Advertise on podcast: The Brain Blown Podcast

You know when you did something that you regretted or knew was wrong, and you start wondering why the heck you did it? Why you snapped at someone you love. Why you keep making the same choice even when you know better. Why a comment from a stranger rolled right off you, but the same comment from your friend took you out for the rest of the day. You probably came up with an explanation pretty fast. Our brains are good at that – handing you a reason, a story, an explanation, almost instantly. It felt true, like truly understanding yourself. But… was it right? For thousands of years, we’ve been told the path to wellness and peace is to “know thyself.” Look inward, reflect, journal it out. And many of us have tried. But almost nobody stops to ask the question underneath all of it: is the story your brain hands you the whole truth of who you are… or just the loudest one? >> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠⁠⁠>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠⁠ RESOURCES The Meaning of Introspection: Introspection, Scientific Psychology and Neuroscience — H.G. CallawayOn Looking Inward: Revisiting the Role of Introspection in Neuroscientific and Psychiatric Research — Johan A. den Boer, A.A.T. Simone Reinders, and Gerrit GlasThe Neuroscience Behind Creative Journaling — Maria FabianiThe Brain Mechanisms of Conscious Access and Introspection — Stanislas DehaeneNeurophenomenology – The Case of Studying SelfBoundaries With Meditators — Aviva Berkovich-Ohana, Yair Dor-Ziderman, Fynn-Mathis Trautwein, Yoav Schweitzer, Ohad Nave, Stephen Fulder, and Yochai AtariaMindful Well-being: A Review on the Effects of Journaling and Meditation — Natalie Khoury and Melissa ArmentaWhat Introspection Has to Offer, and Where Its Limits Lie — Victor A. F. LammeEmotion Introspection and Regulation in Depression — Uwe Herwig, Sarah Opialla, Katja Cattapan, Thomas C. Wetter, Lutz Jäncke, and Annette B. BrühlA Defense of Introspection from Within — Michel Bitbol and Claire PetitmenginThe Cognitive Neuroscience of Self-Awareness: Current Framework, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Directions — Daniel C. Mograbi, Simon Hall, Beatriz Arantes, and Jonathan HuntleyBrain Networks, Neurotransmitters and Psychedelics: Towards a Neurochemistry of Self-Awareness — Daniel C. Mograbi, Rafael Rodrigues, Bheatrix Bienemann, and Jonathan HuntleyThinking About Thinking: A Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis of Neuroimaging Studies of Metacognitive Judgements — Anthony G. Vaccaro and Stephen M. FlemingThe Brain in (Willed) Action: A Meta-Analytical Comparison of Imaging Studies on Motor Intentionality and Sense of Agency — Seghezzi, Zirone, Paulesu, and ZapparoliThe Insular Cortex: An Interface Between Sensation, Emotion and Cognition — Zhang, Deng, and XiaoUnderstanding Emotions: Origins and Roles of the Amygdala — Goran Šimić, Mladenka Tkalčić, Vana Vukić, Damir Mulc, Ena Španić, Marina Šagud, Francisco Olucha-Bordonau, Vuksic, and HofNeural Correlates of Autobiographical Memory Retrieval: An SDM Neuroimaging Meta-Analysis — Susie Shepardson, Kristina Dahlgren, and Stephan Hamann

Following the full episode, the Neuroscience of Curiosity. >> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠⁠⁠>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠⁠ RESOURCES Systems Neuroscience of Curiosity — Roberto Lopez Cervera, Maya Zhe Wang & Benjamin Y. HaydenOn Curiosity: A Fundamental Aspect of Personality, a Practice of Network Growth — Perry Zurn & Danielle S. BassetInterest Development and Its Relation to Curiosity: Needed Neuroscientific Research — Suzanne E. Hidi & K. Ann RenningerExploring Curiosity in Neuroscience: A Contextual Analysis of Key Studies from 2020 to 2024 — Dragoș GrigorescuA Shared Novelty-Seeking Basis for Creativity and Curiosity — Tal Ivancovsky, Shira Barorc & Moshe BaraCuriosity as the Impulse to Know: Common Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms Underlying Curiosity and Impulsivity — Caroline B. Marvin, Ellen Tedeschi & Daphna ShohamyThe Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity — Celeste Kidd & Benjamin Y. HaydenCuriosity-Driven Exploration: Foundations in Neuroscience and Computational Modeling — Alireza Modirshanechi, Kacper Kondrakiewicz, Wulfram Gerstner & Sebastian HaeslerCuriosity in Childhood and Adolescence — What Can We Learn from the Brain — Matthias J. Gruber & Yana Fandakova

