What Science Says

Latest Episodes:

13. How hormonal birth control affects brain health and emotional regulation Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

In this weeks episode of the What Science Says podcast, our host and in-house neuroscientist, Mahshad, talks about how hormonal birth control affects our brain and emotional regulation. We learn the changes that happen in amygdala and how they manifest as changes in response to emotional situations.

12. How Our Brain Changes During the Menstrual Cycle Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

In today’s episode, we learn the changes that our brain undergoes throughout the menstrual cycle, in response to the cyclical hormonal changes.

11. Eight (8) Ways Exercise Improves Memory May 25, 2023

Show notes

In today’s What Science Says Podcast episode, Mahshad, our host and neuroscientist, talks about 8 key ways that exercise improves memory. We talk about brain oxygen levels, increases in brain volume, insulin sensitivity, neurogenesis and much more.

10. How does generational trauma affect brain health? May 18, 2023

Show notes

In today’s episode of the What Science Says podcast, our host and in-house neuroscientist Mahshad, tackles the heavy subject of generational trauma. We learn how trauma is passed down through generations, how it affects the brain and our stress machinery, and what its outcomes are for its victims.

9. Air pollution increases risk of Parkinson's! Here's how to protect yourself from it. May 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the what science says podcast, our host and neuroscientist, Mahshad, explores how air pollution damages the brain and increases the risk of developing Parkinson's, and the damage can start from a very young age and accumulate over time. But the good news is, we also learn about very effective tools we can add to our life tool kit to protect our brain from this damage!

8. How does sleep help us remember things and prevent Alzheimer's disease? May 04, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the What Science Says podcast, our host and neuroscientist Mahshad, explores the important impact good sleep has on memory, brain waste clearance and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

7. Four Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the What Science Says Podcast, our host and neuroscientist, Mahshad, talks about the start of Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's disease vs. the start of the symptoms of these diseases. We also learn about factors that increase the risk of these diseases, and what we can do to prevent them.

6. Can Diabetes Cause Alzheimer's Disease? Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode of the What Science Says podcast, our host Mahshad talks about four key mechanisms that link Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. With both diseases on the rise, we explore whether diabetes causes Alzheimer's disease. References: Prasad et al. Diabetes Mellitus and Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction: An Overview. J Pharmacovigil. 2014 Jun; 2(2): 125. Mullins et al. Insulin Resistance as a Link between Amyloid-Beta and Tau Pathologies in Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017; 9: 118. Michailidis et al. Antidiabetic Drugs in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May; 23(9): 4641.

5. Can Omega-3 Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease? Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the WhatScienceSays podcast, we learn about the protective effects of omega-3 against Alzheimer's disease. We learn about the dosage and the specific type of omega-3 fatty acid that is most beneficial. This episode is hosted by Mahshad, a neuroscientist and PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children. References: 1. Chiu CC, Su KP, Cheng TC, Liu HC, Chang CJ, Dewey ME, Stewart R, Huang SY. The effects of omega-3 fatty acids monotherapy in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a preliminary randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Jan 1;32(6):1538-44. 2. Freund-Levi Y, Eriksdotter-Jönhagen M, Cederholm T, Basun H, Faxén-Irving G, Garlind A, Vedin I, Vessby B, Wahlund LO, Palmblad J. Omega-3 fatty acid treatment in 174 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease: OmegAD study: a randomized double-blind trial. Arch Neurol. 2006 Oct;63(10):1402-8. 3. Yurko-Mauro K, McCarthy D, Rom D, Nelson EB, Ryan AS, Blackwell A, Salem N Jr, Stedman M; MIDAS Investigators. Beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-related cognitive decline. Alzheimers Dement. 2010 Nov;6(6):456-64. 4. Jernerén F, Elshorbagy AK, Oulhaj A, Smith SM, Refsum H, Smith AD. Brain atrophy in cognitively impaired elderly: the importance of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids and B vitamin status in a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jul;102(1):215-21. 5. Cunnane SC, Plourde M, Pifferi F, Bégin M, Féart C, Barberger-Gateau P. Fish, docosahexaenoic acid and Alzheimer's disease. Prog Lipid Res. 2009 Jan;48(1):239-56.

4. Does Omega-3 Help with Depression? Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode, we see what science says about omega-3 and depression. Does omega-3 help manage symptoms of depression? What kind of omega-3 are we talking about? What is the optimal dose? Listen to find out the answer to these questions and more! Mahshad, our host, is a neuroscientist and PhD candidate that will answer these questions based on data from peer-reviewed articles from reputable sources. References: Liao et al., Efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs in depression: A meta-analysis, Translational Psychiatry (2019)9:190 Nemets at l., Addition of Omega-3 Fatty Acid to Maintenance Medication Treatment for Recurrent Unipolar Depressive Disorder, Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159:477–479) Peet et al., A Dose Ranging Study of the Effects of Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoate in Patients with Ongoing Depression Despite Apparently Adequate Treatment with Standard Drugs, Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected