You, Illuminated

Anxiety

Born Late: The Trouble With Due Dates

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on April 18, 2016

Waiting for a baby to be born can be an anxious experience. A classic psychology study explains part of the reason why, and offers clues to ease your worries.

Waiting for a baby to be born can be an anxious experience. A classic psychology study explains part of the reason why, and offers clues to ease your worries.

Deception

How the Brain Processes Keeping up With the Joneses

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on October 7, 2014

Is outdoing your peers the opposite of being outdone, or a different experience entirely? Neuroscientists Michael Lindner and Klaus Fliessbach at the University of Bonn in Germany recently addressed this question.

Is outdoing your peers the opposite of being outdone, or a different experience entirely? Neuroscientists Michael Lindner and Klaus Fliessbach at the University of Bonn in Germany recently addressed this question.

The legalization of marijuana in some U.S. states raises one key question: Does marijuana have long-lasting effects on the brain? Let's explore the evidence.

Finding the receptor is the first step in determining how smoking causes a high. The next step is to figure out where cannabinoid receptors are and what they’re doing.

Alcoholism

What Does Marijuana Really Do to the Brain?

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on July 27, 2014

While perception of marijuana may be in flux, one thing hasn’t changed: its psychoactive effects. With those effects cropping up in conversation more frequently as new laws make headlines, it’s high time I found out what marijuana does to the brain.

While perception of marijuana may be in flux, one thing hasn’t changed: its psychoactive effects. With those effects cropping up in conversation more frequently as new laws make headlines, it’s high time I found out what marijuana does to the brain.

Education

Making Learning Fun

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on June 20, 2014

June 20th is Summer Learning Day. I marked the occasion by speaking with Sooinn Lee, who recently gave a Ted Talk called, “When learning is painful.” Lee is the founder of LocoMotive Labs, where they have developed an iPad app, “Todo Math,” to help children from kindergarten to second grade hone their math skills.

June 20th is Summer Learning Day. I marked the occasion by speaking with Sooinn Lee, who recently gave a Ted Talk called, “When learning is painful.” Lee is the founder of LocoMotive Labs, where they have developed an iPad app, “Todo Math,” to help children from kindergarten to second grade hone their math skills.

Pornography

Have We Discovered a Hidden Danger of Pornography?

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on June 5, 2014

Men who have watched more porn have smaller volume in the striatum, a region of the brain’s reward network. The link between striatum size and time watching porn could mean that repeated exposure dulls the reward circuitry’s response to pleasure. Or not.

Men who have watched more porn have smaller volume in the striatum, a region of the brain’s reward network. The link between striatum size and time watching porn could mean that repeated exposure dulls the reward circuitry’s response to pleasure. Or not.

Testosterone

School Program Dampens Threat Response, Aggression

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on April 16, 2014

According to a new study, experiences during childhood affect how you handle angering encounters as an adult. Previous studies have shown that high-quality care can decrease the risk for aggression, but it wasn’t clear why. Justin Carré had a hunch it might have to do with testosterone.

According to a new study, experiences during childhood affect how you handle angering encounters as an adult. Previous studies have shown that high-quality care can decrease the risk for aggression, but it wasn’t clear why. Justin Carré had a hunch it might have to do with testosterone.

Trust

How the Brain Feels Betrayed

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on March 31, 2014

Betrayal hurts. A recent study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences asked why; how does the brain process the possibility of betrayal? In addition to great tragedy, betrayal also makes great science.

Betrayal hurts. A recent study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences asked why; how does the brain process the possibility of betrayal? In addition to great tragedy, betrayal also makes great science.

Spirituality

How to Build Character

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on March 19, 2014

I recently had the chance to speak with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, whose latest film, The Science of Character, reminds us that we can grow and develop character traits throughout our lives.

I recently had the chance to speak with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, whose latest film, The Science of Character, reminds us that we can grow and develop character traits throughout our lives.

Neuroscience

The Science of Viral Videos

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on March 13, 2014

The last time you sent your friend a link to a video, did you think about why? Philosophers have been grappling with similar questions for millennia. Only in the past few years, however, have we had the chance to glimpse the neural underpinnings that drive us to share. A recent study suggests brain activity offers clues to how popular a song might become.

