The Evolution of Language (BSP 30)

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firstword.jpg Episode 30 of the Brain Science Podcast is a discussion of The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally. We focus mostly on the first part of the book, which tells the story of how the study of language evolution has grown from almost a banned subject to a new field of inquiry called evolutionary linguistics. We also reflect on how recent findings in neuroscience like the importance of plasticity are influencing the field. Listen to Episode 30 Scientists Discussed in the Episode: *References: Pinker, Steven, and Paul Bloom, "Natural Language and Natural Selection," Behavioral and Brains Sciences 13 (1990): 707-84. Marc D. Hauser, Noam Chomsky, and W. Tecumseh Fitch (2002). "The Faculty of Language: What Is It, Who Has It, and How Did It Evolve?" Science 298:1569-1579. Christine Kenneally, The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language (2007). Stanley I. Greenspan and Stuart G. Shanker, The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans (2004). *Additional references can be found in Kenneally's book and at the websites of the scientists listed above. Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Check out this interview with linguist, Alice Gaby

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sciampodcast.jpgI just listened to the February 6, episode of Science Talk, the podcast from Scientific American. Steve Mirsky talks with linguist Alice Gaby, from the University of California-Berkeley, about the relationship between language, culture, cognition and perception. This is very relevant to episode 30 of the Brain Science Podcast (due out on February 8), which is about the evolution of language.
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Jeff Hawkins talks about why computers aren't more like brains

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I often emphasize the fact that our brains our different from computers. If you would like to read an article that comes at the subject from the opposite direction (computers are not brains) read this summary of a recent talk given by Jeff Hawkins about "why computers can't be more like a brain on Dean Takahashi's Tech Talk Blog. Jeff Hawkins was the co-founder of Palm, Inc. and he is author of On Intelligence, which was discussed in the Brain Science Podcast Episode 2.
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Transcript of Steven Novella's interview is now available

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podsinprint.jpgEpisode 16 of Books and Ideas has been chosen as an Editor's Pick by Pods in Print©. This means the transcript of Dr. Steven Novella's interview is available when you sign up for a free 14-day trial of their podcast transcript service. Click here to learn more. Note: I will NOT receive any royalties for downloads of this transcript.
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Helping Vets with Traumatic Brain Injuries get Rehab

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In a recent interview with Dr. Edward Taub (Brain Science Podcast #28) we learned that Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy has been shown to help people with traumatic brain injuries, but that the Veteran's Administration has been slow to acknowledge the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Fortunately, the problem seems to be receiving increasing attention. The January 25th episode of the Science Magazine podcast discusses an article exploring the possible mechanisms of brain injury ocurring in near-blast conditions, where often the effects may be delayed and subtle. Also, Easter Seals has just announced that it is funding a program that will provide access to Michael Merzenich's highly regarded Posit Science Program, an on-line program originally developed to help older patients regain and maintain their mental agility. I don't know if they have done any work with traumatic brain injury, but the program certainly shows promise. References: "Shell Shock Revisited: Solving the Puzzle of Blast Trauma," Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Science 25 January 2008: Vol. 319. no. 5862, pp. 406 - 408 Press Release: Easter Seals Launches Nationwide Program for U.S. Service Members and Veterans Deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan with Traumatic Brain Injury The IMPACT study: a clinical trial of the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program Posit Science Podcast: Dr. Merzenich presents the results of the IMPACT study
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Dr. Maryanne Wolf talks about the Reading Brain (BSP 29)

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wolff200.jpgDr. Maryanne Wolf, Director of The Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University Brain Science Podcast #29 is an interview with cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Maryanne Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain. I discussed her book in Episode 24, so this interview was an opportunity to ask her some follow-up questions, and to focus more on how children learn to read. Dr. Wolf shares her ten years of experience helping children learn to read and developing programs to help children with problems like dyslexia. She shares some practical advice for parents as well as her concerns about how reliance on the internet could influence reading skills. I enjoyed the conversation and, while I especially want to share this episode with parents, I think Dr. Wolf gives everyone some interesting ideas to consider. Listen to the interview. Links: Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Dr. Steven Novella from "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" (B&I 16)

