Join Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neurobiology professor and host of the Huberman Lab podcast, as he delves into the intricacies of the brain. He illuminates how the prefrontal cortex influences decision-making and creativity, while sharing personal stories of resilience and the value of therapy. Andrew discusses the significance of vision as a 'superpower' and critiques scientific literacy in society, advocating for better communication in research. His journey from self-doubt to academic success serves as an inspiration, highlighting mentorship's role in personal growth.
02:50:42
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Stress Response
Under stress, your forebrain quiets for 20-30 seconds, prioritizing survival functions.
Familiarization with these transient states prevents being hijacked by the autonomic response.
insights INSIGHT
Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex governs rule-setting by context, crucial for adapting behavior in different situations.
Damage to this area, as in Phineas Gage's case, impairs this adaptability.
insights INSIGHT
Insula's Role
The insula integrates external world information, internal state, and rule sets.
Under stress, insula and amygdala activity can lead prefrontal cortex activity, limiting flexible thinking.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Andrew Huberman is a Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University and host of the Huberman Lab podcast. In this episode, Andrew begins with a fascinating discussion about the brain, including the role of the prefrontal cortex in adjusting your ruleset to match your setting, the neural circuitry underlying the ability of stress to limit creativity and problem-solving, the effect of belief on physiology and performance, and more. He speaks about vision being our “superpower” and compares this to animals that rely more on other senses. Next, he opens up about his personal journey, the struggles and losses he has overcome, the value of therapy, and the many great people who helped him along the way. He speaks to his love of biology and discovery and the importance of staying true to your passion rather than being driven purely by ambition. Lastly, the conversation includes a look to the future of Andrew's scientific work and podcast as well as his unique approach to communicating science and tackling the issue of scientific illiteracy.
We discuss:
Exercise under blood flow restriction, lactate utilization, and transient changes in the brain function in response to adrenaline and stress [3:30];
The role of the prefrontal cortex in governing rulesets [9:15];
New discoveries about the circuitry between the prefrontal cortex, insula, and amygdala, and the insights gleaned about brain function in different emotional states [15:30];
Comparing human vision and other senses to animals [26:00];
A deep dive into vision: evolutionary adaptations, facial recognition, color, and more [39:45];
Sense of smell, pheromones, and why evolution developed better vision over smell [46:30];
The relationship between visual input and time perception [55:30];
Mindset effects: the effect of belief on physiology and performance [1:00:45];
Accessing higher levels of creativity with broadening rulesets and the limiting nature of stress and fear on creativity [1:05:30];
Stress and fear increase autonomic arousal, limit access to rulesets, and inhibit performance [1:12:15];
Andrew’s upbringing, early childhood, and tough adolescent years [1:15:00];
Andrew’s time in a residential treatment program and how he benefited from therapy [1:20:15];
The beginning of positive changes in Andrew’s young life [1:28:30];
Andrew’s decision to turn his life around [1:37:00];
A new passion for science and exercise helps Andrew [1:42:00];
The difference between a postdoc and a PhD [1:54:15];
Staying in touch with the love of biology and not getting pulled into ambition [1:59:15];
Andrew starts his own lab, and continues work to overcome his demons [2:07:00];
The loss of three mentors leads to deep soul searching [2:12:00];
What motivated Andrew to begin his podcast [2:18:00];
Looking to the future of Andrew’s scientific work, podcast, and more [2:22:45];
Andrew’s unique approach to communicating science and the issue of scientific illiteracy [2:30:00]; and
The Peter Attia Drive 