Curiosity might be one of the most powerful things a healthy brain can do — and yet most of us were quietly taught to stop doing it. In this episode, we're exploring the neuroscience of curiosity: why it's one of the newest and most openly uncertain frontiers in brain research, what happens in your reward, memory, and executive control systems when you follow a thread of wonder, and why your brain's own motivational kill switch may depend on it more than we ever realized. We're also looking at what our school systems, our workplaces, and our culture have done to curiosity along the way — and what it might mean that we're only just beginning to understand how much we need it. >> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠ RESOURCES Systems Neuroscience of Curiosity — Roberto Lopez Cervera, Maya Zhe Wang & Benjamin Y. HaydenOn Curiosity: A Fundamental Aspect of Personality, a Practice of Network Growth — Perry Zurn & Danielle S. BassetInterest Development and Its Relation to Curiosity: Needed Neuroscientific Research — Suzanne E. Hidi & K. Ann RenningerExploring Curiosity in Neuroscience: A Contextual Analysis of Key Studies from 2020 to 2024 — Dragoș GrigorescuA Shared Novelty-Seeking Basis for Creativity and Curiosity — Tal Ivancovsky, Shira Barorc & Moshe BaraCuriosity as the Impulse to Know: Common Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms Underlying Curiosity and Impulsivity — Caroline B. Marvin, Ellen Tedeschi & Daphna ShohamyThe Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity — Celeste Kidd & Benjamin Y. HaydenCuriosity-Driven Exploration: Foundations in Neuroscience and Computational Modeling — Alireza Modirshanechi, Kacper Kondrakiewicz, Wulfram Gerstner & Sebastian HaeslerCuriosity in Childhood and Adolescence — What Can We Learn from the Brain — Matthias J. Gruber & Yana Fandakova

Shoutout to @ollieschminkey for the inspiration for this month's wellness activity. Find Ollie on most social media platforms for more Writing Prompt Wednesday ideas. Enjoy! We've spent our whole lives being told that a wandering mind is a problem... but what if it's actually one of the most powerful things your brain can do? In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of creativity: what it actually is, why your best ideas almost never happen when you're trying hardest to force them, and what occurs in your brain during a genuine creative breakthrough. From the default mode network and alpha waves to dopamine, divergent thinking, and why the "right brain" myth has been officially debunked — we're making the case that creativity isn't a gift reserved for artists and inventors. It's something your brain is designed to produce, and something we may have been accidentally shutting down all along.>> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠⁠>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.>> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠ RESOURCES What Happens in a Creative Brain? — AJ Keller, CEO at NeurosityDefining Creativity: Beyond the Cliché — Science News TodayThe Neuroscience of Creativity — Andreas Fink & Mathias BenedekToward a Neurocognitive Framework of Creative Cognition: The Role of Memory, Attention, and Cognitive Control — Mathias Benedek & Andreas FinkThe Link Between Creativity, Cognition and Creative Drives and Underlying Neural Mechanisms — Khalil, Goode & KarimCreativity and the Brain: An Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on the Neuroscience of Creativity — Saggar, Volle, Uddin, Chrysikou & GreenNetwork Neuroscience of Creative Cognition: Mapping Cognitive Mechanisms and Individual Differences in the Creative Brain — Beaty, Seli & SchacterNeural, Genetic, and Cognitive Signatures of Creativity — Liu, Zhuang, Zeitlen, Chen, Wang, Feng, Beaty & Qiu

