The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy E98 - What can Neuroscience tell us about Mental Health? (with Dr. Camilla Nord)
Oct 3, 2024
Dr. Camilla Nord, a leading neuroscientist and author of 'The Balanced Brain,' discusses the intersection of neuroscience and mental health. She delves into dopamine's role in psychological symptoms and how neurological conditions can manifest physically. The conversation highlights the distinction between acute and chronic pain, as well as the impact of expectations on mental well-being. Dr. Nord emphasizes mental health as a dynamic state and the importance of personalized treatments, advocating for evidence-based approaches in decision-making.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Patient Cases Sparked New Focus
- Camilla Nord described encountering patients with functional neurological disorders and how that shifted her interest to how brain functions alter physical health.
- She then did a PhD on depression and later studied body functions like inflammation and the gut to explore reverse effects.
Steroid Injection Changed Her Pain Long-Term
- Camilla shared a personal chronic pain story where a steroid injection produced longer-lasting relief than expected.
- She attributes the sustained improvement to changing brain-maintained attention and emotional maintenance factors around pain.
Expectations Dominate Perception
- Nord explained that expectations shape perception and are strong, implicit beliefs updated by experience rather than conscious choice.
- These expectation-driven processes help explain why mental and physical health overlap in the brain.