ALS, a nervous system disease, ruled the headlines in the summer of 2014 thanks to the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. How has our knowledge of the disorder evolved a decade later? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ‘Lou Gehrig's disease’ (named after the iconic baseball player), is a progressive neurological disorder which breaks down a person’s motor neurons. The main symptoms are muscle weakness and impaired physical function — mild, at first, but in the latter stages of the disease’s progression, essential processes like breathing begin to fail. Most individuals face a life expectancy of two to five years. A small percentage live five to ten years. And an even tinier group survive beyond a decade. Most famously, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking survived more than 50 years past his diagnosis, in part due to the intensive care he was able to afford. In this episode of the ‘Your Brain On...’ podcast, we discuss: • What ALS is, and how it affects the brain and the body • The onset and progression of ALS, from the earliest symptoms to the end-stage impacts • How ALS patients are diagnosed, treated, and cared for • Likely causes of ALS, including genetic predispositions and potential environmental risk factors • How new technologies are rapidly accelerating our understanding of ALS, especially in genetics Joining us for this installment of the show are two world-class experts on the disease: • Professor Ammar Al-Chalabi PhD, Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute at King's College. • Merit Cudkowicz, Director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... ALS’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 3 ——— LINKS PROFESSOR AMMAR AL-CHALABI at King’s College: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/ammar-al-chalabi at Motor Neurone Disease Disease Association: https://www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/cure-finders/professor-ammar-al-chalabi Project MinE: https://projectmine.com/ MERIT CUDKOWICZ at Massachusetts General Hospital: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/16904/merit-cudkowicz  at Harvard University: https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/1520993/Merit-Cudkowicz ——— ANNOUNCING: NEURO WORLD RETREAT 2025 We’re so excited to share something very close to our hearts, which we’ve been working on over the past few months: our first ever brain health retreat! You’re warmly invited to join us in San Diego, California for the inaugural NEURO World Retreat 2025, taking place September 2–5, 2025 at the breathtaking Paradise Point Resort. For more information, and to book, visit: https://neuroworldretreat.com/ ——— FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com Instagram: @thebraindocs Website: TheBrainDocs.com More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast ——— References: Brown, Robert H., and Ammar Al-Chalabi. "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." New England Journal of Medicine 377.2 (2017): 162-172. Benatar, Michael, et al. "A roadmap to ALS prevention: strategies and priorities." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 94.5 (2023): 399-402. Voigtlaender, Sebastian, et al. "Artificial intelligence in neurology: opportunities, challenges, and policy implications." Journal of Neurology 271.5 (2024): 2258-2273. Zinman, Lorne, and Merit Cudkowicz. "Emerging targets and treatments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." The Lancet Neurology 10.5 (2011): 481-490. Raghav, Yogindra, et al. "Identification of gene fusions associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Muscle & Nerve 69.4 (2024): 477-489. Su, Feng-Chiao, et al. "Association of environmental toxins with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." JAMA neurology 73.7 (2016): 803-811. Talbott, Evelyn O., et al. "Case-control study of environmental toxins and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis involving the national ALS registry." Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration (2024): 1-10.

For decades, ketamine has mainly been used as an anaesthetic, but in more recent years, it’s gained popularity in mental health treatment. Conversations around the benefits and risks associated with its therapeutic usage ignited towards the end of 2023, when actor Matthew Perry, star of the sitcom ‘Friends’, died from the acute effects of the ketamine he was using to treat anxiety. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss: • The neurochemical mechanisms of ketamine, and its interplay with depression • What we know about the opportunities and pitfalls of using ketamine in mental health treatment • The potential for ketamine use in reducing the impacts of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s • How technology and improvements in passive and active data collection are helping us better understand how ketamine affects cognition and neuroplasticity • The history of ketamine’s use as an antidepressant • How ketamine is actually administered, through various dosages and courses of treatment We’re welcoming two of the leading figures in this space to the podcast: Dr. Gerard Sanacora, who is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and the Director of the Yale Depression Research Program, and Dr. John Krystal, also from Yale: a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology. This is... Your Brain On Ketamine. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Ketamine’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 2 ——— LINKS DR. GERARD SANACORA Dr. Sanacora at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/gerard-sanacora/ The Yale Depression Research Program: https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/depression/ DR. JOHN KRYSTAL Dr. Krystal at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/john-krystal/ ——— FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com Instagram: @thebraindocs Website: TheBrainDocs.com More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

From the first spark of attraction, all the way to climax, sex sets off chemical fireworks in your brain. And yet, this beautiful, powerful act has become mired in shame and stigma. But through open conversation and deeper scientific understanding, we can cast off those shackles, and even embrace sex as a marker for cognitive and overall health. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’ — our Season 4 debut! — we discuss: • The neurological processes involved with sex, arousal, attraction, and desire • Why studying the cognitive effects of sexual stimuli can be so complicated • How our relationship with sex is altered as we age, and is affected by periods of change like menopause • The neuroscientific differences between masturbation and sex with a partner • The complex debate about pornography consumption, and the need for better sex education • The links between brain health, heart health, mental health, and sexual health • The benefits of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management for sexual health • Motivations and methods for freeing conversations about sex from stigmas and taboos — especially for women Joining us for this immensely important conversation are two fantastic guests: sexual behaviour expert and data scientist Dr. Nicole Prause, and sexual medicine expert and urogynecologist Rena Malik. This is... Your Brain On Sex. ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Sex’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 1 (SEASON 4 DEBUT) — LINKS Dr. Nicole Prause at UCLA: https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/medicine/gastro/research/labs-and-programs/patel-laboratory Dr. Nicole Prause on Twitter: https://x.com/nicolerprause Dr. Nicole Prause on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicolerprause.bsky.social Dr. Rena Malik’s website: https://renamalikmd.com/ Dr. Rena Malik on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RenaMalikMD Dr. Rena Malik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renamalikmd/ — FOLLOW US Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com Instagram: @thebraindocs Website: TheBrainDocs.com More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast  

