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Neuroscience: Amateur Hour — Life Sciences
Neuroscience: Amateur Hour

Neuroscience: Amateur Hour delves into the neuroscience of everyday experiences in every episode. From anxiety to pregnancy to our addictions to candy crush – come and learn a little bit more about what’s happening upstairs.

Copyright: © 2022 Neuroscience: Amateur Hour

Latest Episodes:

Episode 28: MRI or the Salmon in the Scanner with the Eventually To Be Dr. Ilya Oct 06, 2022

Could a dead salmon be thinking or is something else at play? If you're curious about the answer to that question and want to learn more about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), come and listen!
Featuring special guest the Eventually To be Dr. Ilya, this episode discusses the science behind MRI, how noise can affect imaging and landmark studies in the field!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
Bennett C, Miller M, Wolford G. Neural correlates of interspecies perspective taking in the post-mortem Atlantic Salmon: an argument for multiple comparisons correction. NeuroImage. 2009;47:S125. doi:10.1016/s1053-8119(09)71202-9
Scicurious. IgNobel Prize in Neuroscience: The dead salmon study. Scientific American Blog Network. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/scicurious-brain/ignobel-prize-in-neuroscience-the-dead-salmon-study/
Van Dijk KRA, Sabuncu MR, Buckner RL. The influence of head motion on intrinsic functional connectivity MRI. NeuroImage. 2012;59(1):431-438. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.07.044
Nishimoto S, Vu An T, Naselaris T, Benjamini Y, Yu B, Gallant Jack L. Reconstructing Visual Experiences from Brain Activity Evoked by Natural Movies. Current Biology. 2011;21(19):1641-1646. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2011.08.031
Will GJ, Rutledge RB, Moutoussis M, Dolan RJ. Neural and computational processes underlying dynamic changes in self-esteem. FeldmanHall O, ed. eLife. 2017;6:e28098. doi:10.7554/eLife.28098

‌

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Episode 27: The Neuroscience of Octopuses Sep 08, 2022

Two words - Octopus brains! Nine of them!!!
But seriously, if you want to learn about the insanity of the dispersed octopus nervous system, come and take a listen!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
The Many Plurals of “Octopus.” Merriam-webster.com. Published 2019. Accessed September 16, 2019. https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-many-plurals-of-octopus-octopi-octopuses-octopodes

Nine Brains Are Better Than One: An Octopus’ Nervous System | Biomechanics in the Wild. sites.nd.edu. https://sites.nd.edu/biomechanics-in-the-wild/2021/04/07/nine-brains-are-better-than-one-an-octopus-nervous-system/

‌Sumbre G, Gutfreund Y, Fiorito G, Flash T, Hochner B. Control of Octopus Arm Extension by a Peripheral Motor Program. Science. 2001;293(5536):1845-1848. doi:10.1126/science.1060976

Godfrey-Smith P. The Mind of an Octopus. Scientific American Mind. 2016;28(1):62-69. doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0117-62

Hochner B. An Embodied View of Octopus Neurobiology. Current Biology. 2012;22(20):R887-R892. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.001

Hochner B, Brown ER, Langella M, Shomrat T, Fiorito G. A Learning and Memory Area in the Octopus Brain Manifests a Vertebrate-Like Long-Term Potentiation. Journal of Neurophysiology. 2003;90(5):3547-3554. doi:10.1152/jn.00645.2003

Park M. AMPA Receptor Trafficking for Postsynaptic Potentiation. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2018;12. doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00361

Huang EP. Synaptic plasticity: Going through phases with LTP. Current Biology. 1998;8(10):R350-R352. doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(98)70219-2

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Episode 26: The Neuroscience of Seizures and Epilepsy Aug 25, 2022

Hello! I return!
Today we will be talking about the neuroscience of seizures and epilepsy. Brought about an imbalance of the accelerators (excitatory circuits) and brakes (inhibitory circuits) of the brain, seizures are pretty terrifying events. They're marked by temporary confusion, a staring spell, uncontrollable jerking of the arms and legs (like what you see when someone depicts a seizure on gray's anatomy), loss of consciousness, or even some cognitive and emotional symptoms. Curious to find out what the heck the brain is up to during seizures? Come and listen to find out more!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
Types of Seizures. www.hopkinsmedicine.org. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/epilepsy/types-of-seizures#:~:text=Focal%20onset%20seizures%20start%20in

Rs F, Jh C, Ja F, et al. Operational Classification of Seizure Types by the International League Against Epilepsy: Position Paper of the ILAE Commission for Classification and Terminology. Epilepsia. Published April 1, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28276060/

Types of Seizures. Epilepsy Foundation. https://www.epilepsy.com/what-is-epilepsy/seizure-types

Articles. Cedars-Sinai. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/m/myoclonic-epilepsy.html

Bromfield EB, Cavazos JE, Sirven JI. Basic Mechanisms Underlying Seizures and Epilepsy. Nih.gov. Published 2015. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2510/

Peng SJ, Hsin YL. Functional Connectivity of the Corpus Callosum in Epilepsy Patients with Secondarily Generalized Seizures. Frontiers in Neurology. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fneur.2017.00446

Kim T, Nguyen P, Pham N, et al. Epileptic Seizure Detection and Experimental Treatment: A Review. Frontiers in Neurology. 2020;11. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00701

Ammothumkandy A, Ravina K, Wolseley V, et al. Altered adult neurogenesis and gliogenesis in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Nature Neuroscience. 2022;25(4):493-503. doi:10.1038/s41593-022-01044-2

CDKL5 cyclin dependent kinase like 5 [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene - NCBI. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed August 3, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6792

‌CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Epilepsy Foundation. Accessed August 3, 2022. https://www.epilepsy.com/causes/genetic/cdkl5-disorder

Sørensen AT, Kokaia M. Novel approaches to epilepsy treatment. Epilepsia. 2012;54(1):1-10. doi:10.1111/epi.12000

Rogawski MA, Löscher W. The neurobiology of antiepileptic drugs. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2004;5(7):553-564. doi:10.1038/nrn1430

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End of Season 1 Jul 14, 2022

That's a wrap on Season 1 folks! See you all in a few weeks with more episodes about epilepsy, alcohol, and more!
Happy researching and I'll see you all again soon!

