From Our Neurons to Yours

Earlier this year, President Obama's signature BRAIN Initiative, which has powered advances in neuroscience for the past 10 years, had its budget slashed by 40%. Over the past decade, the BRAIN Initiative made roughly $4 billion in targeted investments in more than 1500 research projects across the country and has dramatically accelerated progress tackling fundamental challenges in neuroscience. As we head into the next federal budget cycle, the future of the initiative remains uncertain. Today we take stock of how the BRAIN Initiative transformed neuroscience over the past 10 years, and what the outlook is for the future of the field.To give us an unparalleled behind the scenes view, we are fortunate to have Bill Newsome with us on the show. A world renowned expert in the brain mechanisms of visual perception and decision-making, Bill co-chaired the original BRAIN Initiative planning committee in 2013 (the same year he became the founding director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute here at Stanford). Don't miss this conversation!Learn MoreAbout the BRAIN Initiative NIH BRAIN Initiative websiteA Leader of Obama's New Brain Initiative Explains Why We Need It (WIRED, April 2013)BRAIN @ 10: A decade of innovation (Neuron, Sept 2024)Reflecting on a decade of BRAIN—10 Institutes and Centers, one mission (NIH BRAIN Blog, Aug 2024)About last year's funding cuts: Understanding the BRAIN Initiative budget (NIH BRAIN Initiative)$278 million cut in BRAIN Initiative funding leaves neuroscientists in limbo (The Transmitter, April 2024)The Future of BRAIN Initiative Funding Remains Unclear (The Transmitter, July 2024)Get in touchWe're doing some listener research and we want to hear from your neurons! Email us at at neuronspodcast@stanford.edu if you'd be willing to help out, and we'll be in touch with some follow-up questions.Episode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne at 14th Street Studios, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker. Our logo is by Aimee Garza. The show is hosted by Nicholas Weiler at Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Given the widespread legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational uses, you'd think we'd have a better understanding of how it works. But ask a neuroscientist exactly how cannabinoid compounds like THC and CBD alter our perceptions or lead to potential medical benefits, and you'll soon learn just how little we know.We know that these molecules hijack an ancient signaling system in the brain called the "endocannabinoid" system (translation: the "cannabinoids within"). These somewhat exotic signaling molecules (made of fatty lipids and traveling "backwards" compared to other transmitters) have been deeply mysterious until recently, when new tools made it possible to visualize their activity directly in the brain.So what is the "day job" of the endocannabinoid system — and how does it connect to the dramatic highs that come with taking THC or the medical benefits of CBD? To unpack all this, we're talking this week with neuroscientist Ivan Soltesz, the James Doty Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience at Stanford, and a leading expert on the endocannabinoid system.Learn MoreThe Soltesz Lab"Weeding out bad waves: towards selective cannabinoid circuit control in epilepsy" (Soltesz et al, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2015) "Keep off the grass? Cannabis, cognition and addiction" (Parsons et al, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2016)"Marijuana-like brain substance calms seizures but increases aftereffects, study finds" (Goldman, Stanford Medicine News, 2021)"Retrograde endocannabinoid signaling at inhibitory synapses in vivo" (Dudok et al, Science, 2024)Vote for us!We are a finalist for a prestigious Signal Award for Best Science Podcast of 2024! Share your love for the show by voting for us in the Listener's Choice category by October 17. Thanks in advance!Get in touch:We're doing some listener research and we want to hear from your neurons! Email us at at neuronspodcast@stanford.edu if you'd be willing to help out, and we'll be in touch with some follow-up questions.Episode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne at 14th Street Studios, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker. Our logo is by Aimee Garza. The show is hosted by Nicholas Weiler at Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Lisa Giocomo, a Stanford neurobiologist, delves into the fascinating correlation between memory and navigation. She explains the ancient technique of memory palaces, showing how familiar spaces help us remember information. The discussion brings to light the vital role of the hippocampus in forming mental maps and its tie to our personal narratives. Giocomo also explores how movement influences memory, highlighting that physical experiences and emotions enhance retention, ultimately revealing how we construct our identity through our spatial understanding.