In this engaging discussion, nutrition scientists Matthew Nagra and Alan Flanagan delve into the complex world of protein. They dissect the health benefits of protein for both body and brain, emphasizing its necessity as we age. The conversation explores the merits of plant-based versus meat protein, along with the potential pitfall of over-reliance on protein supplements. Nagra and Flanagan clarify how much protein we actually need and share tips on incorporating quality protein sources into our diets, challenging popular myths along the way.

In this enlightening discussion, guests include David L. Katz, a leader in preventive medicine, and Steven Novella, a clinical neurologist and skeptic. They tackle the deluge of misinformation flooding social media, emphasizing the crucial need for critical thinking in navigating health advice. Jonathan Stea shares insights on the psychological impacts of health decisions, while Idrees Mughal, a misinformation debunker, highlights the importance of scientific literacy. Together, they explore strategies for effective science communication and educational reform to combat pseudoscience.

20 incredible conversations with leading scientists, in one hour. We’re excited to present this special installment of Your Brain On, featuring highlights from some of the speakers talking at our first ever Brain Health Revolution Summit. Our first summit, running September 30 through October 6 2024, features seven days of hour-long discussions with the scientists who are actually conducting the studies, publishing the papers, and pushing public health policy reforms that are shaping our world. No matter when you’re listening to this episode, visit https://bhrsummit.com/ for more information about the summit — be it our first 2024 edition, or a future installment! Day 1: The Brain Health Landscape: From Insights to Action Day 2: Mental Health Matters and Heart Health for a Stronger Brain Day 3: Women’s Brain Health: Hormones, Longevity, and Vitality Day 4: Emerging Challenges in Brain Health Day 5: Fuel for Thought: Nutrition, the Gut, and the Brain Day 6: Move, Breathe, Thrive: Exercise and Stress Management Day 7: Recharge and Optimize: Sleep and Cognitive Performance This special episode includes excerpts of our conversations with:  Rachel Dolhun, MD Michael Okun, MD Charles DeCarli, MD Ari Tuckman, PsyD Amishi Jha, PhD Danielle Belardo, MD Margarett McCarthy, PhD Lisa Mosconi, PhD Lisa Genova Idrees ‘Dr. Idz’ Mughal, MBBS, MRes, DipIBLM Daniele Piomelli, PhD Frank Lin, MD, PhD Alan Flanagan, PhD Matthew Nagra, ND Stuart Phillips, PhD Natali Edmonds, PhD Satchin Panda, PhD Donn Posner, MD Sujay Kansagra, MD Yaakov Stern, PhD For more information about the Brain Health Revolution Summit, visit: https://bhrsummit.com/  The Brain Health Revolution Summit 2024 is presented in partnership with Healthy Minds Initiative: thymindsinitiative.org ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Brian Hare, a Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology and author of 'The Genius of Dogs', and Gregory Berns, a Professor of Psychology and neuroeconomics expert, dive into the fascinating bond between humans and their pets. They discuss how oxytocin reveals dogs’ love for us and how our companionship alters their brains. The conversation touches on the emotional healing power of pets, the complexities of dog cognition, and the implications of research on the human-animal relationship. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for empathy and ethical treatment.

Dive into the buzz of coffee and its fascinating effects on the brain! Discover how caffeine can wake you up and boost concentration while potentially guarding against neurodegenerative diseases. Uncover the delicate balance of coffee’s benefits and risks, including addiction concerns and metabolism differences. Explore the rich history of coffee, from its roots in Ethiopia to its significant role in Sufi rituals and social gatherings. Plus, learn about the different types of coffee and their unique impacts on our health!

Dr. Lisa Schulman, a grief neurologist and author, along with Amber Jeffrey, a grief mentor and podcast host, dive deep into the intricate relationship between grief and brain health. They discuss how grief can alter neural function, likening it to emotional trauma. Creative outlets like journaling are highlighted as powerful coping mechanisms. The guests challenge the oversimplified five stages of grief, emphasizing community support and cultural perspectives in healing. Their conversation is a profound exploration of living with grief and finding joy amidst loss.

Dr. Natali Edmonds, a board-certified geropsychologist and founder of Dementia Careblazers, and Dr. Helen Lavretsky, a Psychiatry Professor at UCLA, dive into the vital topic of caregiver well-being. They discuss the emotional toll caregiving takes, emphasizing the importance of self-care. Learn how lifestyle changes and meditation can offset stress, and hear about the need for community support and policy reforms. They also touch on emerging tech solutions, including robotics, that can ease the burden of caregivers.