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Episode 25: The Neuroscience of ... Neurons Firing? Jun 30, 2022

Apologies for the absolute chaos that is this episode.
Today I wanted to cover some foundational background concepts, including how a signal travel within a neuron from dendrites to the tip of the axon and how that neuron then communicates to other neurons and parts of the body.
Curious? Come and listen to find out more!!!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
Guy-Evans O. What Is a Neuron? Function, Parts, Structure, and Types | Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org. Published February 15, 2021. https://www.simplypsychology.org/neuron.html

Khan Academy. Neuron action potentials: The creation of a brain signal. Khan Academy. Published 2016. https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/organ-systems/neuron-membrane-potentials/a/neuron-action-potentials-the-creation-of-a-brain-signal

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al. Increased Conduction Velocity as a Result of Myelination. Neuroscience 2nd edition. Published online 2001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10921/#:~:text=By%20acting%20as%20an%20electrical

Chen I, Forshing Lui. Neuroanatomy, Neuron Action Potential. Nih.gov. Published August 27, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546639/

Guy-Evans O. Synapse Definition and Function | Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org. Published February 21, 2021. https://www.simplypsychology.org/synapse.html

my brainnnnnnnnn

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Episode 24: The Neuroscience of Deafness Jun 23, 2022

This episode is part two of my miniseries on the neuroscience of language production and processing and today we're touching on how the brain regions encoding those concepts change in deaf individuals. It turns out that the brain is the literal embodiment of that "its free real estate" meme and vision input takes over the auditory cortex!
If you're curious to know more - come and take a listen!
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
CDC. Genetics of Hearing Loss | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published February 18, 2015. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/genetics.html#:~:text=50%25%20to%2060%25%20of%20hearing

Deafness causes before birth | Deafness in childhood. www.ndcs.org.uk. https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/childhood-deafness/causes-of-deafness/#:~:text=Deafness%20can%20also%20be%20caused

Simon M, Campbell E, Genest F, MacLean MW, Champoux F, Lepore F. The Impact of Early Deafness on Brain Plasticity: A Systematic Review of the White and Gray Matter Changes. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2020;14. doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.00206

Sharma A, Dorman MF, Spahr AJ. A Sensitive Period for the Development of the Central Auditory System in Children with Cochlear Implants: Implications for Age of Implantation. Ear and Hearing. 2002;23(6):532-539. https://journals.lww.com/ear-hearing/Abstract/2002/12000/A_Sensitive_Period_for_the_Development_of_the.4.aspx

Voss P, Thomas ME, Cisneros-Franco JM, de Villers-Sidani É. Dynamic Brains and the Changing Rules of Neuroplasticity: Implications for Learning and Recovery. Frontiers in Psychology. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al. The Auditory Cortex. Nih.gov. Published 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/

Bola Ł, Zimmermann M, Mostowski P, et al. Task-specific reorganization of the auditory cortex in deaf humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2017;114(4):E600-E609. doi:10.1073/pnas.1609000114

‌Fougnie D, Cockhren J, Marois R. A common source of attention for auditory and visual tracking. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. 2018;80(6):1571-1583. doi:10.3758/s13414-018-1524-9

Campbell R, MacSweeney M, Waters D. Sign Language and the Brain: A Review. The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 2008;13(1):3-20. doi:10.1093/deafed/enm035

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Episode 23: The Neuroscience of Smoking Cigarettes Jun 16, 2022

Tobacco has a long and storied history but its effects on the modern world cannot be ignored. It was hailed as a cure to many ailments for years but as we understand more - we understand that its REALLY bad for you. Something like 80-90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking along with a plethora of other diseases.
Curious? Want to learn more about the receptors and brain areas affected by nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes? Come and take a listen!
Also if you have the means/desire to financially support this podcast - please go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/neuroscience
I really appreciate it!!!
Citations and relevant papers are below!
1907 - Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico, Part I; Frederick Webb Hodge. Internet Archives; Bureau of American Ethnology. Published online January 21, 2019. Accessed June 13, 2022. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/hornbeck_ind_3/3/

Baron JA. Beneficial effects of nicotine and cigarette smoking: the real, the possible and the spurious. British medical bulletin. 1996;52(1):58-73. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a011533

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Effects of Smoking and Tobacco Use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published February 9, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/index.htm#:~:text=Smoking%20causes%20cancer%2C%20heart%20disease

Psychopharmacology 3e Web Box 13.1 - Pharmacology in Action: Why Do Tobacco Plants Make Nicotine? learninglink.oup.com. Accessed June 13, 2022. https://learninglink.oup.com/access/content/psychopharmacology-3e-student-resources/psychopharmacology-3e-web-box-13-1-pharmacology-in-action-why-do-tobacco-plants-make-nicotine

PubChem. Nicotine. Nih.gov. Published 2019. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/nicotine

Holz RW, Fisher SK. Synaptic Transmission. Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects 6th edition. Published online 1999. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27911/

Hogg RC, Raggenbass M, Bertrand D. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: from structure to brain function. Reviews of Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. 2003;147:1-46. doi:10.1007/s10254-003-0005-1

Taly A, Corringer PJ, Guedin D, Lestage P, Changeux JP. Nicotinic receptors: allosteric transitions and therapeutic targets in the nervous system. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2009;8(9):733-750. doi:10.1038/nrd2927

Abuse NI on D. How does tobacco deliver its effects? National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/how-does-tobacco-deliver-its-effects

Chen X, Stacy A, Zheng H, et al. Sensations from initial exposure to nicotine predicting adolescent smoking in China: A potential measure of vulnerability to nicotine. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2003;5(4):455-463. doi:10.1080/14622200307239

Laviolette SR, van der Kooy D. The neurobiology of nicotine addiction: bridging the gap from molecules to behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2004;5(1):55-65. doi:10.1038/nrn1298

Marshall AM, Heffernan T. Smoking harms not just your physical health, but your mental health too. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/smoking-harms-not-just-your-physical-health-but-your-mental-health-too-69021#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20smoking%20has

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Episode 22: The Neuroscience of Speech Production Jun 10, 2022

So this week’s episode is all about speech production. Speech is a fundamental way of communicating our needs, desires, threats, resources, etc to our conspecifics. But do you know about the circuits and muscles and brain regions responsible for our ability to physically produce speech?
Curious? Come and take a listen!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations and relevant papers below:
Birds Raised In Complete Isolation Evolve “Normal” Species Song Over Generations. ScienceDaily. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090503132617.htm

Human language may have evolved to help our ancestors make tools. www.science.org. https://www.science.org/content/article/human-language-may-have-evolved-help-our-ancestors-make-tools

Ludlow CL. Central nervous system control of the laryngeal muscles in humans. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology. 2005;147(2-3):205-222. doi:10.1016/j.resp.2005.04.015

Petko B, Tadi P. Neuroanatomy, Nucleus Ambiguus. PubMed. Published 2022. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547744/#:~:text=The%20nucleus%20ambiguus%20is%20the

Guy-Evans O. Motor Cortex Function and Location | Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org. Published September 8, 2021. https://www.simplypsychology.org/motor-cortex.html#:~:text=The%20motor%20cortex%20is%20an

Simonyan K. The Laryngeal Motor Cortex: Its Organization and Connectivity. Current opinion in neurobiology. 2014;0:15-21. doi:10.1016/j.conb.2014.05.006

Kearney E, Guenther FH. Articulating: the neural mechanisms of speech production. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience. 2019;34(9):1214-1229. doi:10.1080/23273798.2019.1589541

@neurochallenged. Know Your Brain: Broca’s Area. @neurochallenged. https://neuroscientificallychallenged.com/posts/know-your-brain-brocas-area

University of California San Francisco. Speech & Language. Memory and Aging Center. Published 2019. https://memory.ucsf.edu/symptoms/speech-language

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Episode 21: The Neuroscience of Neglect: The Bucharest Project Jun 02, 2022

Today’s episode is inspired by a historical nightmare and the subsequent decades-long experiment that shaped the way we understand childhood neglect and its effects on the developing brain.

