Brainstorm - To The Best of Our Knowledge (NPR)

From this week's To The Best of Our Knowledge (on NPR), a collection of five segments/interviews on the human brain. Richard Davidson talks about his most recent book, The Emotional Life of Your Brain; David and Kristen Finch talk about his battle with Asperger's Syndrome, and the book he wrote about the process, The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband; Martha Herbert talks about autism and her book, The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be; V.S. Ramachandran talks about "phantom limb syndrome" and his book, The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human; and Frank Browning talks about "the dancing brain."

This episode (or parts of it) originally aired in 2012.

Brainstorm

04.07.2013
(was 04.15.2012)

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Interviewer(s):

• Jim Fleming
• Steve Paulson
• Anne Strainchamps

Guest(s):

• Richard Davidson
• David and Kristen Finch
• Martha Herbert
• V.S. Ramachandran
• Frank Browning

We explore the frontiers of brain science, from the neurobiology of emotions to recent discoveries about autism. Renowned neuroscientists Richard Davidson and V.S. Ramachandran reveal new insights into the brain, and we'll hear the story of one marriage saved by a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome.

Would you like to take the Aspie quiz? Here's a link:

RELATED LINK(S):

• Martha Herbert's website
• David Finch's website 

* * * * *

MARTHA HERBERT ON "THE AUTISM REVOLUTION"

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Extended Interview

Transcript

Autism's a tricky diagnosis. And its causes are also mysterious. Harvard Medical School neurologist Martha Herbert t advocates a whole-body approach, which looks at environmental toxins, vitamin deficiencies and immune problems.

* * * * *

DAVID AND KRISTEN FINCH ON ASPERGER DIAGNOSIS

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The marriage of David and Kristen Finch was falling apart when Kristen asked Dave to take the "Aspie quiz." It turns out Dave has Asperger Syndrome. They talk about how the diagnosis changed their lives.

* * * * *

RICHARD DAVIDSON ON THE EMOTIONAL BRAIN

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Neuroscientist Richie Davidson has developed an entirely new model for understanding the science of emotions. He talks about this paradigm shift and the personal journey that led to it. 

* * * * *

FRANK BROWNING ON THE DANCING BRAIN

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What happens in your brain when you dance? Frank Browning talks with scientists and choreographers in France and the U.S. about the "dancing brain."

* * * * *

V.S. RAMACHANDRAN ON PHANTOM LIMB SYNDROME

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Transcript

Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran is renowned for his ability to crack strange neurological mysteries. He tells Steve Paulson about the science behind phantom limb syndrome and his ingenious treatment for it. 

RELATED BOOKS: 

The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be
(Martha Dr Herbert, Karen Weintraub) 

The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband
(David Finch)  

The Emotional Life of Your Brain
(Richard Davidson)

The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human
(V. S. Ramachandran)