We've spent our whole lives being told that a wandering mind is a problem... but what if it's actually one of the most powerful things your brain can do? In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of creativity: what it actually is, why your best ideas almost never happen when you're trying hardest to force them, and what occurs in your brain during a genuine creative breakthrough. From the default mode network and alpha waves to dopamine, divergent thinking, and why the "right brain" myth has been officially debunked — we're making the case that creativity isn't a gift reserved for artists and inventors. It's something your brain is designed to produce, and something we may have been accidentally shutting down all along.>> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠⁠>> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.>> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠ RESOURCES What Happens in a Creative Brain? — AJ Keller, CEO at NeurosityDefining Creativity: Beyond the Cliché — Science News TodayThe Neuroscience of Creativity — Andreas Fink & Mathias BenedekToward a Neurocognitive Framework of Creative Cognition: The Role of Memory, Attention, and Cognitive Control — Mathias Benedek & Andreas FinkThe Link Between Creativity, Cognition and Creative Drives and Underlying Neural Mechanisms — Khalil, Goode & KarimCreativity and the Brain: An Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on the Neuroscience of Creativity — Saggar, Volle, Uddin, Chrysikou & GreenNetwork Neuroscience of Creative Cognition: Mapping Cognitive Mechanisms and Individual Differences in the Creative Brain — Beaty, Seli & SchacterNeural, Genetic, and Cognitive Signatures of Creativity — Liu, Zhuang, Zeitlen, Chen, Wang, Feng, Beaty & Qiu

Enjoy this DND exercise led by Laine — let's play together! Most of us stopped playing long before we realized it — and it turns out, that might be costing us more than we know. In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of play: what it actually is (hint: it's not about the activity), why it's as fundamental to our biology as sleep and food, and what happens to our brains — and our lives — when we don't get enough of it. From dopamine and neuroplasticity to why boredom might actually be good for your kids, we're making the case that play isn't just for children. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience, joy, and mental wellness — at any age. >> ⁠⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠⁠ >> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com⁠ Resources: The Importance of Pleasure in Play — Bruce PerrySelected Principles of Pankseppian Affective Neuroscience — Kenneth L. Davis & Christian MontagYes, We Need a Neuroscience of Play — Phillip Stevens Jr.Neuroscience and the Magic of Play Therapy — Anne L. Stewart, Thomas A. Field & Lennis G. EchterlingNeuroscience, Early Childhood Education and Play: We Are Doing It Right! — Stephen RushtonNeuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence — Liu, Solis, Jensen, Hopkins, Neale, Zosh, Pasek & WhitebreadAdult Play: A Neuroscientific and Psychoanalytic Perspective — Ellen Park Psy.D.In Search of the Neurobiological Substrates for Social Playfulness in Mammalian Brains — Stephen M. Siviy & Jaak PankseppThe Playful Mediator, Moderator, or Outcome? — Shen & MasekRisky Play in Children's Emotion Regulation, Social Functioning, and Physical Health — Sandseter, Kleppe & KennairNational Institute for Play — Dr. Stuart Brown

Most of us stopped playing long before we realized it — and it turns out, that might be costing us more than we know. In this episode, we're diving into the neuroscience of play: what it actually is (hint: it's not about the activity), why it's as fundamental to our biology as sleep and food, and what happens to our brains — and our lives — when we don't get enough of it. From dopamine and neuroplasticity to why boredom might actually be good for your kids, we're making the case that play isn't just for children. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience, joy, and mental wellness — at any age. >> ⁠⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠⁠ >> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com Resources: The Importance of Pleasure in Play — Bruce PerrySelected Principles of Pankseppian Affective Neuroscience — Kenneth L. Davis & Christian MontagYes, We Need a Neuroscience of Play — Phillip Stevens Jr.Neuroscience and the Magic of Play Therapy — Anne L. Stewart, Thomas A. Field & Lennis G. EchterlingNeuroscience, Early Childhood Education and Play: We Are Doing It Right! — Stephen RushtonNeuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence — Liu, Solis, Jensen, Hopkins, Neale, Zosh, Pasek & WhitebreadAdult Play: A Neuroscientific and Psychoanalytic Perspective — Ellen Park Psy.D.In Search of the Neurobiological Substrates for Social Playfulness in Mammalian Brains — Stephen M. Siviy & Jaak PankseppThe Playful Mediator, Moderator, or Outcome? — Shen & MasekRisky Play in Children's Emotion Regulation, Social Functioning, and Physical Health — Sandseter, Kleppe & KennairNational Institute for Play — Dr. Stuart Brown

