conditions of Shaping the Identity of Cult Group Followers
  Mariusz Gajew

What does neuroscience reveal about great leadership—and why does it matter now more than ever?

In this episode, we explore the brain science behind leadership: how it guides us in uncertainty, shapes culture, and unlocks human potential. From Microsoft’s near-collapse to its stunning revival under Satya Nadella, we’ll uncover what happens in the brain when leadership fails—and what changes when it succeeds. You’ll hear how trust, safety, and connection transform not just teams, but entire organizations, driving innovation and resilience.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• David Rock & Jeffrey Schwartz — Neuroscience of Leadership

• Manu Melwin Joy — The Neuroscience of Leadership

• Kimberly Schaufenbuel — The Neuroscience of Leadership: Practical Applications

Humans are born dependent, slow, and vulnerable—but we’ve survived by working together. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience that makes teamwork possible, and why collaboration is more than a soft skill—it’s a biological necessity.
From mirror neurons and social cognition to trust, reward systems, and brain synchrony, we break down what’s really happening in your brain when you collaborate—and what it takes to build a team that actually works.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• David A. Waldman, M.K. Ward, William J. Becker — Neuroscience in Organizational Behavior

• Stephanie Balters, Grace Hawthorne, Naam Mayseless — Of Team Cooperation Versus Team Collaboration

• Paul Zak — The Neuroscience of Trust

• M.K. Ward, Stefan Volk, William J. Becker — An Overview of Organizational Neuroscience

• Mohammed Algumaei, Imali T. Hettiarachchi, Mohamed Farghaly, Asim Bhatti — The Neuroscience of Team Dynamics: Exploring Neurophysiological Measures for Assessing Team Performance

• Diego A. Reinero, Suzanne Dikker, Jay J. Van Bavel — Inter-brain Synchrony in Teams Predicts Collective Performance

• Hua Xie, Iliana I. Karipidis, Amber Howell, Manish Saggar et al. — Finding the Neural Correlates of Collaboration Using a Three-person fMRI Hyperscanning Paradigm

• Xinmei Deng, Meng Yang, Xiaomin Chen, Yong Zhan — The Role of Mindfulness on Theta Inter-brain Synchrony During Cooperation Feedback Processing: An EEG-based Hyperscanning Study

Most people agree that rape is wrong. But far fewer understand what it actually is—and what it isn’t. In this episode, we confront the myths and misconceptions that continue to shape how we define rape, treat survivors, and pursue justice.

We explore the neuroscience behind trauma responses like freezing and fawning, and why these involuntary reactions are still so often misunderstood in courtrooms, conversations, and cultural narratives. From the impact of the #MeToo movement to the hardwired survival mechanisms of the brain, we examine what needs to change—and why it matters.

This is not an easy conversation. But it’s one we all need to have.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Medicolegal Findings of Rape Victims: A Retrospective Study of 69 Cases at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dhaka City
  Palash Kumar Bose, Mamtaz Ara, Md. Syedur Rahaman, Mohammad Jubaidul Kabir, Prodip Biswas

• Assault-Related Self-Blame and Its Association with PTSD in Sexually Assaulted Women: An MRI Inquiry
  Zohar Berman, Yaniv Assaf, Ricardo Tarrasch, Daphna Joel

• Rape Myth Scale: Factor Structure and Relationship with Gender Egalitarianism Among Japanese Professionals
  Masayo Uji, Masahiro Shono, Noriko Shikai, Toshinori Kitamura

• Neuroscience Evidence Counters a Rape Myth
  Ebani Dhawan, Patrick Haggard

• Neuropsychological and Electrophysiological Evaluation After Rape: A Case Study of a Teenage Girl
  Lucía Ester Rizo-Martínez, Miguel Ángel Guevara, Luis Francisco Cerdán, Francisco Abelardo Robles-Aguirre, Araceli Sanz-Martin, Marisela Hernández-González

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times.

For more informaiton on the Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at info@brainblownpodcast.cominformation

As a tribute to this month's episode, we wanted to give a quick shoutout to a local store Laine & I know and love: Smitten Kitten in Minneapolis.

Founded in 2003 by Jennifer 'JP' Pritchett, Smitten Kitten is a trans-owned business that has been a staple in the community for over two decades. JP and their team are passionate about creating a safe, inclusive space where folks can explore intimacy, sexuality, and self-expression in a fun and positive way.

Whether you're looking for high-quality toys, thoughtful resources, or expert advice, they've got you covered. Check them out online at smittenkittenonline.com and show them some love if you're interested.

We absolutely love supporting businesses that foster open, healthy conversations about sex, and we think you will too!

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Learn more at brainblownpodcast.com and send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• School-Based Sex Education and Neuroscience: What We Know About Sex, Romance, Marriage, and Adolescent Brain Development – Ahna Ballonoff Suleiman, DrPH; Megan Johnson, PhD; Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, PhD; Adriana Galván, PhD

• The Importance of Sexual and Romantic Development in Understanding the Developmental Neuroscience of Adolescence – Ahna Ballonoff Suleiman, K. Paige Harden

• Frequency of Penile–Vaginal Intercourse is Associated with Verbal Recognition Performance in Adult Women – Larah Maunder, Dorothée Schoemaker, Jens C. Pruessner

• Integrating Neural Circuits Controlling Female Sexual Behavior – Paul E. Micevych, Robert L. Meisel

• Neuropeptides and Behaviors: How Small Peptides Regulate Nervous System Function and Behavioral Outputs – Umer Saleem Bhat, Navneet Shahi, Siju Surendran, Kavita Babu

• The Neurobiology of Sexual Function – Cindy M. Meston, PhD; Penny F. Frohlich, MA

• Neuroanatomy and Neurochemistry of Sexual Desire, Pleasure, Love and Orgasm – H. Ümit Sayin, Carlos H. Schenck

• Oxytocin, Erectile Function and Sexual Behavior: Last Discoveries and Possible Advances – Maria Rosaria Melis, Antonio Argiolas

• Editorial: From Sex Differences in Neuroscience to a Neuroscience of Sex Differences: New Directions and Perspectives – Belinda Pletzer

• The Human Sexual Response Cycle: Brain Imaging Evidence Linking Sex to Other Pleasures – J.R. Georgiadis, M.L. Kringelbach

• The Affective Neuroscience of Sexuality: Development of a LUST Scale – Jürgen Fuchshuber, Emanuel Jauk, Michaela Hiebler-Ragger, Human Friedrich Unterrainer

• The Physiological Basis of Human Sexual Arousal: Neuroendocrine Sexual Asymmetry – Ion G. Motofei, David L. Rowland

• Neuroanatomy and Function of Human Sexual Behavior: A Neglected or Unknown Issue? – Rocco S. Calabrò, Alberto Cacciola, Daniele Bruschetta, Demetrio Milardi, Fabrizio Quattrini, Francesca Sciarrone, Gianluca La Rosa, Placido Bramanti, Giuseppe Anastasi

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times.