In 1989, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and the rest of the world discovered that over 170,000 Romanian children were being kept in impoverished institutions and orphanages.

These children were raised, not by loving parents or guardians, but by the metal bars of their beds and impersonal nurses. This neglect resulted in severe, lifetime, neurological issues including altered structure, function, and connectivity among different brain regions important for integrating complex information, including cognitive, social, and emotional competencies.
Curious about the decades-long project that followed these children for 21 years and documented the adverse effects of neglect on the developing brain? Come and take a listen!

Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations and relevant papers below:
Weir K. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/06/neglect. www.apa.org. Published June 2014. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/06/neglect

Greene MF. 30 years ago, Romania deprived thousands of babies of human contact. The Atlantic. Published June 23, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/07/can-an-unloved-child-learn-to-love/612253/

Publications. www.bucharestearlyinterventionproject.org. Accessed May 21, 2022. https://www.bucharestearlyinterventionproject.org/publications

The Science of Neglect: The Persistent Absence of Responsive Care Disrupts the Developing Brain. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/The-Science-of-Neglect-The-Persistent-Absence-of-Responsive-Care-Disrupts-the-Developing-Brain.pdf

Teicher MH, Samson JA, Anderson CM, Ohashi K. The effects of childhood maltreatment on brain structure, function and connectivity. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2016;17(10):652-666. doi:10.1038/nrn.2016.111

Teicher MH, Dumont NL, Ito Y, Vaituzis C, Giedd JN, Andersen SL. Childhood neglect is associated with reduced corpus callosum area. Biological Psychiatry. 2004;56(2):80-85. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.03.016

FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology·January 19, 2021. Childhood Neglect Leaves Generational Imprint. Neuroscience News. Published January 19, 2021. https://neurosciencenews.com/childhood-neglect-generational-17597/

Keim B. How Childhood Neglect Stunts the Brain. Wired. Accessed June 1, 2022. https://www.wired.com/2012/09/neuroscience-of-neglect/

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Episode 20: The Neuroscience of Bipolar Disorder May 19, 2022

This week we will be learning about bipolar disorder! It's a condition characterized by extreme mood swings from emotional highs to emotional lows. One week someone may end up sleeping 24 hours straight and the next week go on a $10,000 gambling spree in Vegas.
Are you curious about the neural activity and neurotransmitters involved in these sudden shifts in mood? Come and take a listen to Episode 20!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Bipolar disorder - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955#:~:text=Overview

National Alliance on Mental Illness. Bipolar disorder | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. nami.org. Published August 2017. https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Bipolar-Disorder

How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed? WebMD. Accessed May 17, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-disorder-diagnosis#091e9c5e800091a5-1-1

Craddock N, Jones I. Genetics of bipolar disorder. Journal of Medical Genetics. 1999;36(8):585-594. doi:10.1136/jmg.36.8.585

Barnett JH, Smoller JW. The genetics of bipolar disorder. Neuroscience. 2009;164(1):331-343. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.03.080

Ahmed NY, Knowles R, Dehorter N. New Insights Into Cholinergic Neuron Diversity. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 2019;12. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2019.00204

van Enkhuizen J, Janowsky DS, Olivier B, et al. The catecholaminergic-cholinergic balance hypothesis of bipolar disorder revisited. European journal of pharmacology. 2015;753:114-126. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.05.063

Keck PE, McElroy SL, Arnold LM. BIPOLAR DISORDER. Medical Clinics of North America. 2001;85(3):645-661. doi:10.1016/s0025-7125(05)70334-5

Machado-Vieira R, Manji HK, Zarate Jr CA. The Role of Lithium in the Treatment of Bipolar disorder: Convergent Evidence for Neurotrophic Effects as a Unifying Hypothesis. Bipolar Disorders. 2009;11:92-109. doi:10.1111/j.1399-5618.2009.00714.x

Malhi GS, Tanious M, Das P, Coulston CM, Berk M. Potential Mechanisms of Action of Lithium in Bipolar Disorder. CNS Drugs. 2013;27(2):135-153. doi:10.1007/s40263-013-0039-0

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Episode 19: The Neuroscience of your Ears and Super Loud Rock Concerts May 12, 2022

Welcome back!
This week, I want to talk about your ears and how going to super loud concerts can impact your ability to hear. You might be thinking wait - ears aren’t brains. But the way we process sound in our ears is a part of the peripheral nervous system so I say close enough!
Come and listen to learn a little bit more about your auditory system, your peripheral nervous system, hair cells, and the absolutely insane feat of biological engineering that allows for sound to go from your surroundings to your brain.
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
The Physics Classroom. Sound Waves as Pressure Waves. Physicsclassroom.com. Published 2019. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/u11l1c.cfm

How the Ear Works. www.hopkinsmedicine.org. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/how-the-ear-works#:~:text=The%20Inner%20Ear

Petitpré C, Wu H, Sharma A, et al. Neuronal heterogeneity and stereotyped connectivity in the auditory afferent system. Nature Communications. 2018;9(1). doi:10.1038/s41467-018-06033-3

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al. The Auditory Cortex. Nih.gov. Published 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al. The Inner Ear. Nih.gov. Published 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10946/

Ruggero MA. Responses to sound of the basilar membrane of the mammalian cochlea. Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 1992;2(4):449-456. doi:10.1016/0959-4388(92)90179-o

Wagner EL, Shin JB. Mechanisms of Hair Cell Damage and Repair. Trends in Neurosciences. 2019;42(6):414-424. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2019.03.006

Youm I, Li W. Cochlear hair cell regeneration: an emerging opportunity to cure noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss. Drug Discovery Today. 2018;23(8):1564-1569. doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2018.05.001

Santaolalla F, Salvador C, Martínez A, Sánchez JM, del Rey AS. Inner ear hair cell regeneration: A look from the past to the future. Neural Regeneration Research. 2013;8(24):2284-2289. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.24.008

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Episode 18: The Neuroscience of Too Much Social Media May 05, 2022

Social media is omnipresent. Mindless scrolling through TikTok and Instagram reels is just a part of our daily lives now. Whether it's cat videos, funny dances, or cool outfits, online content fills our excess time, entertains us, and keeps us connected with our friends and the people we look up to. As my housemate says, sometimes, we’re living in the REEL world, not the REAL world.