We’ve engineered a life that minimizes effort. Food arrives. Work happens from chairs. Entertainment comes to us. But the brain didn’t evolve for efficiency — it evolved for interaction. This episode looks at the neuroscience behind movement and why it may be more foundational to how we think and feel than we realize. Due to technical difficulties, this episode is audio-only. We hope to resume video next episode, but we’ll keep you posted. >> ⁠Support the Brain Blown on Patreon⁠ >> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠. >> Learn more at ⁠www.brainblownpodcast.com Episodes Referenced: Phantom Limbs (S2, Mini 1) Motivation (Season 2, Mini 2) Long-Term Decisions (Season 3, Mini 2) REFERENCES: A New Dynamic Model of the Cortico-Basal Ganglia Loop — Atsushi NambuA Computational Neuroanatomy for Motor Control — Reza Shadmehr & John W. KrakauerThe Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons — Sam KeanExercise-Induced Neuroplasticity: A Mechanistic Model and Prospects for Promoting Plasticity — El-Sayes, Harasym, Turco, Locke & NelsonMovement: How the Brain Communicates with the World — Andrew B. SchwartzImpact of Physical Activity and Exercise on the Epigenome in Skeletal Muscle and Effects on Systemic Metabolism — Julio Plaza-Díaz et al.Recent Advances in the Study of the Neurobiological Mechanisms Behind the Effects of Physical Activity on Mood, Resilience and Emotional Disorders — Chong Chen & Shin Nakagawa

A lot of us aren’t just tired—we’re worn down. In a world that keeps demanding more attention, more productivity, and more endurance, our nervous systems are struggling to keep up. This episode kicks off our season on wellness by starting at the most basic place recovery happens: sleep. You can also watch the very first Brain Blown Podcast episode on video on our YouTube channel! >> Support the Brain Blown on Patreon >> Have questions, stories, or topics you want us to cover? Email us at [email protected]. >> Learn more at www.brainblownpodcast.com REFERENCES: Falup‑Pecurariu, C., Diaconu, Ș., Țînț, D., & Falup‑Pecurariu, O. — Neurobiology of Sleep (Review) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Lee, A. E., Ancoli-Israel, S., Eyler, L. T., Tu, X. M., Palmer, B. W., Irwin, M. R., & Jeste, D. V. — Sleep Disturbances and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Schizophrenia: Focus on Sex Differences Pocivavsek, A., & Rowland, L. M. — Basic Neuroscience Illuminates Causal Relationship Between Sleep and Memory: Translating to Schizophrenia Peever, J., & Fuller, P. M. — Neuroscience: A Distributed Neural Network Controls REM Sleep Aulsebrook, A. E., Jones, T. M., Rattenborg, N. C., Roth II, T. C., & Lesku, J. A. — Sleep Ecophysiology: Integrating Neuroscience and Ecology Simon, K. C., Nadel, L., & Payne, J. D. — The Functions of Sleep: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective Urry, E., & Landolt, H.-P. — Adenosine, Caffeine, and Performance: From Cognitive Neuroscience of Sleep to Sleep Pharmacogenetics Kay, D. B., & Buysse, D. J. — Hyperarousal and Beyond: New Insights into the Pathophysiology of Insomnia Disorder through Functional Neuroimaging Studies Zielinski, M. R., McKenna, J. T., & McCarle, R. W. — Functions and Mechanisms of Sleep Marques, D. R., Gomes, A. A., Caetano, G., & Castelo-Branco, M. — Insomnia Disorder and Brain’s Default-Mode Network

Last episode, we dug into how people lose their sense of safety and control when something — or someone — hijacks it.This week, we’re picking up the story from there: what it takes to rebuild. What does it look like to find your footing after an experience that knocks you off course?Why do some people regain a sense of agency faster than others?And what does real resilience look like when you're living it, not just talking about it? If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. REFERENCES Hunter, Gray & McEwen — The Neuroscience of Resilience Elsevier B.V. — Neuroscience of Resilience for Mental Health Baratta, Seligman & Maier — From Helplessness to Controllability: Toward a Neuroscience of Resilience Ruth Feldman — What Is Resilience: An Affiliative Neuroscience Approach Alex Iantaffi — https://www.alexiantaffi.com/