For more informaiton on the Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at info@brainblownpodcast.com

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• "Appeasement: replacing Stockholm syndrome as a definition of a survival strategy" Rebecca Bailey, Jaycee Dugard, Stefanie F. Smith & Stephen W. Porges

• "Traumatic entrapment, appeasement and complex post-traumatic stress disorder: evolutionary perspectives of hostage reactions, domestic abuse and the Stockholm syndrome" Chris Cantor, John Price
• "Bonding after trauma: on the role of social support and the oxytocin system in traumatic stress,"  Miranda Olff
• "How Trauma Impacts Learning and How to Find Support" Nadia Albritton, MA
• "The Fawn Response in Complex PTSD" | Dr. Arielle Schwartz
• "Stockholm Syndrome Explained by the Stanford Prison Experiment"

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation -- the second of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.

For more information on The Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at info@brainblownpodcast.com!

This is a re-recording of Laine's live presentation -- the first of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.

For more information on The Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email at info@brainblownpodcast.com!

Have you ever been in or been around someone in the "honeymoon phase" of a relationship?

That crazy, passionate start where seeing their name pop up on your phone gives you butterflies and you can't help but think about them constantly to the point where it's almost obsessive?

Turns out there's some wild brain chemistry behind those crazy new-love jitters, how love seems to settle as the relationship continues, and what happens in your brain if that relationship ends.

In this episode, we explore:

• What scientific theories explain the different types of love
• The brain mapping behind passionate love, companion love, and a few more
• How your brain changes throughout different relationship phases
• What happens in your brain during breakups
• What we understand of marriage, monogamy, and human attachment

Whether you're currently falling in love, settled in a long-term relationship, or healing from heartbreak, this episode offers fascinating insights into what's happening in your brain through every stage of love.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Social Neuroscience of Love -- Stephanie Cacioppo, Francesco Bianchi-Demicheli, Elaine Hatfield, Richard L. Rapson
• Love: Neuroscience Reveals All -- Larry J. Young
• The Power of Love on the Human Brain -- Francesco Bianchi-Demicheli, Scott T. Grafton & Stephanie Ortigue, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
• Demystifying the Neuroscience of Love -- Stephanie Cacioppo, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, USA, John T. Cacioppo
• Love is More than Just a Kiss: A Neurobiological Perspective on Love and Affection -- A Deboer, E. M. Vanbuelang, G. J. Terhorst
• The Neurobiology of Love -- Tobias Esch & George B. Stefano
• The Brain in Love: Has Neuroscience Stolen the Secret of Love? -- Sultan Tarlac

Why are women’s reports of pain so often dismissed?

As it turns out, it’s not just oversight—it’s a failure of trust.

In this case study mini-episode, we're looking at distrust in real-time—examining how bias in medicine isn’t just about misunderstanding symptoms, but about who gets believed and who doesn’t.

Building on our full episode on Trust and our mini-episode on Hatred, Laine dives into research from Harvard Health and neuroscience studies to uncover the real cost of medical distrust—especially for women and women of color.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• The Anatomy of Hatred: Multiple Pathways to the Construction of Human Hatred Randall E. Osborne, Ph.D., Christopher J. Frost, Ph.D. Texas State University-San Marcos
• A Brain Mechanism for Hate Mario F. Mendez, M.D., Ph.D.
• Neuropolitics in the age of extremism: Brain regions involved in hatred Henry A. Nasrallah, MD
• Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not Martin Reimann, Oliver Schilkeb, and Karen S. Cook
• Medical education and distrust modulate the response of insular-cingulate network and ventral striatum in pain diagnosis Giada Dirupo, Sabrina Totaro, Jeanne Richard, Corrado Corradi-Dell’Acqua
• Understanding Emotions: Origins and Roles of the Amygdala Goran Šimić   Mladenka Tkalčić  Vana Vukić  Damir Mulc Ena Španić Marina Šagud  Francisco E Olucha-Bordonau  Mario Vukšić Patrick R Hof

Hate and distrust feel like opposites of love and trust—but they aren’t.

At their core, they’re about fear. Fear of being wrong. Fear of being hurt. Fear of death itself.

But how does the brain decide who to trust and who to fear?

Why do we hold onto hatred even when it harms us?

And most importantly, how do we break the cycle?

Let’s dive in.

(And enjoy a special open-door ending!)

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• The Anatomy of Hatred: Multiple Pathways to the Construction of Human Hatred Randall E. Osborne, Ph.D., Christopher J. Frost, Ph.D. Texas State University-San Marcos
• A Brain Mechanism for Hate Mario F. Mendez, M.D., Ph.D.
• Neuropolitics in the age of extremism: Brain regions involved in hatred Henry A. Nasrallah, MD
• Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not Martin Reimann, Oliver Schilkeb, and Karen S. Cook
• Medical education and distrust modulate the response of insular-cingulate network and ventral striatum in pain diagnosis Giada Dirupo, Sabrina Totaro, Jeanne Richard, Corrado Corradi-Dell’Acqua
• Understanding Emotions: Origins and Roles of the Amygdala Goran Šimić   Mladenka Tkalčić  Vana Vukić  Damir Mulc Ena Španić Marina Šagud  Francisco E Olucha-Bordonau  Mario Vukšić Patrick R Hof

Welcome to Season 4 of The Brain Blown Podcast!

