PreFrontal Nudity

There are many straightforward ways that the brain contributes to a great athletic performance, like the motor cortex and cerebellum, which control athletic movements. But there are also less obvious emotional circuits that involve the prefrontal cortex, limbic system and anterior cingulate cortex, and they might just help crown the next National Champion. Read More

You’re going to fail at your New Year's Resolution because your brain is designed for you to fail. It sucks, but that’s the way it is. But if you understand the trick to re-training your brain then you might just have a chance. Read More

One Thanksgiving Day tradition has the power to reshape your neural pathways. It’s right there in the name. Thanks giving. Giving of thanks, also known as gratitude, can keep you healthier and happier. Read More

If you're thinking of running a marathon there's something you should know about your brain. Read More

When your brow is furrowed your brain thinks that you're upset about something. So if you can master the muscles of your forehead, you may be able to enhance your feelings of tranquility. Read More

I met Chip in 2003 when I began coaching the UCLA women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. She was a great athlete, but she got sick a lot. She often sat out half of practice, or skipped it altogether. I got a little annoyed, because I felt she should be able to play through her frequent colds, or whatever was making her sick. It turned out she had a deeper illness ... Read More

To help your kid's brain develop its full potential, you don't need all that fancy book learnin'; you just need to start with a little self-awareness. Read More

If you have kids you can really mess them up. But don't despair. You also have the opportunity to make your kids great. Sure they've got your lame genes, but genes aren't everything. How you interact with them changes their brain development. Read More

Jet lag happens when you travel across multiple time zones, because your brain's internal clock is no longer synchronized to the clock on the wall. In this post I'll explain exactly what is going on in your brain, and how to trick your brain to avoid the worst effects of jet lag. Read More

With Thanksgiving coming up, you may have heard that turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, which boosts the levels of serotonin and melatonin in your brain. It's practically common knowledge. But is it true? Read More

The ability to resist temptation is facilitated by the neurotransmitter serotonin. In contrast, dopamine pushes you to eat junk food, watch too much TV, lust after the opposite (or same) sex, and seek out drugs of abuse. Your ability to make good life decisions in large part depends on the relative strength of these two neurotransmitter systems. Read More

Zebra's don't spend all their time worrying about getting eaten by lions.  Even though its a gruesome death that is not only a fairly likely scenario, but they also have no control over it.  Yet somehow they manage to lead happy lives.  If you had the same worries hanging over your head, how would you fare? Read More

Professional soccer players train their whole lives to get to the World Cup, and are skilled enough to pretty much place the ball wherever they want.  So how can they miss a shot on goal from just a few yards away?  The prefrontal cortex may hold the answer. Read More