Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 317 | Nicole Rust on Why Neuroscience Hasn't Solved Brain Disorders
143 snips
Jun 9, 2025 
Nicole Rust, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a neuroscientist specializing in mood, visual recognition, and memory, discusses the complicated nature of the brain and its impact on understanding brain disorders. She explores why advancements in neuroscience haven't translated into effective treatments, emphasizing the need for innovative diagnostic tools and a compassionate view of neurodiversity. Rust also touches on the roles of genetics, the interplay of environment, and alternative therapies, including psychedelics, in addressing psychiatric challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Computer Vision Inspires Brain Models
- The 2012 breakthrough in computer vision used deep neural networks to recognize objects, inspiring brain research models.
- This task-optimized framework shows computer models resemble brain processing at the neuronal population level.
Brain Disorders Are Complex Systems
- The 'domino chain' model from genes to brain dysfunction is an oversimplification that misses complex feedback.
- Brain disorders involve multilevel complex dynamical systems with feedback, not simple linear causes.
Amyloid Hypothesis Limits Alzheimer’s Cure
- Amyloid gene mutation causes Alzheimer’s with certainty, but clearing amyloid plaques drugs only marginally slow decline.
- The amyloid hypothesis is now seen as an oversimplification needing multi-level system approaches.