This month's focus: relationships

And starting with the root of any relationship: trust

Trust shapes everything we do—but it’s more complex than we think.

In a split second, our brain decides who feels safe and who doesn’t. But why?

What makes someone truly trustworthy? And why do some teams thrive while others crumble?

Let’s break it down.

And look out for more mini-episodes on this topic in the coming weeks!

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Neuroscience of Trust - Paul Zak
• Toward a Model of Interpersonal Trust Drawn from Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics Frank Krueger1,* and Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg2
• The Trust Game in neuroscience: A short review Hélène Tzieropoulos
• Trust: A subject for Social Neuroscience Marc Schipper and Franz Petermann
• Wired to Connect: Neuroscience, Relationships, and Therapy Monadekoven Fishbane, Ph.D.w

Closing out season 3, the BBP ends on an explicit note.

The best way to move from a state of numbness or avoidance is to do something. Anything. And Laine walks us through some prime examples as we head into an important election season.

Fair warning: Laine's passion in this one is so strong, you may want to mind your audio levels. ;)

Join us for a final quick dive into making social change possible, and check out our full episode on Social Change if you haven't!

For anyone new here, Laine & I will be taking a short winter hiatus to plan for season 4, so you'll hear from us again in January.

Until then, enjoy!

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• The Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation: An Overview of Concepts, Measures, and Translational Applications -- Eleanor H. Simpson and Peter D. Balsam
• The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework -- Lesley K. Fellows Montreal Neurological Institute
• The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective -- Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv and Antoine Bechara
• Decision Neuroscience New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision Making Alan G. Sanfey
• The Ecology of Human Fear: Survival Optimization and the Nervous System -- Dean Mobbs, Cindy C. Hagan, Tim Dalgleish , Brian Silston and Charlotte Prévost
• Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Signals Decision Outcomes to Sensory Cortex During Behavioral Adaptations -- Bin A. Wang,  Maike Veismann,  Abhishek Banerjee &  Burkhard Pleger
• The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge
• Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach
• The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli
• A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes
• Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon
• Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz
• What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson
• Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

• "The Emerging Neuroscience of Social Media" Dar Meshi, Diana I. Tamir, and Hauke R. Heekeren
• "Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective" Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T. Do
• "The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning" Paul J. Eslinger, Silke Anders, Tommaso Ballarini, Sydney Boutros, Soren Krach, Annalina V. Mayer, Jorge Moll, Tamara L. Newton, Matthias L. Schroeter, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Jacob Raber, Gavin B. Sullivan, James E. Swain, Leroy Lowe, Roland Zahn
• "Brain and Social Networks: Fundamental Building Blocks of Human Experience" Emily B. Falk and Danielle S. Bassett
• "Mind the Gender Gap" Gina Rippon
• "Change: How to Make Big Things Happen" Damon Centola

How do make social change feel feasible? Look to sway those who are already with you.

In this mini-episode of Brain Blown, we explore the power of making changes within our own social movements -- like how we made bullying "uncool" and how the GLBT+ adapted the quickest to COVID-19 restrictions.

Join us for a quick dive making social change possible, and check out our full-episode on Social Change if you haven't!

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• The Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation: An Overview of Concepts, Measures, and Translational Applications -- Eleanor H. Simpson and Peter D. Balsam
• The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework -- Lesley K. Fellows Montreal Neurological Institute
• The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective -- Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv and Antoine Bechara
• Decision Neuroscience New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision Making Alan G. Sanfey
• The Ecology of Human Fear: Survival Optimization and the Nervous System -- Dean Mobbs, Cindy C. Hagan, Tim Dalgleish , Brian Silston and Charlotte Prévost
• Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Signals Decision Outcomes to Sensory Cortex During Behavioral Adaptations -- Bin A. Wang,  Maike Veismann,  Abhishek Banerjee &  Burkhard Pleger
• The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge
• Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach
• The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli
• A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes
• Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon
• Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz
• What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson
• Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

• "The Emerging Neuroscience of Social Media" Dar Meshi, Diana I. Tamir, and Hauke R. Heekeren
• "Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective" Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T. Do
• "The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning" Paul J. Eslinger, Silke Anders, Tommaso Ballarini, Sydney Boutros, Soren Krach, Annalina V. Mayer, Jorge Moll, Tamara L. Newton, Matthias L. Schroeter, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Jacob Raber, Gavin B. Sullivan, James E. Swain, Leroy Lowe, Roland Zahn
• "Brain and Social Networks: Fundamental Building Blocks of Human Experience" Emily B. Falk and Danielle S. Bassett
• "Mind the Gender Gap" Gina Rippon
• "Change: How to Make Big Things Happen" Damon Centola

Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach when faced with a new idea that challenges everything you’ve believed?

Social change is inevitable, but it often brings discomfort and resistance. And when you're fighting for a social movement, it can feel impossible trying to fight "against the grain" and change people's ways, thoughts or beliefs. In this episode of Brain Blown, we’ll explore how emotions inevitably overpower rational thinking (contrary to popular belief) and the implications it causes. We’ll delve into the neuroscience behind our resistance to change and discuss the powerful 25%-claim from Centola.

Join us as we navigate these complex dynamics and uncover what it truly takes to inspire change in our society

Look out for more mini-episodes on this topic in the coming weeks!

And a friendly reminder for new listeners, November & December are our off-months for planning and holidays. After a few more episodes in October, we'll see you back in January!

