BS 213 Kevin Mitchell explores Free Will

This is the 17th Annual Review episode of Brain Science, celebrating the first episode which aired on December 15, 2006. We review the highlights of 2023, which included both new guests and the return of several favorites. Episodes Released in 2023: BS 204 (Encore) and BS 205 featured molecular biologist Guy Caldwell, PhD from the University of Alabama. Caldwell uses the tiny roundworm C. Elegans to search for potential treatments of Parkinson's Disease. BS 206: Paco Calvo, PhD, author of Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Intelligence. BS 207 (Encore): Luiz Pessoa, author of The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration. BS 208 Sander Van der Linden, author of Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity. BS 209 Luiz Pessoa returned to talk about his new  The Entangled Brain: How Perception, Cognition, and Emotion Are Woven Together. BS 210 Basics of Neurotransmitters: a detailed introduction to neurotransmitters and the importance of receptor proteins. BS 211 Seth Grant returned for a record 6th time. We reviewed his career and discussed recent discoveries about how synaptic proteins change as we age. Grant is my favorite guest because he makes complex ideas accessible to listeners of all backgrounds. BS 212 (Encore) Thomas Metzinger, PhD, author of The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self. BS 213 Kevin J Mitchell, PhD returned to talk about his new book Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will. Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for the FREE episode transcript. Announcements: This is the last scheduled episode of Brain Science, but all episodes will continue to be available. Free content includes all review episodes, encore episodes and all episodes since December 2016. The entire back catalogue of Brain Science is available to Premium MyLibysn subscribers. This includes episode transcripts. Patreon supporters will continue to have access more recent transcripts and other content. The mobile called Brain Science Podcast remains free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Please sign up for the the free Brain Science Newsletter Get updates about new content Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain" Just text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Connect on Social Media: Mastodon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

In the this episode of Brain Science we talk with neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell about his new book Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will. While many neuroscientists and philosophers argue that free will is an illusion, Mitchell argues that the ability to make meaningful choices is part of our evolutionary heritage. He also addresses the important issue of determinism, siding with those physicists who argue that the fundamental nature of our universe is NOT deterministic. These issues are crucial to how we see ourselves and others. Links and References: Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will by Kevin J. Mitchell  Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution by Carlo Rovelli Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are by Kevin J. Mitchell Mitchell discusses this book in BS 159. Kevin Mitchell, PhD (Trinity College Dublin) Mitchell's blog Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts. Announcements: Please note: there will be no episode of Brain Science in November 2023. We will return with the 17th Annual Review episode on December 15. Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell moved to Auckland, New Zealand in August 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastodon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode of Brain Science features Thomas Metzinger, author of "The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self." Metzinger is a philosopher with a longstanding interest in Philosophy of Mind with a focus on incorporating the findings of neuroscience. We discuss the implications of the discovery that consciousness is a biological process generated by the interaction of the brain, body, and external world. Metzinger also emphasized the importance of considering altered states including dreaming, out of body experiences, and even virtual reality. Links and References: The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self, by Thomas Metzinger. Being No One: The Self-Model Theory of Subjectivity, by Thomas Metzinger. Blanke, et al., "Stimulating Illusory Own-Body Perceptions," Nature, 419:269-270 (2002)   O. Blanke & T. Metzinger,"Full-Body Illusion and Minimal Phenomenal Selfhood," Trends in Cognitive Neuroscience 13(1):7-13 (2009). T. Metzinger, "Out of Body Experiences as the Origin of the Concept of a 'Soul,'"  Mind and Matter 3(1):57-84 (2005) Beyond the Body: An Investigation of Out of Body Experiences by Susan Blackmore  Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts. Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on August 10, 2023. She is working at Tōtara Hospice. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastodon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This episode of Brain Science features the return of molecular biologist Seth Grant. We briefly review his decades of research into the complexity of the protein structure of the synapse and then we focus on his most recent paper, which describes how the life-span of synapse proteins appears to change as animals age. Grant reflects of the significance of this finding both for animal research and human medicine. Papers discussed in this episode:  Bulovaite, E., Qiu, Z., Kratschke, M., Zgraj, A., Fricker, D. G., Tuck, E. J., Gokhale, R., Koniaris, B., Jami, S. A., Merino-Serrais, P., Husi, E., Mendive-Tapia, L., Vendrell, M., O'Dell, T. J., DeFelipe, J., Komiyama, N. H., Holtmaat, A., Fransén, E., & Grant, S. G. N. (2022). A brain atlas of synapse protein lifetime across the mouse lifespan. Neuron, 110(24), 4057–4073.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.009 Cizeron, M., Qiu, Z., Koniaris, B., Gokhale, R., Komiyama, N. H., Fransén, E., & Grant, S. G. N. (2020). A brainwide atlas of synapses across the mouse life span. Science (New York, N.Y.), 369(6501), 270–275. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba3163 Seth Grant has previously appeared on Brain Science several times including BSP 51, BSP 101, BS 137, BSP 150 and BS 176.   Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell arrived in New Zealand on August 10, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This episode is our first review of neurotransmitters since episode 8 way back in 2007. We start with some basics of neuron function and brain anatomy, but the meat of the episode is a discussion of neurotransmitters and how they work. The key idea is that a simple molecule, such as dopamine, can have a wide variety of effects because of the existence of multiple receptors. This episode is appropriate for listeners of all backgrounds, but might be a little challenging for new listeners. It will be a review episode for longtime listeners and those with backgrounds in neuroscience. Links and References: Essentials of Modern Neuroscience by Franklin Amthor, W. Anne Burton Theibert, David Standaert, and Erik Roberson; 1st ed. 2020 Molecular & Cell Biology For Dummies, 2nd Edition by Rene Fester Kratz BS 118: Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain (2008) by David Bainbridge BS 169: Glial Cells with Doug Fields BS 186: The Spike with Mark Humphries BS 197: Neuroscience For Dummies 3rd Edition by Frank Amthor The War of the Soups and the Sparks: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute Over How Nerves Communicate by Elliot Valenstein Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.In Announcements: Please FOLLOW the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by August, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at https://brainsciencepodcast.com/premium Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode of Brain Science is an interview with Luiz Pessoa, author of The Entangled Brain: How Perception, Cognition, and Emotion Are Woven Together. This is Pessoa's first book aimed at a general audience and it provides a concise overview of our current understanding of basic brain function. However, he also explains the limitations of the traditional modular view of the brain. A key take home point is that emotion and cognition are deeply intertwined at every level. Links and References: The Entangled Brain: How Perception, Cognition, and Emotion Are Woven Together by Luiz Pessoa The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration by Luiz Pessoa: BS 207 (encore) Luiz Pessoa, PhD: Professor of Psychology,University of Maryland Twitter: @PessoaBrain Mastadon: @PessoaBrain Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.   Please Visit Our Sponsors: Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by August, 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Mastadon: https://neuromatch.social/@docartemis Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode is an interview with Cambridge Psychology professor Sander van der Linden, author of "Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity." We discuss the important topic of how techniques like appealing to emotion contribute to the spread of misinformation. Dr. Campbell reflects on why this topic is important. Links and References: Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity by Sander van der Linden Sander van der Linden, Phd (University of Cambridge) Learn more via video games at https://inoculation.science/ Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.   Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. The mobile app has been updated and is now called Brain Science Podcast. The app is free and MyLibsyn Premium subscribers can use it to access transcripts and other premium content. Dr. Campbell's move to New Zealand has been delayed, but she hopes to be in Auckland by July 2023. Please reach out if you live in New Zealand or Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month's episode is an encore presentation of an interview with neuroscientist Luiz Pessoa discussing his fascinating book "The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration." We explored the surprising role of the amygdala in decision making and learned that cognition and emotion are deeply intertwined at every level. Links and References: The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration by Luiz Pessoa Luiz Pessoa, PhD (University of Maryland) Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts. Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. Dr. Campbell is moving to New Zealand and would love to connect with listeners from New Zealand and Australia. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) The mobile app is now called "Brain Science Podcast" and can be used to get both premium and free content Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

