Myths of Madness: Media Representations of Mental Illness, Part 6 of 7

A clip from the Q&A after a panel presentation about mental illness in the media, discussing how people can share stories with public speaking to fight stigma. A women with bipolar disorder asks how people like her can contribute, and the reply describes a consumer who told her personal stories that were negative, and how they were resolved, and that sharing what worked for her was powerful. Another person in the audience talks about his experience with a speaker’s bureau and the importance of training and support for that work.

2011 Gloria Neidorf Memorial Lecture on Bipolar Disorder

The controversial link between sensitivities to foods including milk casein, wheat, and gluten, and effects on psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A young investigator presents her ideas in the The Gloria Neidorf Memorial Lecture for 2011 at the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Annual Symposium in New York City. Brief presentation followed by a Q&A with the public.

Wendy Suzuki – Exercise and the Brain

A cognitive neuroscientist gives a rousing talk about the benefits of exercise on memory. She describes being inspired to teach after learning about the brain’s ability to adapt, and experimenting with aerobic exercise, becoming an IntenSati fitness instructor to teach her neuroscience students. She designed a classroom experiment that combined lectures with workouts, and found students were not only more engaged but their cognitive skills improved over time. Mentioning animal models that showed growth in the brain after exercise, as well as research with exercise and Alzheimer’s (see this video), she makes a compelling case to visit the gym.

Analogy as the Core of Cognition

Douglas Hofstadter demonstrates numerous analogies and talks about how analogy is at the core of cognition, in this high profile Presidential Lecture from the Stanford archives.

Challenging The Stigma of Mental Illness & Suicide

Mariel Hemingway accepts The McLean Award for her efforts to inspire mental health and wellness. She talks about coming from a family with seven suicides and more mental illlness, stigma, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and “moral code,” and McLean Hospital’s mental health services on their 200th anniversary. Award inscription: “For your tremendous efforts in furthering the public’s understanding of mental health.”

Iain McGilchrist: The Divided Brain

Psychiatrist McGilchist debunks myths of split brain functioning and explains how the left and right hemispheres of the brain always work together, yet still have different specializations. He posits that their strengths (and physical size) have evolved with the demands of modern life, and that although the left hemisphere may be useful for more concrete tasks, the right brain is equally valuable, ending with this quote from Albert Einstein: “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant but has forgotten the gift.” A cool illustrated RSA Animate video, created with an audio clip from a longer lecture on western civilization and the divided brain available here. Hat tip: an excellent blog post by Lapidarium notes.

Paul Zak: Trust, morality — and oxytocin

The “morality molecule” and trust, experimental design and his investigation process, and economic games. A game asking people to send money to strangers measured oxytocin and found those with higher levels send more in return. Oxytocin increases altruism, charity, and praying. Empathy is elevated and in turn, Zak says “it’s empathy that makes us moral.” He enjoys giving hugs and says, “Dr Love says eight hugs a day and the world will be a happier place.”

Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar
An expert in “lie spotting” talks about detection deception and her new book. Implications in corporate fraud and politics are raised, along with social and evolutionary reasons for lying in our “post-truth society.” She reveals some behavioural cues of lying (using methods other than Paul Ekman’s FACS system). Meyer says that although newer neuroimaging methods have value, on a practical level, human interaction with people trained in spotting deception will lead the way to a more truthful society.

RSA Animate – Language as a Window into Human Nature

How the mind turns language into meaning. The voice of linguist Steven Pinker in a wonderfully animated clip from a longer lecture, available here.

Neuromarketing Brainwaves for Marketers

A basic grounding in neuroimaging and neuromarketing, in a presentation by a professor for marketers. Definitions, processes, interpretation, and the difference between traditional market research that asks for explicit views and neuroimaging that looks inside the brain.