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• The Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation: An Overview of Concepts, Measures, and Translational Applications -- Eleanor H. Simpson and Peter D. Balsam
• The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework -- Lesley K. Fellows Montreal Neurological Institute
• The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective -- Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv and Antoine Bechara
• Decision Neuroscience New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision Making Alan G. Sanfey
• The Ecology of Human Fear: Survival Optimization and the Nervous System -- Dean Mobbs, Cindy C. Hagan, Tim Dalgleish , Brian Silston and Charlotte Prévost
• Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Signals Decision Outcomes to Sensory Cortex During Behavioral Adaptations -- Bin A. Wang,  Maike Veismann,  Abhishek Banerjee &  Burkhard Pleger
• The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge
• Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach
• The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli
• A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes
• Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon
• Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz
• What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson
• Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

• "The Emerging Neuroscience of Social Media" Dar Meshi, Diana I. Tamir, and Hauke R. Heekeren
• "Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective" Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T. Do
• "The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning" Paul J. Eslinger, Silke Anders, Tommaso Ballarini, Sydney Boutros, Soren Krach, Annalina V. Mayer, Jorge Moll, Tamara L. Newton, Matthias L. Schroeter, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Jacob Raber, Gavin B. Sullivan, James E. Swain, Leroy Lowe, Roland Zahn
• "Brain and Social Networks: Fundamental Building Blocks of Human Experience" Emily B. Falk and Danielle S. Bassett
• "Mind the Gender Gap" Gina Rippon
• "Change: How to Make Big Things Happen" Damon Centola

Ever notice how easy it is to feel connected to someone if they're wearing your team's jersey or a t-shirt of your favorite band?

You might think it's cause it's familiar or you found something in common, but in truth, it's another way we find belonging.

In this mini-episode of Brain Blown, we explore how our brains create powerful connections beyond human relationships:

• Discover how our brains attach to ideas and symbols as strongly as to people
• Learn how these attachments can trigger reactions as intense as physical disgust
• Uncover how our deep-seated need to belong shapes our behavior and morality

Join us for a quick dive into the fascinating world of belonging, where your brain treats logos and ideologies with the same intensity as human connections.

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• "The Emerging Neuroscience of Social Media" Dar Meshi, Diana I. Tamir, and Hauke R. Heekeren
• "Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective" Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T. Do
• "The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning" Paul J. Eslinger, Silke Anders, Tommaso Ballarini, Sydney Boutros, Soren Krach, Annalina V. Mayer, Jorge Moll, Tamara L. Newton, Matthias L. Schroeter, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Jacob Raber, Gavin B. Sullivan, James E. Swain, Leroy Lowe, Roland Zahn
• "Brain and Social Networks: Fundamental Building Blocks of Human Experience" Emily B. Falk and Danielle S. Bassett
• "Mind the Gender Gap" Gina Rippon
• "Change: How to Make Big Things Happen" Damon Centola

Your brain on social media: It's not just addictive, it's transformative. Here's why.

In this episode of the Brain Blown Podcast, we're logging into the neuroscience of social media and belonging.

We'll explore:

• Why that notification "ping" feels so irresistible
• How social media taps into our primal need for connection
• The surprising ways our brains react to likes, comments, and shares
• Why teenagers' brains are particularly susceptible to social media's allure
• The neural pathways that light up when we're scrolling – and how they're changing over time

From the prefrontal cortex to the ventral striatum, we're mapping the brain's social media hotspots. Join us as we uncover the fascinating relationship between our neurons and our newsfeeds.

Plus, we'll discuss how this digital revolution is providing neuroscientists with unprecedented insights into human behavior and social cognition.

Tune in, and you might just see your next post through a whole new lens.

Look out for more mini-episodes on this topic in the coming weeks!

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• "The Emerging Neuroscience of Social Media" Dar Meshi, Diana I. Tamir, and Hauke R. Heekeren
• "Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective" Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T. Do
• "The neuroscience of social feelings: mechanisms of adaptive social functioning" Paul J. Eslinger, Silke Anders, Tommaso Ballarini, Sydney Boutros, Soren Krach, Annalina V. Mayer, Jorge Moll, Tamara L. Newton, Matthias L. Schroeter, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Jacob Raber, Gavin B. Sullivan, James E. Swain, Leroy Lowe, Roland Zahn
• "Brain and Social Networks: Fundamental Building Blocks of Human Experience" Emily B. Falk and Danielle S. Bassett
• "Mind the Gender Gap" Gina Rippon
• "Change: How to Make Big Things Happen" Damon Centola

Around the pandemic we saw an explosion of social media influencers -

You know, those ads of random internet people (maybe you've seen before) casually chatting to you about a product or experience they had that you'll totally love.

As it turns out, these so-called "peer" influencers may be changing our brains more than we realize.

Enjoy this mini episode as not only a wrap-up to influence, but a preview for one of the next full episodes coming out this season!

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon

Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz

What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson

Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

When you hear "Coca-Cola" what's the first thing that comes to mind?

Is it their bright red logo? Their lively commercials that appeal to the senses? The taste of their soda?

Coke is one of the leading brands that successfully uses Neuromarketing to influence their audience.

And they're not alone.

But for this mini episode, we'll focus on just 3: Coke, Apple and Disney-Pixar; and how these iconic brands stay iconic, both in the media and in our brains.

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon

Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz

What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson

Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

Ever wonder how ads seem to know exactly what you want?

Or wonder why you keep seeing the same ad over and over?

Turns out, it's all in the game of influence.

In this episode, we dive into the world of neuromarketing, exploring how media and ads constantly influence us and how our brains process these messages to shape our decisions.

Tune in to learn more, and look out for a few more mini-episodes along this topic next month.

______________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

Introduction to the Journal of Marketing Research, Special Issue on Neuroscience and Marketing -- Colin Camerer and Carolyn Yoon

Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience -- Emily Falk and Christin Scholz

What can neuroscience offer marketing research? -- Billy Sung and Nicholas J. Wilson

Neuroscience in Marketing: Assessment of Advertisement; Memory by Means of Facial Muscles; Movement Analysis -- Calga Pinar, Sanem Alkibay

Things start becoming addictive when we start chasing the want and not the like.

Yes, you want something... but are you enjoying it for the sake of enjoyment... or are you numbing something you don't want to feel instead?

Following our full episode, the Neuroscience of Pleasure, this mini episode shines a giant light on our nervous system and its key role in managing pleasure and avoiding addiction.

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge

Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach

The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli

A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes

The balance of pleasure and pain is on an ever-swinging scale. (Cause they use the same receptors!)

And encouraging others' pleasure enters us onto a whole new playing field.

Following our full episode, the Neuroscience of Pleasure, this mini episode starts to steer us away from our own experiences of pleasure, and towards how our feelings (and actions) can affect others.