But it's also no secret that too much social media is not very good for our psyche and our brains. Curious why? Come and listen to learn a little bit more about the neuroscience of spending tooooooo much time on InstaSnapTok.
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Börchers S. Your Brain on Instagram, TikTok, & Co – The Neuroscience of Social Media. Published June 29, 2020. https://biologista.org/2020/06/29/your-brain-on-instagram-tiktok-co-the-neuroscience-of-social-media/

Montag C, Markowetz A, Blaszkiewicz K, et al. Facebook usage on smartphones and gray matter volume of the nucleus accumbens. Behavioral Brain Research. 2017;329:221-228. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2017.04.035

Arias-Carrión O, Stamelou M, Murillo-Rodríguez E, Menéndez-González M, Pöppel E. Dopaminergic reward system: a short integrative review. International Archives of Medicine. 2010;3(1):24. doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-24

Jan M, Soomro S, Ahmad N. Impact of social media on self-esteem. Ssrn.com. Published August 31, 2017. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3030048

Pittman M, Reich B. Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words. Computers in Human Behavior. 2016;62:155-167. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.084

Will GJ, Rutledge RB, Moutoussis M, Dolan RJ. Neural and computational processes underlying dynamic changes in self-esteem. FeldmanHall O, ed. eLife. 2017;6:e28098. doi:10.7554/eLife.28098

Cacioppo JT, Cacioppo S. The growing problem of loneliness. The Lancet. 2018;391(10119):426. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(18)30142-9

Chunliang Feng, Li Wang, Ting Li, Pengfei Xu, Connectome-based individualized prediction of loneliness, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Volume 14, Issue 4, April 2019, Pages 353–365, https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsz020

Alkozei A, Smith R, Pisner DA, et al. Exposure to Blue Light Increases Subsequent Functional Activation of the Prefrontal Cortex During Performance of a Working Memory Task. Sleep. 2016;39(9):1671-1680. doi:10.5665/sleep.6090

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Episode 16: The Neuroscience of Mad Cow Disease Apr 14, 2022

When I was a kid, I thought two things were going to be much bigger problems in my life than they actually are - quicksand and mad cow disease.
Turns out that they aren't but mad cow disease is still the stuff of science-fiction nightmares. Mad cow disease is caused by the spread of prions, proteins that weaponize our own cells against us and cause proteins to misfold and aggregate, slowly killing neurons throughout the brain. The disease is characterized by rapid and fatal neurodegeneration.
Want to get the shit scared out of you by learning about the truth behind mad cow disease? Come and listen!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
About BSE BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/prions/bse/about.html

Legname G. Elucidating the function of the prion protein. True HL, ed. PLOS Pathogens. 2017;13(8):e1006458. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1006458

Jung MJ, Pistolesi D, Panà A. Prions, prion diseases and decontamination. Igiene E Sanita Pubblica. 2003;59(5):331-344. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14981553/

Lanska DJ. The mad cow problem in the UK: risk perceptions, risk management, and health policy development. Journal of Public Health Policy. 1998;19(2):160-183. Accessed April 11, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9670700/

MRI used to detect vCJD. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2000;163(3):324. Accessed April 11, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC80326/

Macfarlane RG, Wroe SJ, Collinge J, Yousry TA, Jäger HR. Neuroimaging findings in human prion disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. 2007;78(7):664-670. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.094821

NHS Choices. Overview - Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. NHS. Published 2019. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd/

‌Mead S, Khalili-Shirazi A, Potter C, et al. Prion protein monoclonal antibody (PRN100) therapy for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease: evaluation of a first-in-human treatment programme. The Lancet Neurology. 2022;21(4):342-354. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00082-5

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Episode 15: The Neuroscience of Pheromones Mar 31, 2022

For the low, low price of $15.95 on Amazon, you can purchase a little spray bottle of pheromones that supposedly will trigger "animal attraction" in your partner. But is it true???
Pheromones are a well-known system of communicating territory, alarms, and sexual needs to other animals but is this system present in humans? We know that smell is an important component of sexual attraction and arousal but human beings seem to lack both the organ and brain region needed to process pheromone information. But maybe???
If you're curious, come and listen to learn a little bit more about what's happening upstairs!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Jimenez J, Hughes K, Alaks G, Graham L, Lacy R. An experimental study of inbreeding depression in a natural habitat. Science. 1994;266(5183):271-273. doi:10.1126/science.7939661

Keverne EB. The Vomeronasal Organ. Science. 1999;286(5440):716-720. doi:10.1126/science.286.5440.716

Kang N, Baum MJ, Cherry JA. Different Profiles of Main and Accessory Olfactory Bulb Mitral/Tufted Cell Projections Revealed in Mice Using an Anterograde Tracer and a Whole-Mount, Flattened Cortex Preparation. Chemical Senses. 2010;36(3):251-260. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjq120

Wang L, Zhang Z, Chen J, et al. Cell-Type-Specific Whole-Brain Direct Inputs to the Anterior and Posterior Piriform Cortex. Frontiers in Neural Circuits. 2020;14. doi:10.3389/fncir.2020.00004

‌Wedekind, C., Seebeck, T., Bettens, F. and Paepke, A. J. MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B. 1995: 260: 245-249

Meredith M. Human Vomeronasal Organ Function: A Critical Review of Best and Worst Cases. Chemical Senses. 2001;26(4):433-445. doi:10.1093/chemse/26.4.433

D’Aniello B, Semin GR, Scandurra A, Pinelli C. The Vomeronasal Organ: A Neglected Organ. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. 2017;11. doi:10.3389/fnana.2017.00070

Rodriguez I, Greer CA, Mok MY, Mombaerts P. A putative pheromone receptor gene expressed in human olfactory mucosa. Nature Genetics. 2000;26(1):18-19. doi:10.1038/79124

Verhaeghe J, Gheysen R, Enzlin P. Pheromones and their effect on women’s mood and sexuality. Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn. 2013;5(3):189-195. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987372/

Miller SL, Maner JK. Scent of a Woman. Psychological Science. 2009;21(2):276-283. doi:10.1177/0956797609357733

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Episode 14: The Neuroscience of Migraines Mar 24, 2022

Migraines are PAINFUL! And neuroscience speaking - super cool and complicated. It involves your blood vessels constricting and dilating and your brain going haywire and spreading a wave of neuron depression across your entire cortex.
Sound interesting? Come and take a listen to learn a little bit more about what happens in your brain!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Headache disorders. www.who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disorders#:~:text=Half%20to%20three%20quarters%20of

Migraine Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention. Cleveland Clinic. Published March 3, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5005-migraine-headaches

Ruthirago D, Julayanont P, Kim J. Translational Correlation. Conn’s Translational Neuroscience. Published online 2017:159-165. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-802381-5.00013-0

Mason BN, Russo AF. Vascular Contributions to Migraine: Time to Revisit? Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2018;12. doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00233

Wikipedia Contributors. Aristides Leão. Wikipedia. Published January 9, 2022. Accessed March 22, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristides_Le%C3%A3o

Lauritzen M. Pathophysiology of the migraine aura. Brain. 1994;117(1):199-210. doi:10.1093/brain/117.1.199

Schain AJ, Melo-Carrillo A, Stratton J, Strassman AM, Burstein R. CSD-Induced Arterial Dilatation and Plasma Protein Extravasation Are Unaffected by Fremanezumab: Implications for CGRP’s Role in Migraine with Aura. The Journal of Neuroscience. 2019;39(30):6001-6011. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.0232-19.2019