If you think you’d never be pulled into a cult, that belief itself is part of the danger. In this episode, we explore why the brain is far more influenceable—and more predictable—than most of us want to believe. We take a closer look at what happens when belonging, something we’re biologically wired to seek, becomes a pathway into harm. Together, we examine how group dynamics, stress, and relationship patterns can quietly shift a person’s behavior and sense of self. Laine brings research and real-world examples that show just how thin the line can be between healthy connection and unhealthy devotion. If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. REFERENCES Cults: A Natural Disaster—Looking at Cult Involvement Through a Trauma LensShelly Rosen Pedagogical, Neuropsychological and Social Conditions of Shaping the Identity of Cult Group FollowersMariusz Gajew

What does neuroscience reveal about great leadership—and why does it matter now more than ever? In this episode, we explore the brain science behind leadership: how it guides us in uncertainty, shapes culture, and unlocks human potential. From Microsoft’s near-collapse to its stunning revival under Satya Nadella, we’ll uncover what happens in the brain when leadership fails—and what changes when it succeeds. You’ll hear how trust, safety, and connection transform not just teams, but entire organizations, driving innovation and resilience. If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. REFERENCES David Rock & Jeffrey Schwartz — Neuroscience of Leadership Manu Melwin Joy — The Neuroscience of Leadership Kimberly Schaufenbuel — The Neuroscience of Leadership: Practical Applications

Humans are born dependent, slow, and vulnerable—but we’ve survived by working together. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience that makes teamwork possible, and why collaboration is more than a soft skill—it’s a biological necessity.From mirror neurons and social cognition to trust, reward systems, and brain synchrony, we break down what’s really happening in your brain when you collaborate—and what it takes to build a team that actually works. If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. REFERENCES David A. Waldman, M.K. Ward, William J. Becker — Neuroscience in Organizational Behavior Stephanie Balters, Grace Hawthorne, Naam Mayseless — Of Team Cooperation Versus Team Collaboration Paul Zak — The Neuroscience of Trust M.K. Ward, Stefan Volk, William J. Becker — An Overview of Organizational Neuroscience Mohammed Algumaei, Imali T. Hettiarachchi, Mohamed Farghaly, Asim Bhatti — The Neuroscience of Team Dynamics: Exploring Neurophysiological Measures for Assessing Team Performance Diego A. Reinero, Suzanne Dikker, Jay J. Van Bavel — Inter-brain Synchrony in Teams Predicts Collective Performance Hua Xie, Iliana I. Karipidis, Amber Howell, Manish Saggar et al. — Finding the Neural Correlates of Collaboration Using a Three-person fMRI Hyperscanning Paradigm Xinmei Deng, Meng Yang, Xiaomin Chen, Yong Zhan — The Role of Mindfulness on Theta Inter-brain Synchrony During Cooperation Feedback Processing: An EEG-based Hyperscanning Study

Most people agree that rape is wrong. But far fewer understand what it actually is—and what it isn’t. In this episode, we confront the myths and misconceptions that continue to shape how we define rape, treat survivors, and pursue justice. We explore the neuroscience behind trauma responses like freezing and fawning, and why these involuntary reactions are still so often misunderstood in courtrooms, conversations, and cultural narratives. From the impact of the #MeToo movement to the hardwired survival mechanisms of the brain, we examine what needs to change—and why it matters. This is not an easy conversation. But it’s one we all need to have. If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you. REFERENCES Medicolegal Findings of Rape Victims: A Retrospective Study of 69 Cases at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dhaka CityPalash Kumar Bose, Mamtaz Ara, Md. Syedur Rahaman, Mohammad Jubaidul Kabir, Prodip Biswas Assault-Related Self-Blame and Its Association with PTSD in Sexually Assaulted Women: An MRI InquiryZohar Berman, Yaniv Assaf, Ricardo Tarrasch, Daphna Joel Rape Myth Scale: Factor Structure and Relationship with Gender Egalitarianism Among Japanese ProfessionalsMasayo Uji, Masahiro Shono, Noriko Shikai, Toshinori Kitamura Neuroscience Evidence Counters a Rape MythEbani Dhawan, Patrick Haggard Neuropsychological and Electrophysiological Evaluation After Rape: A Case Study of a Teenage GirlLucía Ester Rizo-Martínez, Miguel Ángel Guevara, Luis Francisco Cerdán, Francisco Abelardo Robles-Aguirre, Araceli Sanz-Martin, Marisela Hernández-González

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times. For more informaiton on the Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]