__________________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge

Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach

The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli

A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes

If dopamine isn't pleasure (like we all think it is)...

Then what is pleasure?

Following our full episode, the Neuroscience of Pleasure, this mini episode dives more into dopamine's role while also highlighting a key neurotransmitter that doesn't get enough attention and might be the key to truly enjoying life's pleasures.

Lastly, we look at some common pleasures - sex, food, etc. - and discuss how to enjoy them to the fullest.

__________________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge

Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach

The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli

A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes

Pleasure is what drives us to do anything and everything in life.

So how does our brain decide what we enjoy?

What does too much pleasure look like, and how can we make sure the pleasures we pursue in life are healthy?

Tune in to learn more, and look out for a few more mini-episodes along this topic next month.

______________________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure by Morten L Kringelbach and Kent C. Berridge Neuroscience of Affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure -- Kent C. Berridge and Morten L. Kringelbach The Neuroscience of Pleasure and Happiness By Luciano Marinelli A neuroscience perspective on pleasure and pain -- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen, Morten Kringlebach, and Siri Leknes

In January we learned about the Neuroscience of Decision Making, and in this episode, we're taking a closer look at long-term decisions.

So... how's that New Year's resolution coming along?

Is it feeling like a wishful dream these days? Or maybe you've fallen off the wagon so many times, it seems easier to quit than keep at it?

Your brain likes to make sticking to long-term decisions (like resolutions) feel as difficult as it seems... but what if there are ways to "cheat the system" and trick your brain to almost guarantee success in the long run?

Give this mini-episode a listen to find some encouragement from your brain to keep going, along with useful suggestions to make it easier to reach your goals. _______________________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

P.S. Like our new cover art? Just as this podcast continues to develop, so has our image. But we think this one may be the keeper! Stay tuned for the full image on our website -- update coming very soon.

REFERENCES

• The Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation: An Overview of Concepts, Measures, and Translational Applications -- Eleanor H. Simpson and Peter D. Balsam
• The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework -- Lesley K. Fellows Montreal Neurological Institute
• The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective -- Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv and Antoine Bechara
• Decision Neuroscience New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision Making Alan G. Sanfey
• The Ecology of Human Fear: Survival Optimization and the Nervous System -- Dean Mobbs, Cindy C. Hagan, Tim Dalgleish , Brian Silston and Charlotte Prévost
• Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Signals Decision Outcomes to Sensory Cortex During Behavioral Adaptations -- Bin A. Wang,  Maike Veismann,  Abhishek Banerjee &  Burkhard Pleger
• Behave by Robert M. Sapolsky

From the everyday to the extraordinary, our decisions shape the course of our lives.

So how exactly do the choices we make every day, and the people we come in contact with, change that course?

And how can knowing more about our brains lead to better decisions -- ones that we can feel confident in and that match our strengths and values?

Tune in as we uncover the secrets to better decision-making by understanding the inner workings of our brains. ______________________________________________________

For more ways to get involved with the Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! 

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

We'd love to hear from you.

P.S. Like our new cover art? Just as this podcast continues to develop, so has our image. But we think this one may be the keeper! Stay tuned for the full image on our website -- update coming very soon.

REFERENCES

• The Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation: An Overview of Concepts, Measures, and Translational Applications -- Eleanor H. Simpson and Peter D. Balsam
• The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework -- Lesley K. Fellows Montreal Neurological Institute
• The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective -- Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv and Antoine Bechara
• Decision Neuroscience New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision Making Alan G. Sanfey
• The Ecology of Human Fear: Survival Optimization and the Nervous System -- Dean Mobbs, Cindy C. Hagan, Tim Dalgleish , Brian Silston and Charlotte Prévost
• Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Signals Decision Outcomes to Sensory Cortex During Behavioral Adaptations -- Bin A. Wang,  Maike Veismann,  Abhishek Banerjee &  Burkhard Pleger

In light of our focus this season on mental health, we leave you with this tool to help ground your mind, activate your whole brain, and ease your body into a more relaxed state.

Stay tuned for Season 3 of The Brain Blown Podcast coming in the new year!

www.brainblownpodcast.com

Let's celebrate the holiday season with TWO EXTRA episodes to round out Season 2 of The Brain Blown Podcast!

Following Part 1, this last shorter episode dives back into the neuroscience of trauma and specifically examines the body's role in storing trauma.

Laine also highlights some brilliant takeaways we can all use to try and manage the stress in our lives and be prepared to take on everything life throws at us.

This will be the final episode of the season, and we look forward to bringing you more brain-blowing info in the new year!

Much Love,

Cherys & Laine

REFERENCES

• What Happened To You Bruce Perry and Oprah Windfrey 
• Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Rockville (MD)
• PTSD History and Overview Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD
• Traumatic Stress Center of Wales 
• How does your body remember trauma? Dr. Matthew Boland and Hilary L. Lebow
• Response Variation following Trauma: A Translational Neuroscience Approach to Understanding PTSD Rachel Yehuda, * and Joseph LeDoux
• Thirty-Year Study Links Neuroscience, Specific Trauma, PTSD, Image Conversion, and Language Translation Dee Spring PhD, ATR-BC, MFT
• Relational Trauma and the Developing Right Brain An Interface of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology and Neuroscience Allan N. Schore

Introducing our capstone episode of the season, and arguably one of the most important topics we've discussed to date.

As it turns out, trauma is proven to play a much more direct role in our lives than we may have realized (as you'll hear around the 22-minute mark).

In this episode, as Laine walks us through some of the science most noted from neuroscientist Bruce Perry, we discover just how impactful trauma -- both "capital T" and "little T" -- can be.

In my experience while recording this episode, it took almost the entire hour+ to grasp the difference between these two traumas, and that shockingly enough, it's not the event that causes trauma.

There's a lot to cover on this topic, and to do it justice, we've decided to break it up into two episodes. You'll receive one more episode + a bonus meditation in November!