Charles A, Brennan K. Cortical Spreading Depression—New Insights and Persistent Questions. Cephalalgia. 2009;29(10):1115-1124. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01983.x

Pietrobon D, Striessnig J. Neurobiology of migraine. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2003;4(5):386-398. doi:10.1038/nrn1102

Eisenstein M. Closing the gender gap in migraine research. Nature. 2020;586(7829):S16-S17. doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02867-4

Sutherland HG, Albury CL, Griffiths LR. Advances in genetics of migraine. The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2019;20(1). doi:10.1186/s10194-019-1017-9

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Episode 13: The Neuroscience of Itch Mar 17, 2022

Itch is... uncomfortable. We've all been there before, one motivated mosquito takes a bite out of you, and you are left with an itchy red spot for a few days that only scratching can temporarily relieve. Have you ever wondered how that sensation is transferred to the brain and processed? How about why pain, like pressing really hard on that mosquito bite makes the itching go away. If the answer to any of these questions is YES, come and take a listen to learn a little bit more about what's happening upstairs!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Henley C. Touch: The Skin. openbookslibmsuedu. Published online January 1, 2021. https://openbooks.lib.msu.edu/neuroscience/chapter/touch-the-skin/#:~:text=with%20the%20skin.-

‌Feher J. 4.3 - Cutaneous Sensory Systems. ScienceDirect. Published January 1, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128008836000355

Ringkamp M, Meyer R. Pruriceptors. PubMed. Published 2014. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK200917/

Schmelz M. Itch Processing in the Skin. Frontiers in Medicine. 2019;6. doi:10.3389/fmed.2019.00167

Ikoma A, Cevikbas F, Kempkes C, Steinhoff M. Anatomy and Neurophysiology of Pruritus. Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery. 2011;30(2):64-70. doi:10.1016/j.sder.2011.04.001

Potenzieri C, Undem BJ. Basic mechanisms of itch. Clinical & Experimental Allergy. 2011;42(1):8-19. doi:10.1111/1.

Shim W-S, Oh U. Histamine-Induced Itch and its Relationship with Pain. Molecular Pain. 2008;4:1744-80694-29. doi:10.1186/1744-8069-4-29j.1365-2222.2011.03791.x

Forster C, Handwerker HO. Central Nervous Processing of Itch and Pain. PubMed. Published 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK200926/

Papoiu ADP, Coghill RC, Kraft RA, Wang H, Yosipovitch G. A Tale of Two Itches. Common Features and Notable Differences in Brain Activation Evoked by Cowhage And Histamine Induced Itch. Neuroimage. 2012;59(4):3611-3623. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.10.099

Ishiuji Y. Addiction and the itch‐scratch cycle. What do they have in common? Experimental Dermatology. 2019;28(12):1448-1454. doi:10.1111/exd.14029

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Episode 12: The Neuroscience of the Salem Witch Trials Mar 10, 2022

When two young girls in 1692 started barking like dogs, fevering and convulsing into impossible positions, the deeply Puritan community of Salem, Massachusettes was quick to cry witchcraft. But they could never have envisioned that religious fervor, family feuds, and potentially a hallucinogenic fungus could have resulted in over 200 people being accused of witchcraft and 20 being executed for the deed.
Come and listen to learn a little bit more about the neuroscience of the Salem Witch Trials!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Nast C. Inside the Salem Witch Trials. The New Yorker. Published August 31, 2015. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/09/07/the-witches-of-salem#:~:text=Nearly%20to%20a%20person%2C%20they

Larry Dale Gragg. A Quest for Security : The Life of Samuel Parris, 1653-1720. Conn. ; London; 1990.

Betty Parris: First Afflicted Girl of the Salem Witch Trials. Published June 10, 2013. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://historyofmassachusetts.org/betty-parris-first-afflicted-girl-of-the-salem-witch-trials/#:~:text=Shortly%20after%20the%20incident%2C%20Betty

Salem Witch Trials - Further Readings. Jrank.org. Published 2019. https://law.jrank.org/pages/9985/Salem-Witch-Trials.html

Protein structure reveals how LSD affects the brain. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Published February 13, 2017. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/protein-structure-reveals-how-lsd-affects-brain

Cormier Z. Brain scans reveal how LSD affects consciousness. Nature. Published online April 11, 2016. doi:10.1038/nature.2016.19727

Eadie MJ. Convulsive ergotism: epidemics of the serotonin syndrome? The Lancet Neurology. 2003;2(7):429-434. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(03)00439-3

‌A Common Misconception: The Ergot Theory and the Salem Witch Trials. Salem 1692. Published January 4, 2015. https://salemwitchtrialsresearch.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/a-common-misconception-the-ergot-theory-and-the-salem-witch-trials/

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Episode 11: The Neuroscience of Sniffing Glue and Other Inhalants Mar 03, 2022

Inspired by my coworker's tendency to superglue his fingers back together (listen for the full story), this episode dives into the pharmacological and neurological effects of sniffing glue and other recreational inhalants. Listen to learn a little bit more about how it both increases and decreases activity in dopamine neurons, acts on the same receptors as medical anesthetics and destroys the protective lining of your neurons.
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
What Are the Effects of Inhalant Use? archives.drugabuse.gov. Accessed March 1, 2022. https://archives.drugabuse.gov/publications/nida-community-drug-alert-bulletin-inhalants/what-are-effects-inhalant-use

Williams JF, Storck M. Inhalant Abuse. PEDIATRICS. 2007;119(5):1009-1017. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-0470

Woodward JJ, Beckley J. Effects of the Abused Inhalant Toluene on the Mesolimbic Dopamine System. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research. 2014;3:1-8. doi:10.4303/jdar/235838

MacIver MB. Abused inhalants enhance GABA-mediated synaptic inhibition. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009;34(10):2296-2304. doi:10.1038/npp.2009.57

Themes UFO. The Pharmacology of Inhalants. Basicmedical Key. Published December 12, 2016. https://basicmedicalkey.com/the-pharmacology-of-inhalants/#head4

About inhalants. Paediatrics & Child Health. 1998;3(2):132-133. doi:10.1093/pch/3.2.132

Love S. Demyelinating diseases. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2006;59(11):1151-1159. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.031195

Abuse NI on D. What are the other medical consequences of inhalant abuse? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Accessed March 2, 2022. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/inhalants/what-are-other-medical-consequences-inhalant-abuse

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Episode 10: The Neuroscience of ADHD Feb 24, 2022

ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - is a condition characterized by differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and impulse control. It affects millions of children and adults and has far-reaching effects on the lives and well-being of these individuals. And yet we still don't know what going on!
Is it genetic? Is it environmental? Come and listen to learn a little bit more about the neuroscience of ADHD and what's going on in your head.
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations below:
Demontis D, Walters RK, Martin J, et al. Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nature Genetics. 2018;51(1):63-75. doi:10.1038/s41588-018-0269-7