The last time you sent your friend a link to a video, did you think about why? Philosophers have been grappling with similar questions for millennia. Only in the past few years, however, have we had the chance to glimpse the neural underpinnings that drive us to share. A recent study suggests brain activity offers clues to how popular a song might become.

Executive Function

The Midas Touch

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on December 27, 2013

Babies born prematurely who were held for an hour daily for two weeks had better executive function--impulse control, planning and focus--than preemies who were kept in an incubator 24 hours a day. The brain has critical windows for development, and the time soon after birth has disproportional weight. The benefits of quality care extend at least to age 10.

Babies born prematurely who were held for an hour daily for two weeks had better executive function--impulse control, planning and focus--than preemies who were kept in an incubator 24 hours a day. The brain has critical windows for development, and the time soon after birth has disproportional weight. The benefits of quality care extend at least to age 10.

Psychopathy

How To Think Like a Psychopath

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on November 25, 2013

I recently had the chance to speak with neuroscientist James Fallon, Ph.D. whose book “The Psychopath Inside” came out this month. Psychopathy has been an interest of mine for several years, so it was great to talk with a fellow brain nerd about what causes it, how it manifests, and why it exists at all.

I recently had the chance to speak with neuroscientist James Fallon, Ph.D. whose book “The Psychopath Inside” came out this month. Psychopathy has been an interest of mine for several years, so it was great to talk with a fellow brain nerd about what causes it, how it manifests, and why it exists at all.

Depression

Can Jogging Relieve Depression?

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on October 17, 2013

A recent review tested whether exercise decreased depression. When including all 35 potential studies comparing exercise to no treatment, exercise provided a modest benefit. However, when only the 6 studies that made every effort to minimize bias were included, exercise’s benefits were small and statistically insignificant. That's far from a slam dunk.

A recent review tested whether exercise decreased depression. When including all 35 potential studies comparing exercise to no treatment, exercise provided a modest benefit. However, when only the 6 studies that made every effort to minimize bias were included, exercise’s benefits were small and statistically insignificant. That's far from a slam dunk.

I just discovered the answer to the age-old after-the-bar question: what should you eat to help sober up?

Friends

Brain Chemistry and Upbringing Shape How We Make Friends

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on June 18, 2013

Having good friends benefits our health, happiness and overall life satisfaction. Despite friendship’s importance, we had little understanding of how we learn to make friends. New evidence from Ruth Feldman at Bar-Ilan University in Israel showed for the first time that early parenting and biology interact to shape how we relate to our friends.

Having good friends benefits our health, happiness and overall life satisfaction. Despite friendship’s importance, we had little understanding of how we learn to make friends. New evidence from Ruth Feldman at Bar-Ilan University in Israel showed for the first time that early parenting and biology interact to shape how we relate to our friends.

Neuroscience

Why Do We Backseat Drive? A Brain Perspective

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on May 20, 2013

The grocery store is seven blocks from my house and I know exactly how to get there. But when my wife started driving there she took a wrong turn. An instant after I asked her where the hell she was going, I realized she probably knew what she was doing, but it was too late. The fight was on.

The grocery store is seven blocks from my house and I know exactly how to get there. But when my wife started driving there she took a wrong turn. An instant after I asked her where the hell she was going, I realized she probably knew what she was doing, but it was too late. The fight was on.

Law and Crime

Can We Predict Crime Using Brain Scans?

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on April 17, 2013

A study out this past month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that forecasting future criminal behavior could become reality in the near future. The study offers the first evidence that brain scans might be used to predict who will commit a crime.

A study out this past month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that forecasting future criminal behavior could become reality in the near future. The study offers the first evidence that brain scans might be used to predict who will commit a crime.

Placebo

More Coffee, Less Bang?

Joshua Gowin Ph.D. on March 30, 2013

According to a new study from the University of Bristol, regular caffeine consumers may not receive any benefit in performance. Worse still, they may depend on their favorite beverage just to function at the baseline level of non-consumers.

According to a new study from the University of Bristol, regular caffeine consumers may not receive any benefit in performance. Worse still, they may depend on their favorite beverage just to function at the baseline level of non-consumers.

The next time you take a pill to relieve a headache, time how long it takes until the pain disappears.