REFERENCES

• What Happened To You Bruce Perry and Oprah Windfrey 
• Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Rockville (MD)
• PTSD History and Overview Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD
• Traumatic Stress Center of Wales 
• How does your body remember trauma? Dr. Matthew Boland and Hilary L. Lebow
• Response Variation following Trauma: A Translational Neuroscience Approach to Understanding PTSD Rachel Yehuda, * and Joseph LeDoux
• Thirty-Year Study Links Neuroscience, Specific Trauma, PTSD, Image Conversion, and Language Translation Dee Spring PhD, ATR-BC, MFT
• Relational Trauma and the Developing Right Brain An Interface of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology and Neuroscience Allan N. Schore

As humans, we prioritize sight more than all other senses. But how does it work?

How does our brain take light (and the absence of it) and turn it into the most vivid, detailed, and extravagant images and experiences of life?

No surprise -- there's a lot more to it, and Laine tells us all about it in our final mini episode of the season. Listen in for a preview of what next season's mini-episodes could cover!

REFERENCES

The Science of Sight -- Scrippts Research

Jean-Paul Noel, Mark Wallace, and Randolph Blake -- Cognitive Neuroscience: Integration of Sight and Sound outside of Awareness?

Charlene Kasdorf -- Neuroscience of Sight Informs Visual Language

Dr. Gregory Schimeca -- Your Eyes See Upside Down and Reversed

Making Sense of Our Evolution by Darren Curnoe

If you've never had, or never known someone with an eating disorder, you might not feel like this episode applies to you. We promise you, it does, it applies to all of us.

Because when it comes to eating disorders, it just feels so simple. Why can't this person just start (or stop) eating? But what if we told you it has very little to do with eating, and everything to do with how the brain sees the body?

In this month's deep-dive episode, Laine walks us through the science behind the deadliest diagnosis in mental health. Using findings from scientists Riva, Southgate, Tchanturia, Treasure, Stanghellini, Ballerini, and Mancini we discuss things like:

• how the brain understands the body

• how this can and will rewire the brain

• why its so hard to stop

• a major takeaway to not only help stop unnecessary death but also change society and create more beauty and self-empowerment in our lives

A small disclaimer: We will be connecting the research to understanding eating disorders to what we learned in both the Neuroscience of Depression and the Neuroscience of Addiction if you want to check those out ahead of time.

If you want to know more ways to be part of our Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠⁠ to learn about our offers! If you have any topics you'd be interested in learning more about, please feel free to send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com!

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

Giuseppe Riva, Ph.D. -- Out of my real body: Cognitive neuroscience meets eating disorders

Laura Southgate, Kate Tchanturia, and Janet Treasure --Building a model of the aetiology of eating disorders by translating experimental neuroscience into clinical practice

Giuseppe Riva, Ph.D. -- The Key to Unlocking the Virtual Body: Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Obesity and Eating Disorders

Giovanni Stanghellini, Massimo Ballerini, and Milena Mancini -- The Optical-Coenaesthetic Disproportion Hypothesis of Feeding and Eating Disorders in the Light of Neuroscience  

A little longer than usual, this mini-episode is a great follow-up to last month's topic on smell!

(If you haven't given that one a listen, we recommend it but it's not required listening.)

Prompted by a listener question: What's happening in our brains when we smell or taste, and what can we learn from it regarding losing those senses from COVID-19?

Laine walks us through another surprising & brain-blowing topic!

If you have any topics you'd be interested in learning more about, email us at info@brainblownpodcast.com!

REFERENCES

Hardwired for Taste by Bijal Trivedi

Dana M. Small, Maria G. Veldhuizen, Barry Green -- Sensory Neuroscience: Taste Responses in Primary Olfactory Cortex

Robert A. Wheeler and Regina M. Carelli -- The Neuroscience of Pleasure - Focus on "Ventral Pallidum Firing Codes; Hedonic Reward: When a Bad Taste Turns Good"

It's easy to assume that the brain functions differently for someone with schizophrenia... but you'll never guess why...

And in this month's episode, Laine reports it to us short and sweet.

(If you want to learn more about the extent of the science on your own time, be sure to check out the reference list below for more details.)

But in addition to our usual content rundown for season two, Laine and I share space to discuss

• some of the uncertainty and fear around this disorder
• how we can approach it with a new perspective
• what impact that can have on developing research, supporting those affected by it, and changing how we view the disorder entirely

Enjoy this shorter episode, and be on the lookout for our last two episodes (and mini-episodes) coming out in September & October!

If you want to know more ways to be part of our Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠ to learn about our offers!

REFERENCES

• Charan Ranganath, Michael J. Minzenberg, and J. Daniel Ragland -- The Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory Function and Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
• Michael F. Green and David L. Braff -- Translating the Basic Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience of Schizophrenia to Drug Development and Clinical Trials of Anipsychotic Medications
• Werner Strik, Katharina Stegmayer, Sebastian Walther, Thomas Dierks -- Systems Neuroscience of Psychosis: Mapping Schizophrenia Symptoms on Brain Systems
• Katherine H. Karlsgodt, Daquiang Sun, Tyrone D. Cannon -- Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Schizophrenia

Covid-19 has had wild effects on our sense of smell and taste... and for some, it completely blocked those senses altogether.

So... how do we smell?

Or equally important, why do we smell?

What's going on in the brain that allows us to turn molecules from the air into a recognizable scent, that can even trigger memories?

Learn the answers (and more next month) on this month's mini-episode!

Visit our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BrainBlownPodcast

REFERENCES

Understanding Smell—The olfactory stimulus problem -- Benjamin Auffartha

When the Sense of Smell Meets Emotion: Anxiety-StateDependent Olfactory Processing and Neural Circuitry Adaptation -- Elizabeth A. Krusemark, Lucas R. Novak, Darren R. Gitelman, and Wen Li

What a Smell Looks Like -- Nsikan Akpan Smell and Taste Disorders in COVID-19: From pathogenesis to clinical features and outcomes -- Andrea Mastrangelo, Matteo Bonato, Paola Cinque

The Sweet Smell of Success -- Dennis, C

Sometimes when we can't stop scrolling, we will joke that it's like we are addicted to our phones. Are we?

Addiction is so prevalent both in numbers and in casual conversation, to the point where 'Wine Mom' and 'Beer Dad' are big box store t-shirts.

But what is addiction?