Faraone SV, Larsson H. Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Molecular Psychiatry. 2018;24(4). doi:10.1038/s41380-018-0070-0

Froehlich TE, Anixt JS, Loe IM, Chirdkiatgumchai V, Kuan L, Gilman RC. Update on Environmental Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2011;13(5):333-344. doi:10.1007/s11920-011-0221-3

Oscar Berman M, Blum K, Chen TJ, et al. Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and reward deficiency syndrome. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2008;4(5):893. doi:10.2147/ndt.s2627

Quist JF, Barr CL, Schachar R, et al. The serotonin 5-HT1B receptor gene and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Molecular Psychiatry. 2003;8(1):98-102. doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4001244

Zulauf CA, Sprich SE, Safren SA, Wilens TE. The Complicated Relationship Between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2014;16(3). doi:10.1007/s11920-013-0436-6

Tomasi D, Volkow ND, Wang R, et al. Dopamine Transporters in Striatum Correlate with Deactivation in the Default Mode Network during Visuospatial Attention. Rustichini A, ed. PLoS ONE. 2009;4(6):e6102. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006102

Ritalin Poses Cognitive Risks to Those Without ADHD. Pharmacy Times. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/ritalin-poses-cognitive-risks-to-those-without-adhd

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Episode 9: The Neuroscience of Synesthesia: Union of the Senses Feb 17, 2022

Synesthesia is a fascinating condition where some people can hear tastes or see letters in color or other crazy combinations of senses. Imagine listening to a Geico commercial and tasting fajitas. Insanity.
Could this condition all come down to a genetic mutation that results in some hyperconnectivity between brain regions? Listen to find out more!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Synesthesia quiz: https://exceptionalindividuals.com/candidates/neurodiversity-resources/neurodiversity-quizzes/synesthesia-quiz-test/
Citations and relevant papers below:
TYPES OF SYNESTHESIA IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. Accessed February 13, 2022. https://www.thesynesthesiatree.com/2021/02/types-of-synaesthesia-in-alphabetical.html

Hooser SDV, Roy A, Rhodes HJ, Culp JH, Fitzpatrick D. Transformation of Receptive Field Properties from Lateral Geniculate Nucleus to Superficial V1 in the Tree Shrew. Journal of Neuroscience. 2013;33(28):11494-11505. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1464-13.2013

Huff T, Prasanna Tadi. Neuroanatomy, Visual Cortex. Nih.gov. Published March 15, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482504/

Zhu MM, Xu YL, Ma HQ. Edge Detection Based On the Characteristics of Primary Visual Cortex Cells. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2018;960:012052. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/960/1/012052

Heywood C, Gadotti A, Cowey A. Cortical area V4 and its role in the perception of color. The Journal of Neuroscience. 1992;12(10):4056-4065. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.12-10-04056.1992

Ramachandran V, Hubbard E. Synaesthesia -A Window Into Perception, Thought and Language. Journal of Consciousness Studies. 2001;8(12):3-34. http://chip.ucsd.edu/pdf/Synaesthesia%20-%20JCS.pdf

Sakai J. Core Concept: How synaptic pruning shapes neural wiring during development and, possibly, in disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2020;117(28):16096-16099. doi:10.1073/pnas.2010281117

Brang D, Ramachandran VS. Survival of the Synesthesia Gene: Why Do People Hear Colors and Taste Words? PLoS Biology. 2011;9(11):e1001205. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001205

Grossenbacher PG, Lovelace CT. Mechanisms of synesthesia: cognitive and physiological constraints. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2001;5(1):36-41. doi:10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01571-0

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Episode 8: The Neuroscience of Sleep, Memory and Really Good Afternoon Naps Feb 10, 2022

We spend a third of our lives sleeping and there is no greater enjoyment than a really good afternoon nap. Back in preschool, the good old days, naps were built into our daily schedules but as adults - not so much. But should they be? Is there any neurological benefit or detriment to taking a nap?
Tune in to learn a little bit more about the neuroscience behind sleep, memory, and naps!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at neuroscienceamateurhour@gmail.com or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations and relevant papers below:
Cherry K. The 4 Stages of Sleep (NREM and REM Sleep Cycles). Verywell Health. Published June 16, 2007. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-four-stages-of-sleep-2795920

The Haunting Effects Of Going Days Without Sleep. NPR.org. https://www.npr.org/2017/12/27/573739653/the-haunting-effects-of-going-days-without-sleep#:~:text=VEDANTAM%3A%20At%202%3A00%20in..

Alberini CM, Chen DY. Memory enhancement: consolidation, reconsolidation and insulin-like growth factor 2. Trends in Neurosciences. 2012;35(5):274-283. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2011.12.007

Walker MP, Stickgold R. Sleep-Dependent Learning and Memory Consolidation. Neuron. 2004;44(1):121-133. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2004.08.031

McKenzie S, Eichenbaum H. Consolidation and Reconsolidation: Two Lives of Memories? Neuron. 2011;71(2):224-233. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2011.06.037

Rasch B, Born J. About Sleep’s Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews. 2013;93(2):681-766. doi:10.1152/physrev.00032.2012

Walker MP. The role of slow wave sleep in memory processing. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2009;5(2 Suppl):S20-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2824214/

Kumar D, Koyanagi I, Carrier-Ruiz A, et al. Sparse Activity of Hippocampal Adult-Born Neurons during REM Sleep Is Necessary for Memory Consolidation. Neuron. 2020;107(3):552-565.e10. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2020.05.008

Groch S, Wilhelm I, Diekelmann S, Born J. The role of REM sleep in the processing of emotional memories: Evidence from behavior and event-related potentials. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 2013;99:1-9. doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2012.10.006

Horváth K, Plunkett K. Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2018;Volume 10:97-104. doi:10.2147/nss.s126252

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Episode 7: The Neuroscience of Beautiful Things or Neuroaesthetics Feb 03, 2022

How do we designate something, whether it's a painting, a sculpture, or a piece of music as beautiful? Where have our ideas of beauty arisen over the course of human evolution? How do we as individuals decide that something is beautiful to us compared to our neighbors? Dive into the gripping but controversial field of neuroaesthetics to learn a little bit more about the science behind beautiful things.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:
Neuroaesthetics: Beauty is Only Brain Deep - Omniscience. MyScienceWork. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://www.mysciencework.com/omniscience/neuroaesthetics-beauty-is-only-brain-deep#:~:text=Those%20who%20oppose%20neuroaesthetics%20are

Diessner R. Magnificent Moral Beauty: The Trait of Engagement with Moral Beauty. Understanding the Beauty Appreciation Trait. Published online 2019:183-204. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-32333-2_7

‌Beauty and the Brain: The Emerging Field of Neuroaesthetics | Arts | The Harvard Crimson. Thecrimson.com. Published November 10, 2017. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/11/10/neuroaesthetics-cover/

MBB 980N - Neuroaesthetics at Harvard University | Coursicle Harvard. www.coursicle.com. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.coursicle.com/harvard/courses/MBB/980N/