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steve_bw.jpg Episode 16 of Books and Ideas is a conversation with Dr. Steven Novella from the popular podcast The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. This interview is a response to numerous requests from fans of the Brain Science Podcast, but I put it in the Books and Ideas feed so that Dr. Novella could share some of his personal experiences both as a physician and as a podcaster. Listen to Dr. Novella's interview Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe by email Subscribe to Books and Ideas Blog Leave comments at the Discussion Forum Show Notes: Dr. Novella talked a little bit about why he became a physician and about choosing neurology as his specialty. We talked about the role of imaging and how recent advances in neuroscience are influencing patient care. We also talked about the importance of helping patients get accurate information, both from the internet and from their physicians, and how the pressure for physicians to see large numbers of patients hinders good communication. Dr. Novella is committed to evidence-based medicine and we talked about the role of skepticism in evaluating medical claims, both from mainstream and alternative sources. Dr. Novella also talked briefly about his podcast and his blogs, including a new blog specifically devoted to promoting evidence-based medicine. In the last section of this episode I looked back on the first 15 episodes of Books and Ideas. I particularly want to thank Matthew Cobb for being my first guest back in episode 7. You can get his book Generation at the Books and Ideas aStore at Amazon.com. Links:
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How to tag for Delicious

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There is lots of interesting stuff on the internet about the brain and neuroscience, and obviously no one can keep up with it all. I have decided to follow Leo Laporte's example by creating a del.icio.us tag that we can all use to facilitate sharing what we find with each other. The tag will be brainsciencepodcast, spelled as one word. Obviously someone who doesn't listen to the Brain Science Podcast could choose the same tag, but it would like bring our attention to something relevant. In addition, since del.icio.ous automatically creates an RSS feed for each tag, I have created a special feed that you can subscribe to if you want to keep track of what is being added by others. Notice that the last 3 items added will always appear in the left side bar of this website. Subscribe to del.icio.us: brainscience Click here to join my del.icio.us network If you are new to del.icio.us click here
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Contraint-Induced Movement Therapy with Dr. Edward Taub (BSP 28)

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taubpic.jpg Edward Taub, PhD, pioneer of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Episode 28 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Edward Taub who for the last 20+ years has been pioneering the use of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in the rehabilitation of stroke and other neurological disabilities. I have talked about his work in previous episodes (including episode 10 and episode 26) as an important example of the practical implications of brain plasticity. Listen Now. In this interview Dr. Taub shares his personal experiences in the front lines of clinical research, including both its rewards and frustrations. He also explains the basics of how constraint-induced therapy (CI Therapy) works and how his work is being expanded to help patients with a wide variety of problems including cerebral palsy, head trauma, multiple sclerosis, and focal hand dystonia. Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Links and References: Dr. Taub recommends that interested listeners do their own Google search under "constraint-induced movement therapy" or CI Therapy, but I have included a few links below: About Dr. Taub: Other Links: References:

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Brain Science Podcast celebrates its 1st Anniversary (BSP 27)

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brainscience-logo1.jpg Episode 27 is a look back on the first 26 episodes of the Brain Science Podcast. I look back on some of the main topics that we have explored including memory, consciousness, emotions, decision-making, body maps, and plasticity. Then I talk a little about what I hope to do in the covering year. This episode is a little more personal than most, and will mainly be of interest to regular listeners. It includes some ideas about how you can help the Brain Science Podcast grow and prosper. However, in preparing this episode I went back over the past year's episodes and I have prepared a list of all the episodes so far and the main topics. This should help both new listeners and regulars to find episodes that pertain to particular topics. Click here for a brief summary of episode 1-26 with links to the audio files. Go to Brain Science Podcast #27 Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Additional Reference links from Robert Schleip, PhD

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schleip.jpgRobert Schleip, PhD of the University of Ulm in Germany was a guest on Books and Ideas episode 15. His personal website is http://www.somatics.de/ Here are some additional links to supplement those in the original show notes: General site on fascia related research Wikipedia entries (English) Rolf Institute for Structural Integration (official website) scientific literature related to Rolfing Science magazine article about Dr. Schliep and the 2007 International Fascia Research Congress in Boston World Congress on Low Back & Pelvic Pain Below are some links in German: European Rolfing Association
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Dr. Robert Schleip discusses Fascia (B&I 15)

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schleip-science.jpg Books and Ideas Podcast #15 is an interview with Robert Schleip, PhD from the University of Ulm in Germany. Dr. Schleip is an experienced practioner of the body work method known as rolfing, but several years ago he went back and earned his PhD in Biology and began a second career as a research scientist. In our interview we discuss some of the recent discoveries that may revolutionize the way we look at the connective tissue that is commonly called fascia. We also talk about the importance of applying the scientific method to the evaluation of alternative and complimentary healing methods (CAM). Dr. Schleip's enthusiasm for science made this a very enjoyable interview. Listen to the interview now.