This month we have an intriguing interview with Dr. Paco Calvo from the Minimal Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Mercia in Spain. We talk with him about his new book Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Intelligence. We discuss the scientific evidence for plant intelligence while acknowledging that intelligence and consciousness are not the same. It is interesting to think of plants as demonstrating embodied cognition in contrast to the "intelligence" demonstrated by computer software. We also consider the pioneering work of Charles Darwin, who actually studied plant behavior before the invention of time lapse photography. Links and References: Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Plant Intelligence  by Paco Calvo Paco Calvo (University of Mercia, Spain) Gagliano, M., Vyazovskiy, V. V., Borbély, A. A., Grimonprez, M., & Depczynski, M. (2016). Learning by Association in Plants. Scientific reports, 6, 38427. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38427 Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.   Announcements: The Brain Science mobile app has been relaunched in iOS as the Brain Science Podcast app. Be sure to download this new version to avoid the crashing of the old app. (I am not sure if the problem has effected Android users.) Support Brain Science via Patreon. If you pledge at least $10 per month you will get  Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD.  Contact Dr. Campbell if you are interested a listener meet-up or sponsoring a talk by Dr. Campbell during her trip to Europe on April 10, 2023. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]

In this follow-up interview with molecular biologist Dr. Guy Caldwell we learn more about how the tools of molecular biology are used to unravel questions in neurobiology and provide hope for better treatments for problems like Parkinson's Disease. Links and References: Guy Caldwell, PhD (University of Alabama) LinkedIn  BS 204 Encore of 2009 interview The Worm Shack Mew, M., Caldwell, K. A., & Caldwell, G. A. (2022). From bugs to bedside: functional annotation of human genetic variation for neurological disorders using invertebrate models. Human molecular genetics, 31(R1), R37–R46. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddac203 Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts. Announcements: Please take a few minutes to complete this audience survey. Dr. Campbell  is moving to New Zealand, probably in May 2023. Please subscribe or follow Brain Science in your favorite audio app and please share it with others. Get free gift "5 Things You Need to Know about YOUR Brain when you sign up for the free Brain ScienceNewsletter to get show notes automatically every month. You can also text brainscience to 55444 to sign up. Check out the Brain Science podcast channel on YouTube Support Brain Science by buying Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty by Virginia "Ginger" Campbell, MD. (Autographed copies are available) Check out the free Brain Science Mobile app for iOS, Android, and Windows. (It's a great way to get both new episodes and premium content.) Learn more ways to support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations Connect on Social Media: Twitter: @docartemis Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast Contact Dr. Campbell: Email: [email protected]