Mike Greicius, a Stanford neurologist and expert on Alzheimer's treatments, discusses the recent surge of amyloid-clearing drugs. He critiques their effectiveness, suggesting they may cause more harm than good. Greicius highlights the skepticism among doctors regarding these drugs due to minimal cognitive benefits seen in trials. He also explores genetic factors influencing Alzheimer's risk and the shift in research focus from amyloid to tau proteins, offering a glimpse of hope for more effective therapies in the future.

Getting help for depression can be like purgatory. Setting aside for a moment the stigma and other barriers to seeking treatment in the first place, finding the right combination of medication and/or therapy can be a months- or years-long process of trial and error. And for about one third of people, nothing seems to work.Today we're talking with Dr. Leanne Williams, the founding director of the Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health and Wellness and Vincent V.C. Woo Professor in the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Williams and her team have recently used brain imaging and machine learning techniques to identify six distinct "biotypes" of depression — each of which may require a different approach to treatment. Beyond setting the stage for more targeted therapies, better understanding the biology behind the disease could finally cut through the stigma of one of the world's most common brain disorders.Learn moreWilliams' Personalized and Translational Neuroscience Lab (PANlab)The Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health and WellnessNEW: Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances brain circuits to relieve depression (Stanford Medicine, 2024)Six distinct types of depression identified in Stanford Medicine-led study(Stanford Medicine, 2024)Personalized brain circuit scores identify clinically distinct biotypes in depression and anxiety (Nature Medicine, 2024)Brain scans could help personalize treatment for people who are depressed or suicidal (Science, 2022)Williams' scientific publicationsEpisode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker, and hosted by Nicholas Weiler. Art by Aimee Garza.Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

In a compelling discussion, Stanford neuro-oncologist Michelle Monje sheds light on her groundbreaking work in cancer neuroscience. She reveals how deadly brain tumors engage with healthy brain tissue, relying on electrical signals to thrive. Monje explores the surprising dependency of many cancers on the nervous system, opening up new avenues for treatment. The conversation dives into the challenges of treating high-grade gliomas in children and the dynamic interplay between gliomas and neurons, highlighting innovative therapeutic strategies on the horizon.

This week on From Our Neurons to Yours, we're talking about using new techniques for growing human brain tissue in the lab to solve a rare neurological disorder.Host Nicholas Weiler sits down with Sergiu Pasca an innovative Stanford scientist who has developed groundbreaking technologies to grow human brain tissue in the lab, creating "organoids" and "assembloids" that model brain disorders like autism and schizophrenia. Pasca describes the process of turning patient skin cells into embryo-like stem cells and then into functional brain cells that can live and develop for over two years, and even be transplanted into rat brains to study their growth and development.It may sound like science fiction, but these techniques represent a major step toward understanding and treating complex neurological conditions such as Timothy syndrome, a rare genetic disorder whose biology Pasca has spent the past 15 years unraveling. Join us for fascinating glimpse into the future of developmental neuroscience and  potential for new therapies for our remarkable self-assembling brains.Learn moreBrain organoids and assembloids are new models for elucidating, treating neurodevelopmental disorders | News Center | Stanford MedicineImpact of genes linked to neurodevelopmental diseases found | News Center | Stanford MedicineScientists discover how dozens of genes may contribute to autism - The Washington PostStudy suggests approach for treating rare disorder | National Institutes of Health (NIH)How lab-grown brain cells can now help us understand brain disordersEpisode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker, and hosted by Nicholas Weiler. Art by Aimee Garza.Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Today, we're going to talk about virtual reality and how it could be used to treat depression. We're talking with psychiatrist Kim Bullock, the founding director of Stanford's Neurobehavioral Clinic and Virtual Reality & Immersive Technologies (VRIT) program. Dr. Bullock — a physician certified in Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatry, and Lifestyle Medicine — calls herself a "radical behaviorist." Like other practitioners of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), she sees the troublesome thoughts and emotional states of many psychiatric disorders as just another form of behavior, which can be reshaped through self awareness and practice — much like you might work at avoiding junk food or not biting your nails.Of course, one of the biggest challenges is the practice part. It's no easy task for patients to practice experiencing the world in a more positive, healthy way. This is why Bullock is eager for practitioners of CBT and related forms of psychotherapy to embrace virtual reality technologies — which enable psychiatrists to prescribe precisely calibrated "experiences" to treat cognitive & behavioral disorders.We started by discussing early results from a clinical trial for a virtual reality-enhanced intervention major depressive disorder, which Dr. Bullock recently launched with support from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Neuroscience:Translate program. Join us to learn more about how VR is transforming the world of psychotherapy!Learn MoreImagining virtual reality as a simple tool to treat depression  (Stanford Medicine, 2024)Extended Reality(XR) enhanced behavioral activation for treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (2022 Neuroscience:Translate grant)Clinical Trial: Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation: An Intervention for Major Depressive DisorderThe Stanford Virtual Reality and Immersive Technologies (VR-IT) ProgramRecent VR-IT publicationsEpisode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker, and hosted by Nicholas Weiler. Art by Aimee Garza.Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