Download Episode Transcript (PDF)

References and Links: Dr. Schleip recommends the Wikipedia entry on Fascia if you would like to learn the basics. To learn more about Dr. Schleip's work visit the Fascia Research Project website at http://www.fasciaresearch.de/ The First International Congress International Research Congress was held in October, 2007 in Boston, MA. You can find some of the scientists Dr. Schleip mentions on this speaker page. Click here for more references, including those written in German. Listen to Books and Ideas Episode 15 Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe by email Leave comments at the Discussion Forum
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Dr. Norman Doidge discusses Neuroplasticity (BSP 26)

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I have posted a new episode of the Brain Science Podcast. To learn more please go to the show notes for episode 26. I am not going to be posted detail show notes in this blog until I can solve the problem of not being able to post audio links. If you rely on the RSS feed from this blog to know when new episodes are available, I recommend subscribing to the Brain Science Podcast and Blog feed. Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast and Blog in a reader
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Mini-Review: Flock of Dodos, a film by Randy Olson

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flockofdodos.jpg I bought a DVD of the recent documentary, Flock of Dodos, after hearing director Randy Olson interviewed on Skepticality. What sets this film apart is both its sense of humor and its balance. Olson allows people on both sides of the evolution versus intelligent design controversy to speak for themselves. While he makes his position clear from the beginning I think it is fair to say that this film can be enjoyed by people on both sides. More importantly, there is something to learn for most of us. Even if you are sick of the whole controversy, I highly recommend you check this out, and be sure not to miss the DVD extras .
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Rolf Pfeifer discusses Embodied Intelligence (BSP 25)

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howthebodyshapesthewaywethink.jpgHow the Body Shapes the Way We Think, by Rolf Pfeifer and Josh Bongard Brain Science Podcast episode 25 is an interview of author Rolf Pfeifer, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Zurich. The focus of our conversation was the importance of embodiment. Brains (and intelligence) can not be understood separate from their interaction with the body and the physical world. Pfeifer explains how this realization has led the field of artificial intelligence away from a pure computational approach to one he calls embodied artificial intelligence. His interview is spiced with numerous examples that demonstrate why this approach is relevant to those of us who are interested in the human brain. Listen Now. Episode Highlights:
  • A brief overview of artificial intelligence
  • introduction to biorobotics
  • why artificial intelligence and biorobotics are relevant to understand the brain
  • the meaning of complexity and emergence
  • why the close coupling of the sensory and motor systems is essential to intelligence
  • applying design principles to understanding intelligence
  • Numerous examples make these potentially intimidating topics accessible to all listeners
Related Episodes of the Brain Science Podcast: Scientists mentioned in the podcast: Where to learn more about Pfeifer's work: Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Reading and the Brain (BSP 24)

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proustandthesquid.jpg Listen to this episode now. Show Notes Dr. Wolf's book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, is divided into three main topics: the history of how writing and reading developed over the last few thousand years, the developmental stages involved in learning how to read, and what happens when the brain can't learn to read. My podcast concentrates on the main ideas from the first two topics. History of Writing:
  • the discovery of symbols
  • Early writing systems- cuneiform and hieroglyphics
    • why Chinese gives us a window into the past
  • Importance of the Alphabet
    • some claims and conclusions
  • Why Socrates opposed literacy
The Stages of Becoming a Reader:
  • the early pre-reader-with emphasis on language development
  • the novice reader-connecting letters to the sounds of language
  • the decoding reader-
  • the fluent comprehending reader-learning to "read between the lines"
  • the expert reader-why reading continues to change us throughout our lives
What goes wrong when the brain can't learn to read: how new findings are leading to new solutions Links and References
  • FastForward-an successful approach to treating dyslexia
  • Michael Posner-a psychologist who used PET scans to study what happens during shifts of attention (a necessary first step in reading)
Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Dr. Pamela Gay from "Astronomy Cast" (B&I 14)

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pgay_headshot.jpg Listen Now Show Notes for Books and Ideas Podcast #14 This episode is a conversation with Dr. Pamela Gay from the Astronomy Cast. Dr. Gay teaches astronomy and physics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Before the Astronomy Cast she was one of the hosts of one of the first science podcasts, Slacker Astronomy. I think her enthusiasm for science and especially for astronomy comes through in this interview. Besides astronomy we talked about the challenges of teaching science as well as the challenges of being a female scientist. Links: Astronomy Cast Pamela Gay's Blog FemaleScienceProfessor Blog Chandra: A Biography of S. Chandrasekhar by Kameshwar C. Wali Buffy Between the Lines: an audio drama definitely worth checking out if you love the Buffyverse Pushing Daisies my favorite new TV show Listen to Books and Ideas Episode 14 Download Episode Transcript Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe by email Leave comments at the Discussion Forum
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Julie Foudy gets my vote for the next coach of the US Women's Soccer Team

