Smart Drug Smarts

You don't think much about your electricity until the power goes out. And human metabolism is kind of the same way. Dr. Navdeep Chandel explains why metabolism is worth paying attention to -- for lifespan, healthspan, and for dodging disease. The post #226: The Return of Metabolism appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

"Schizophrenia" is a word that strikes fear in the hearts (and minds) of those who have seen its effects. It's often misunderstood -- but one aspect that's universally recognized is that it's a *big deal.* And it affects nearly 1% of the adult population. The post #225: Schizophrenia with Dr. Tyrone Cannon appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Prospective Memory is something we notice most when it fails -- when we recall (too late!) something we meant to remember. Dr. Michael Scullin tells us how to keep ideas top-of-mind. The post #224: Don’t forget about Prospective Memory appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

What are "interneurons" and how do they affect our brains' ability to function, to change, and to learn? Research scientist Dr. Scott Owen explains the latest findings. The post #222 – What are “Fast-Spiking Interneurons”? appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

It's easier to smoke marijuana legally these days than it is to study it. Strange, but true. But with tens of millions of Americans using recreational marijuana regularly...isn't it time we learned what it's doing to our brains? The post #221: Marijuana, the Non-Medical Kind ;) appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Social scientists have built up a wealth of knowledge about the ways the human brain reliably gets things wrong. Luckily for us - if we stay conscientious, we can work around our built-in bugs. The post #220: Cognitive Fallacies with Dr. Richard E. Nisbett appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Some people's minds don't come equipped with a "mind's eye." We call these people aphantasics -- and there are many millions of them. And they get by just fine. The post #219 – Aphantasia with Dr. Joel Pearson appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

For our special Valentine's Episode, we look at the hormone Oxytocin...sometimes called "the love molecule" -- although as you'll hear, it does much more than *just* that. The post #218 – Oxytocin, Love and Social Awareness appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Sometimes the brain can seem like it has a "self-destruct" button. Migraine headaches and epilepsy are two such examples. The post #217: Fighting Migraines with Dr. Sid Kapoor appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Music, maybe second only to language, seems to be one of the defining characteristics of the human brain -- and an abiding interest for all known human cultures. And it turns out to be both a read/write interface. The post #216: Music and Creativity with Dr. Psyche Loui appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Optical Illusions are interesting "glitches." But social illusions -- and there are MANY -- actually drive our behavior. Dr. Erica Boothby pulls back the veil on your own inner thoughts. The post #215: Social Illusions with Dr. Erica Boothby appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Ibogaine could be an effective therapy against addiction -- or it could be (literally) the cure that kills the patient. Hear about the many facets of this plant-derived substance from Dr. Emeline Maillet. The post #214 – Ibogaine with Dr. Emeline Maillet appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

As biological imperatives go, sleep is the one we need less than air and water, but more than food and sex. Try to get by without it, and the problems start cropping up - fast. The post 213: Sleep Deprivation with Dr. Paul Whitney appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Conventional wisdom holds that knowing more languages is "good for your brain." But what makes it so? And good in which ways? Dr. Ellen Bialystok is one of the world's foremost experts, and conducted many of the studies that has brought this "common knowledge" to the public. The post #212 – Multi-Lingual Brains with Dr. Ellen Bialystok appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

The FDA has given a green light to a Phase 3 trial using MDMA as a psychologist-assisted therapy against PTSD. How might this "party drug" work in a non-party context? The post #211: MDMA vs. PTSD appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Mind wandering is bad if you're operating a chain saw. But if you're stuck on a well-defined intellectual problem, it could be just the ticket. Christine Godwin explains the latest research in...um...what was I just talking about? The post #210: Mind Wandering appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Can you be "addicted to Facebook"? And if so, is that much like being addicted to heroin? Two addiction researchers specializing in pharmacology and cyberpsychology weigh in. The post #209 – Addiction: Old and New Schools appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

If genes are the "Book of You," then epigenetics are the dog-eared pages marking the parts you're interested in right now. Dr. Daniel Stickler explains how to use this active overlay on genetic information to your advantage. The post #208 – Optimizing Epigenetics with Dr. Daniel Stickler appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Giving LSD to fruit flies sounds like a fraternity prank. But with the right tools, it could be an approach that helps unlock the brain's secrets in perception, mood, and even consciousness. The post #207: Bugs on Drugs appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.

Ayahuasca may mark the first time that a nausea-inducing beverage has gotten...popular. But there may be valid medical reasons why "Mother" Ayahuasca -- a brew featuring strong psychedelic effects -- is becoming well known outside the Brazilian jungle. Dr. Draulio Araujo explains. The post #206 – Ayahuasca vs. Depression with Dr. Draulio Araujo appeared first on Smart Drug Smarts.