Xie J, Liu B, Elsadek M. How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals’ Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown? International Journal of Environmental

Eckert J. Why we like flowers: the new psychology of bright colors (Part 1). Medium. Published July 3, 2021. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://psychologyofart.medium.com/why-do-we-like-flowers-on-the-origin-of-pretty-colors-f3ddd400d168

Castro J. How the Brain Responds to Beauty. Scientific American. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-responds-to-beauty/#:~:text=So%20what%20part%20of%20our%20brain%20responds%20to%20beauty%3F&text=Brain%20scientists%20who%20favor%20the

Chuan-Peng H, Huang Y, Eickhoff SB, Peng K, Sui J. Seeking the “Beauty Center” in the Brain: A Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies of Beautiful Human Faces and Visual Art. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience. 2020;20(6):1200-1215. doi:10.3758/s13415-020-00827-z

Lüttge U, Souza GM. The Golden Section and beauty in nature: The perfection of symmetry and the charm of asymmetry. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology. 2019;146:98-103. doi:10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.12.008

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Episode 6: The Neuroscience of Magic Mushrooms Jan 27, 2022

Today's episode journeys into the neuroscience behind magic mushrooms! Psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient, is known for making its users feel like their senses are mixing, their brains are dissociating, and the walls are melting? Does it all come down to cortical deactivation in the brain region responsible for encoding our sense of self? Come and listen to learn a little bit more about magic mushrooms effects, their huge potential as therapies for mental health disorders, and the potential consequences of their use.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations below:
Hartney E. What to Know About Magic Mushroom Use. Verywell Mind. Published February 26, 2012.

Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) Uses, Effects & Hazards. Drugs.com. https://www.drugs.com/illicit/psilocybin.html.

Lowe H, Toyang N, Steele B, et al. The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin. Molecules. 2021;26(10):2948. doi:10.3390/molecules26102948

‌Aronson JK, ed. Psilocybin. ScienceDirect. Published January 1, 2016. Accessed January 26, 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978044453717100158X

Drug Scheduling. www.dea.gov. https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling#:~:text=Schedule%20I%20drugs%2C%20substances%2C%20or

Carhart-Harris RL, Erritzoe D, Williams T, et al. Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2012;109(6):2138-2143. doi:10.1073/pnas.1119598109

Bhagwagar Z, Hinz R, Taylor M, Fancy S, Cowen P, Grasby P. Increased 5-HT(2A) receptor binding in euthymic, medication-free patients recovered from depression: a positron emission study with [(11)C]MDL 100,907. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 2006;163(9):1580-1587. doi:10.1176/ajp.2006.163.9.1580

Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows. Johns Hopkins Medicine Newsroom. Published November 4, 2020.

‌More promise for psilocybin in depression but safety remains a concern. Clinical Trials Arena. Published November 15, 2021.

Vollenweider FX, Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen MFI, Bäbler A, Vogel H, Hell D. Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action. NeuroReport. 1998;9(17):3897-3902.

Mozhdehipanah H, Gorji R. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage as a Manifestation of Magic Mushroom Abuse: A Case Report and Review Literature. Journal of Vessels and Circulation. 2020;1(3):40-42. doi:10.52547/jvesselcirc.1.3.40

‌Hendricks PS, Johnson MW, Griffiths RR. Psilocybin, psychological distress, and suicidality. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2015;29(9):1041-1043. doi:10.1177/0269881115598338

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:

SAMHSA's National Helpline
800-662-HELP (4357)
TTY: 800-487-4889

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Episode 5: The Neuroscience of Traumatic Brain Injuries and America's Favorite Pastime Jan 20, 2022

It's a common sight on Sunday afternoon. The snacks are gathered. The couch cushions are plumped. The beer is cold. Across the screen, twenty-two people in tight white pants and polished helmets trot across the screen. But behind the shiny exterior of football, America's favorite pastime, lies a dark secret - chronic traumatic encephalopathy (a word I am incapable of pronouncing). A neurodegenerative disease characterized by psychological, behavioral, and cognitive changes, CTE and repeated head trauma has been linked to rage behaviors and increased aggression. In fact, Aaron Hernandez, a former NFL player was posthumously diagnosed with advanced CTE, potentially providing a "why" for his brutal murder of Odin Llyod.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:
NFL Helmet Challenge Raises the Bar for Helmet Technology and Performance, Awards $1.55 Million in Grant Funding to Help New Models Get on Field Faster. NFL.com. https://www.nfl.com/playerhealthandsafety/equipment-and-innovation/innovation-challenges/nfl-helmet-challenge-raises-the-bar-for-helmet-technology-and-performance-awards Published 2021.

Built By Data: NFL Helmet Innovation. NFL.com. https://www.nfl.com/playerhealthandsafety/equipment-and-innovation/engineering-technology/built-by-data-nfl-helmet-innovation. Published 2021.

Heintz E, Breaux L, Lewis A, Foreman J. Determinants of Missed Games Following Concussions in the National Football League. Front Sports Act Living. 2020;2. doi:10.3389/fspor.2020.595445

Tator C. Concussions and their consequences: current diagnosis, management and prevention. Can Med Assoc J. 2013;185(11):975-979. doi:10.1503/cmaj.120039

Mez J, Daneshvar D, Kiernan P et al. Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football. JAMA. 2017;318(4):360. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.8334

McKee A, Stein T, Kiernan P, Alvarez V. The Neuropathology of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Brain Pathology. 2015;25(3):350-364. doi:10.1111/bpa.12248

Asken B, Sullan M, DeKosky S, Jaffee M, Bauer R. Research Gaps and Controversies in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. JAMA Neurol. 2017;74(10):1255. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.2396

Turner R, Lucke-Wold B, Robson M, Lee J, Bailes J. Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Distinct but possibly overlapping disease entities. Brain Inj. 2016;30(11):1279-1292. doi:10.1080/02699052.2016.1193631

Giza C, Hovda D. The New Neurometabolic Cascade of Concussion. Neurosurgery. 2014;75:S24-S33. doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000000505

Haislop T. Aaron Hernandez timeline: From murders and trials to prison suicide. Sportingnews.com. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/aaron-hernandez-timeline-murders-trials-prison-suicide/1886y82a8bgyx123qxcgg04lb5. Published 2020.

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Episode 4: The Neuroscience of Candy Crush and Other Mindless Match-Three Timesucks Jan 12, 2022

They dominate the doctor's office waiting room, the bus ride home, any spare few minutes in our lives that we want to fill with something low-effort and mindless. What are they? Mobile games like Candy Crush Saga and other mindless match-three timesucks. Listen now to learn about how these games are engineered to hack into your brain to make them easy to get into, satisfying to play, and impossible to put down.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:
Dockterman, E., Candy Crush Saga: The Science Behind our Addiction, TIME, November 13, 2013

Fruhlinger, J., Candy Crush Addiction is Real - and Can Lead to Destructive Results, Observer, (2019).