Is it a feeling that we crave, or is it more of an escape from something else? What keeps someone addicted, and why are addictions so hard to break?

In this month's deep-dive episode, Laine walks us through some of the science behind the most prevalent and most impactful diagnosis we have had yet. Using findings from scientists Uhl, Koob, Cable, Volkow and Boyle, we discuss things like:

• what parts of the brain are involved in pleasure and reward
• how addiction can and will rewire your brain
• why its so hard for someone to stop
• a major take away to not only long term recovery possible but to help prevent addiction from occuring

For more resources on addiction, head to the episode on our website www.brainblownpodcast.com. If you have any topics you'd be interested in learning more about, please feel free to send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com!

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

Donald L. Hilton,Jr and Clark Watts -- Pornography addiction: A neuroscience perspective

George F. Koob, Pietro Paolo Sanna and Floyd E. Bloom -- Neuroscience of Addiction

Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Maureen Boyle, Ph.D. -- Neuroscience of Addiction: Relevance to Prevention and Treatment

George R. Ulh, George F. Koob, and Jennifer Cable -- The Neurobiology of Addiction

Endorphins -- a naturally-produced drug your body (and brain) can't get enough of.

Legally Blonde fans know what we're talking about. ;)

Enjoy this month's mini-episode where Laine continues to wow me with what our brains are capable of and how we can use its functions to better our lives.

Our last two episodes in June were leading up to this, so if you haven't given those a listen we highly suggest it!

RESOURCES: Rashad Roberson Nicholas A Kerna John Flores Kevin D Pruitt -- "Neuronal Mechanisms and Treatment Approaches to Emotional and Physical Pain"

The Cleveland Clinic -- Endorphins

Throughout history, sexuality has been important to the continuation of our species. During this month of pride, we explore when we've turned sexuality into a diagnosis and where expressions of sexuality can be harmful or feel shameful.

Cultural influences such as Rihanna's song "S&M," TikTok's 'book-tok' community's love of books with dominant characters, and "50 Shades of Gray" have all continued to bring more diverse sexual practices into the mainstream. Research has shown about 20% of people have some interest in kink.

So why is this a diagnosis? Should it be?

In this month's episode, Laine walks us through findings from Elise, Wuyts, Manuel, Morrens, and many others to help us better understand why the appeal for kink exists, when it can be harmful, and when it can be healthy. And helps explore:

• What is our understanding of sexual desire?
• What can we learn from alternative sexual practices?
• What does this mean for the field of mental health and the power mental health professionals wield?

**Though this episode covers an adult topic, it does not have explicit content.

As mentioned at the beginning of this episode, we've also started a Patreon! We value all of our listeners and want to get continue to grow this incredible work. Thank you so much to all our supporters and if you want to know more ways to be part of our Brain Blown Community, head to ⁠www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast⁠ to learn about our offers!

RESOURCES

https://www.esmeljames.com/

Elise Wuyts Manuel Morrens -- The biology of BDSM: a systematic review

Kristina Gupta -- Protecting Sexual Diversity: Rethinking the Use of Neurotechnological Interventions to Alter Sexuality

Siyang Luo, Xiao Zhang -- Embodiment and Humiliation Moderation of Neural Responses to Others' Suffering in Female Submissive BDSM Practitioners

Umit Sayin -- DSM Controversies, Defining the Normal and the Paraphilia: Sexual Pleasure Objects, Fantasy, Variations, Soft-BDSM, ESR, Hypersexuality, Sex Addiction and Nymphomania

Cara R. Dunkley, Anne Barringer, Silvain Dang, Lori A. Brotto -- Dispositional Mindfulness among BDSM Practitioners: A Preliminary Investigation

Gautami Polepally Ashok -- Childhood Trauma, BDSM, and Self-Esteem: An Exploration of the Impact of Childhood Trauma on Sexual Behavior and the Effects to Self-esteem

Ashley Brown -- A Systematic Scoping Review of the Prevalence, Etiological, Psychological, and Interpersonal Factors Associated with BDSM

We all know how it feels to be in pain. But WHERE you experience it may surprise you!

In the Neuroscience of Pain, we'll explore how our brains process pain signals, how that process varies with different types of pain, and what you can do with this new knowledge to prepare and work through pain in the future.

As mentioned at the beginning of this episode, we've also started a Patreon! We genuinely love sharing these brain-blowing facts and stories with you every month, and if you're enjoying it and would like to contribute (while getting some awesome Patreon perks in the process), head to www.patreon.com/brainblownpodcast to learn about our offers!

REFERENCES Mauricio R. Papini, Perry N. Fuchs, Carmen Torres -- Behavioral Neuroscience of Psychological Pain

James Giordano -- The Neuroscience of Pain, and a Neuroethics of Pain Care

The Mindful Brain by Dr. Dan Siegal

Bipolar Disorder has been listed as one of the leading disorders of the Global Burden of Diseases...

Yet the amount of research and funding put towards it is abysmal.

Laine and I share that during our clinical education, we were taught almost nothing about the experience of mania, diagnosing, or treating the disorders like Bipolar.

This episode share's what we know so far (from the MANY articles Laine went through to try to make sense of it) and what's happening in the brain -- referencing studies from Harrison, Gettes, Tunbridge, Clark, Sahakian, and more.

It also touches on what needs to be done to not only better support those who have experienced manic episodes or have been diagnosed, but what is required for the field of mental health to improve.

The takeaways of this episode are some of our favorites -- you can hear it in Laine's voice at the end.