The skin is full of contradictions. It’s soft and sensitive, but also tough and resilient, even self-healing. It’s both the barrier that protects us from infections and our most intimate connection with the outside world. Today’s guest, Zhenan Bao, has spent the last two decades reverse engineering the skin’s many remarkable properties in order to create wearable electronics that are just as soft, flexible, and versatile as the skin itself.Bao envisions a world where stick-on devices could help heal injuries, manage anxiety, and even enhance our perceptions, and soft, implanted devices could give neurosciences new insights into the workings of the body and brain.In today’s episode, we talk about what makes the skin such an intriguing problem for an engineer like Bao; some of the many applications of her technology for medicine, neuroscience, and mental health; and its potential to enhance or extend our perceptions.Bao is K.K. Lee Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford and founding director of eWEAR — the Stanford Wearable Electronics Initiative.Learn MoreBao Lab websiteStanford Wearable Electronics Initiative (eWEAR)Advancing toward wearable, stretchable electronics | Stanford News (2024)Soft ‘e-skin’ that talks to the brain | Stanford News (2023)The Science of Skin | STANFORD magazine (2023)Skin Inspired Electronics: Changing the Future of Electronics with Zhenan Bao (2023)Dr. Zhenan Bao Keynote - Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health & Wellness Symposium (2022)Episode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker, and hosted by Nicholas Weiler. Art by Aimee Garza.Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

This week, we're diving into recent research that sheds light on a new form of brain plasticity involving changes in the insulation of nerve fibers — called myelin.  It turns out that myelin plasticity is implicated in a number of serious conditions, from epilepsy to drug abuse and addiction.We're excited to bring back two previous guests on the show to share their insights on this previously unknown form of plasticity:  Stanford psychiatry professor Rob Malenka (S1 E1 - Psychedelics and Empathy),  a pioneer in the study of synaptic plasticity and addiction, and neuro-oncologist Michelle Monje (S1 E12 - Brain Fog), who made some of the very first observations of myelin plasticity in the brain, essentially founding this field.Together, they discuss their recent findings on the role of myelin plasticity in opioid addiction and its implications for understanding addictive behaviors.Get ready to nerd out as we uncover a new angle on our brain's remarkable capacity for change.Learn MoreMyelination in the brain may be key to ‘learning’ opioid addiction | Stanford Medicine (2024)Adaptive and maladaptive myelination in health and disease | Nature Reviews Neurology (2022)Brain plasticity promotes worsening of epileptic seizures, study finds | Stanford Medicine (2022)The Brain Learns in Unexpected Ways | Scientific American (2020)Brain boosting: It's not just grey matter that matters | New Scientist (2015)Neural activity promotes brain plasticity through myelin growth, researchers find | News Center | Stanford Medicine (2014)Episode CreditsThis episode was produced by Michael Osborne, with production assistance by Morgan Honaker, and hosted by Nicholas Weiler. Art by Aimee Garza.Send us a text!Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying our show, please take a moment to give us a review on your podcast app of choice and share this episode with your friends. That's how we grow as a show and bring the stories of the frontiers of neuroscience to a wider audience. Learn more about the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.