Soroush, M., Hancock, M., Bohns, VK., Self-Control in Casual Games: The Relationship between Candy Crush Saga (™) players in-app purchases and self-control. IEEE Games Media Entertainment, Conference Paper (2014).

Larche, C., Musielak, N., Dixon, M., The Candy Crush Sweet Tooth: How “Near-misses’ in Candy Crush Increases Frustration, and the Urge to Continue Gameplay, Journal of Gambling Studies (2016).

Madigan, J., Why You Don’t Burn out on Candy Crush Saga, Psychology of Video Games (2013).

Perez-Truglia, R., On the causes and consequences of hedonic adaptation, Journal of Economic Psychology, Volume 33, Issue 6 (2012).

Camgoz, N., Yener, C., Guvenc, D., Effects of hue, saturation, and brightness: Part 2: Attention. Color Research and Application, Volume 29, Issue 1 (2003).

Madore, J., Wagner, A., Multicosts of Multitasking, Cerebrum, (2019).

Duverge, G., Insert More Coins: The Psychology Behind Microtransactions, Touro University Worldwide (2016).

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Episode 3: The Incredible, Unbelievable Story of Phineas Gage Jan 05, 2022

This legend took a metal bar through the brain that took out 4% of his cerebral cortex and still retained the ability to move, speak, and live his life. The behavioral changes that occurred after his accident have fascinated neuroscientists for centuries and still remain a fascinating insight into the function of the prefrontal cortex today.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:
O’Driscoll, K., Leach, J., “‘No longer Gage’: an iron bar through the head, early observations of personality change after injury to the prefrontal cortex, BMJ (1998). doi: 10.1136/bmj.317.7174.1673a

Siddiqui, S., Chatterjee, U., Kumar, D., Siddiqui, A., Goyal, N., Neuropsychology of prefrontal cortex, Indian Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 50, Issue 3 (2008). doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.43634

Harlow, JM, Passage of an iron rod through the head. Boston Med Surg Journal. (1848)

Harlow JM, Recovery from the passage of an iron bar through the head, Publ Mass Med Soc, (1868).

Hamilton, J., Why Brain Scientists are Still Obsessed with the Curious Case of Phineas Gage, NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday (2017).

Demnasio, H., Grabowski, T., Frank, R., Galaburda, AM., Damasio, AR., The Return of Phineas Gage: Clues about the Brain from the Skull of a Famous Patient, Science, Vol. 264, Issue 5162 (May 20, 1994).

Van Horn, JD., Irimia, A., Torgerson, C., Chambers, M., Kikinis, R., Toga, A., Mapping Connectivity Damage in the Case of Phineas Gage, PLoS ONE, Volume 7, Issue 5 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037454

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Episode 2: Neuroscience of Sexy Times Dec 30, 2021

Sex is a complex but inescapable part of our lives. Lots of people do it every day, it affects our advertisements, our clothing, even our interactions with other people. But have you ever wondered what's happening in your brain during sex? Tune in to learn a little bit about the brain regions, circuits, and neurotransmitters at play during sexy times.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:

Hellier et al., Female Sexual Behavior in Mice Controlled by Kisspeptin Neurons, Nature Communications (2018).
Seok, J., Sohn, J., Neural Substrates of Sexual Desire in Individuals with Problematic Hypersexual Disorder, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2015).
Stahl, S., Illustrating the circuits of sexual desire, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2010).
Yang, L., Comninos, A., Dhillo, W., Intrinsic links among sex, emotion, and reproduction, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2018).
Leuner, B., Glasper, E., Gould, E., Sexual Experience Promotes Adult Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus Despite an Initial Elevation in Stress Hormones, PloS One (2010).
Baird, A., Sex and the Single Amygdala, Part 2 of your Sexiest Brain Bits, Psychology Today (2019).
Micevych, P., Meisel, R., Integrating Neural Circuits Controlling Female Sexual Behavior, Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (2017). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2017.00042
Jennings, K., De Lecea, L., Neural and Hormonal Control of Sexual Behavior, Endocrinology, Volume 161, Issue 10 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqaa150
Baird, A. et al., Neurological Control of human sexual behavior: insight from new lesion studies. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, Volume 78, Issue 10, (2006). https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/78/10/1042
Oei, N., Rombouts, S., Soeter, R., van Gerven, J., Both, S., Dopamine modulates reward system activity during subconscious processing of sexual stimuli, Neuropsychopharmacology, Volume 37 (2012). https://www.nature.com/articles/npp201219
Magon, N., Kalra, S., The orgasmic history of oxytocin, love, lust and labor, Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, (2011). 10.4103/2230-8210.84851
Algoe, S., Kurtz, L., Grewen, K., Oxytocin and Social Bonds: The Role of Oxytocin in Perceptions of Romantic Partners’ Bonding Behaviors, Psychological Science, Volume 28, Issue 12 (2017).

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Episode 1: Neuroscience of Anxiety Dec 22, 2021

Whether it's meeting your ex at a party or your upcoming presentation at work, we have all felt the sinking feeling of anxiety. Come and find out a little bit about what's happening upstairs in this bite-sized look at the brain regions, connections, and neurotransmitters involved in anxiety processing and regulation.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour@gmail.com or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:

Price, J.S., An Evolutionary Perspective on Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders, New Insights into Anxiety Disorders (2012).
Davis, M., The Role of the Amygdala in Fear and Anxiety, Annual Review Neuroscience (1992).
Duval, Javanbakht, Liberzon., Neural circuits in anxiety and stress disorders: a focused review, Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management (2015).
Ventura Silva et al., Excitotoxic lesions in the central nucleus of the amygdala attenuate stress-induced anxiety behavior, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2013).
Levar et al., GABA concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex are associated with fear network function and fear recovery in humans, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2017)
Fuchs, Flugge., Cellular consequences of stress and depression, Dialogues Clinical Neuroscience, (2004)
Lechin et al., Effects of buspirone on plasma neurotransmitters in healthy subjects, Journal of Neural Transmission (1998)
Botterill et al., Bidirectional regulation of cognitive and anxiety-like behaviors by dentate gyrus mossy cells in male and female mice, Journal of Neuroscience (2021)
Martin et al., The Neurobiology of Anxiety Disorders: Brain Imaging, Genetics, and Psychoneuroendocrinology, Psychiatric Clinics of North America (2013)
Cominski et al., The role of the hippocampus in avoidance learning and anxiety vulnerability, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (2014).
LeBlanc et al., Striatopallidal neurons control avoidance behaviors in exploratory tasks, Psychiatry (2018).
Adhikari et al., Synchronized Activity between the Ventral Hippocampus and the Medial Prefrontal Cortex during Anxiety, Neuron (2010).
Akimova, E., Lanzenberger, R., Kasper, S., The Seratonin-1A Receptor in Anxiety Disorders, Psychiatry (2009).
Blanco et al., Effects of medial prefrontal cortex lesions on anxiety-like behavior in restrained and non-restrained rats, Behavioral Brain Research, (2009).
Qiao et al., Aberrant Functional Network Connectivity as a Biomarker of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2017).

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