Enjoy -- and as always, if you have any questions feel free to email us at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

REFERENCES

Dionisio et al. - "Cognitive flexibility impairment and reduced frontal cortex BDNF expression in the ouabain model of mania"

Dzirasa et al. - "Impaired Limbic Gamma Oscillatory Synchrony during Anxiety-Related Behavior in a Genetic Mouse Model of Bipolar Mania"

Ferrari et al. - "Depression and Mania Induce Pro-inflammatory Activation of Macrophages Following Application of Serum from Individuals with Bipolar Disorder"

Schmidta et al. - "Cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 (orexin A) levels in mania compared to unipolar depression and healthy controls"

de Soussa et al. - "Lithium increases plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in acute bipolarmania: A preliminary 4-week study"

Paul J. Harrison, John R. Geddes, and Elizabeth M. Tunbridge1 - "The Emerging Neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder"

Luke Clark, Barbara J. Sahakian - "Cognitive neuroscience and brain imaging in bipolar disorder"

G.S. Kirshenbaum, C. R. Burgess, N. De'ry, M. Fahnestock, J. H. Peever and J C Roder - "Attenuation of mania-like behavior in na+,k+-atpase a3 mutant mice by prospective therapies for bipolar disorder: melatonin and exercise"

Emre Bora - "Neurocognitive features in clinical subgroups of bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis"

Ryan W. Logan, Ph.D. and Colleen A. McClung, Ph.D. - "Animal Models of Bipolar Mania: The Past, Present and Future"

Fitting for this time of year, this mini-episode is all about the birds & the bees... kind of.

In the Neuroscience of Orgasm, Laine walks us through the research of what's going on (or not) in our brains during that peak moment of pleasure.

But don't worry, as we mention at the beginning -- we keep things science-forward and professional (as best we can).

And because there's SO much to talk about, we opted to make this episode a touch longer than our usual 15 minutes... Hope you don't mind!

Enjoy, and if any other questions come up be sure to let us know!

Send us an email at info@brainblownpodcast.com.

REFERENCES

Jari Tiihonen, Jyrki Kuikka, Jukka Kupila, Kaarina Partanen, Pauli Vainio, Juha Airaksinen, Markku Eronen, Tero Hallikainen, Jarmo Paanila, Ilpo Kinnunen, Janne Huttunen - "Increase in Cerebral Blood Flow of Right Prefrontal in Man During Orgasm"

Janniko .R Georgiadis, Rudie Kortekaas, Rutger Kuipers, Arie Nieuwenburg, Jan Pruim, A. A. T. Simone Reinders and Gert Holstege - "Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Changes Associated with Clitorally Induced Orgasm in Healthy Women"

Genaro A. Coria-Avila,  PhD, Deissy Herrera-Covarrubias,  PhD, Nafissa Ismail, PhD and James G. Pfaus,  PhD - "The Role of Orgasm in the Development and Shaping of Partner Preferences"

The Science of Orgasm by Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, Beverly Whipple · 2006

Have you ever noticed how many more cases of Autism there are in the world today?

In 2023, the World Health Organization predicts 1 in 100 people will be diagnosed with Autism (and USA Today predicts even more...)

But if you go back a few decades, there are dramatically fewer cases reported.

So what is causing the increase?

Are we just more aware of the symptoms, or have our brains begun to develop differently?

In this month's episode, Laine walks us through findings from Molden, Rubenstein, Hyman, Baron-Cohen, and many others to help us better understand the unique functions of the autistic brain, and how what we've learned has changed how we view or even diagnose autism. We'll look at things like:

• Why there are more people with autism today than 30 years ago
• Why autism does NOT mean a lack of empathy (even though their behaviors make it seem so)
• And what preemptive actions we can take to better support the development and lives of those with autism

**Also enjoy a special "behind the scenes" tag at the end of this episode!

REFERENCES

Steven O. Moldin, John L. R. Rubenstein, and Steven E. Hyman - "Can Autism Speak to Neuroscience?"

S. Baron-Cohen - "The Cognitive Neuroscience of Autism"

Arianna Manzini, Emily J.H. Jones, Tony Charman, Mayada Elsabbagh, Mark H. Johnson, and Ilina Singh - "Ethical dimensions of translational developmental neuroscience research in autism"

Born For Love by Bruce Perry and Maria Szalavitz

P.S. So sorry for the delayed publishing! One of those months where the last Wednesday showed up out of nowhere... can't believe it's already almost May!

Much Love, Cherys

We've all experienced it before: enjoying a delicious cold beverage or ice cream cone when suddenly...

Gah! Brain freeze!

Ever stopped to wonder what's actually going on to cause the pain?

Or curious about what remedies will actually help relieve a brain freeze?

Learn about it all in this month's mini-episode!

REFERENCES

Ho, Przkora, Kumar - "Sphenopalatine ganglion: block, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation - a systematic review" Michael Sinkin, DDS - "7 Ways to Stop Brain Freeze"

ADHD is one of the most common diagnoses for kids, and many adults today claim to have it.

But what if we told you we don't know enough about it to cure it... or prove it exists at all?

Research shows that over 9% of children are diagnosed with ADHD, but considering how common it is you'd think we understand a lot of what's going on and why certain therapies or medications help to relieve symptoms.

Yet what we know (or don't know) about it will shock you.

So what DO we know about the brain and ADHD?

And if it's not ADHD... then what could it be?

Tune into this month's deep dive into the neuroscience of ADHD where Laine walks us through the controversial science from Slater, Tate, Rubia, and many others looking at

• what we know so far
• why do we know so little
• and what we can do about it

We mention some studies from previous episodes as well, so if you haven't yet feel free to check them out via the links below.

Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Motivation

Season 1, Neuroscience of Music

TIMESTAMPS

• 2:01 - What is ADHD?
• 8:06 - The Shocking Truth
• 11:27 - The History (Caveman Jo?)
• 13:34 - Why Neuroscience?
• 16:17 - Break
• 16:34 - The Brain...?
• 24:19 - What we (somewhat) know
• 25:26 - Neural Networks
• 36:50 - Break
• 37:05 - The Great Misdiagnosis?
• 41:40 - Takeaways

RESOURCES

CDC: Toward Systems Neuroscience of ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of 55 fMRI Studies

Leanne M Williams, Tracey W Tsang, Simon Clarke, and Michael Kohn - An ‘integrative neuroscience’ perspective on ADHD: linking cognition, emotion, brain, and genetic measures with implications for clinical support

Jessica L. Slater and Matthew C. Tate - Timing Deficits in ADHD: Insights From the Neuroscience of Musical Rhythm

Carlos Acuña - The ADHD-200 Consortium: a model to advance the translational potential of neuroimaging in clinical neuroscience

Katya Rubia - Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Its Clinical Translation