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. wwcjulie.jpg When Greg Ryan benched Hope Solo to play Briana Scurry in Women's World Cup semi-final game against Brazil, he showed that he is clueless about coaching women. In a way he was lucky that Hope Solo diverted attention from his coaching with her blow-up after the loss, but yesterday the US Soccer powers announced that his contract will be allowed to expire. (A good summary of events was written by Steve Davis for ESPNsoccernet.) I want to put my vote for Julie Foudy even though I haven't seen her name mentioned. I totally agreed with what she said during the coverage of the World Cup, but the main reason is that I think she should be the next coach is that her years as captain of the team give her a proven track record as a team leader. Tony DiCicco was a great coach, but he has already committed to coaching a team in the new professional league that is scheduled to launch in 2009. The team needs to move forward without losing sight of its unique tradition as a team-player's team. Many fans may not realize that former coach April Heinrichs was a star and team captain of the US Team that won the first Women's World Cup that was played in China in 1991. Therefore, I would argue that being a team captain at this high level is a proven training ground. Some critics seem to think that the team should throw away its past completely, but I think that Foudy symbolizes what made that 1999 team so special. They were not just great players but they stuck together. I can imagine any of them pulling a stunt like Hope Solo's. Its not like she was the first player ever to get benched by bad coaching. Foudy understands the Women's game as well as anyone out there. Plus, she has the kind of creditability that only an ex-player can bring to the team
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Interview with Sandra Blakeslee (BSP 23)

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sblackslee.jpg Listen to the Interview Now Show Notes Episode 23 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Sandra Blakeslee, co-author (with her son Matthew) of The Body Has a Mind of Its Own: How Body Maps Help You Do (almost) Everything Better, which we discussed in episode 21. I asked Blakeslee to tell me a little bit of her background as a science writer. She wrote for the New York Times for many years and was the co-author of both Jeff Hawkins groundbreaking book, On Intelligence and VS Ramachandran's modern class Phantoms in the Brain (1998), which was one of the first books to explore neuroplasticity. In this interview we explored the relationship between body maps and neuroplasticity, as well as questions from listeners about out of body experiences and other oddities once considered "paranormal." We talked about how body maps are relevant to understanding why some methods of alternative healing appear to be effective. I asked her to tell me which scientist she met made the biggest impression. Here are a few of those she mentioned: Blakeslee told me about some of the pioneering work that Merzenich is doing to apply his discoveries to help people, both those with disabilities and those who just want to combat aging. You can learn more about his work at http://www.positscience.com/. If you would like to contact Sandra Blakeslee to give her feedback or ask her questions she has a contact form on her books website at http://www.thebodyhasamindofitsown.com/. She is going to let me know when she gets the references posted on the site. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey Click Below to Listen to Podcasts itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Review: Buffy Between the Lines is a must listen for Buffy fans

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buffybtwl250.jpg Although I am a huge fan of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly/Serenity, I have never really gotten into fan fiction, but I am making an exception for the new audio drama, Buffy Between the Lines, which debuted earlier this month. The story is set between the end of season 5 and the beginning of season 6, which every Buffy fan knows is the period when Buffy was dead (and fans didn't know if there would be a season 6). This show is being produced as a twice a month podcast and I think the first episode showed lots of potential. The storyline is clever (what fan doesn't want to know what happened that summer) and Tabitha Smith captured the dialog of each character perfectly. The voice acting is surprisingly good although I found some of the female voices hard to tell apart. The voice of Xander (Chris O) sounded just like Nicholas Brendon and the voice of Spike (Nick Edwards/lemming) also stood out. I have three suggestions, which I hope will be taken as constructive criticism. First, the story begins with Giles writing in his Watcher's Journal. This is a great touch since he and Buffy had had a conversation about why Watchers never recorded the deaths of their slayers. However, I did not like the scratching sound in the background. This was apparently supposed to be the sound of him writing in the journal, but I thought this sound effect was both superfluous and annoying. Otherwise, the sound effects were very good. Second, and this is my biggest complaint: there is a need for a bit more narration. I don't want to give anything away for new listeners, but I found several scenes a little confusing. Use of sound effects is good, but it wouldn't hurt to have an occasional description of the scene, especially when they change locations. Finally, I thought there were too many promos breaking up the show. The producers were trying to emulate the show (TV commercials) but I think they should cut back on the frequency of promos. I did enjoy learning about how many different sites and podcasts are devoted to the Buffy Verse, but by the end I was going, "shut up and finish the story!" Despite these criticisms I recommend that all Buffy fans check out Buffy Between the Lines. The crew has a long track record in podcasting, so you can count on them to improve the show and to bring out something really great by the end of the season.
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