6. Athina Demertzi, PhD on the neuroscience of consciousness
09/25/24 • 72 min
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Athina Demertzi, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of
Liège who studies human consciousness, especially in patients with severe brain injuries. We discussed her fascinating work on disorders of consciousness like the vegetative and minimally conscious states, and how brain imaging techniques have advanced our understanding of these conditions. We also talked about some treatments people have proposed for these conditions, including psychedelics.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction and Background
(01:58) - Defining Disorders of Consciousness: Coma, Vegetative, and Minimally Conscious States
(05:13) - Using Neuroimaging to Study Consciousness in Brain-Injured Patients
(07:36) - Predicting Recovery from Disorders of Consciousness
(09:51) - Auditory and Visual Cortex Communication in Conscious Patients
(15:16) - The Role of the Default Mode Network in Consciousness
(20:14) - Phase Coherence and Communication Across the Brain
(26:34) - Functional vs. Structural Connectivity in Consciousness
(28:24) - Theories of Consciousness: Global Workspace, Integrated Information, and Active Inference
(35:44) - Body-Brain Interactions in Anesthesia and Unconscious States
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Athina Demertzi, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of
Liège who studies human consciousness, especially in patients with severe brain injuries. We discussed her fascinating work on disorders of consciousness like the vegetative and minimally conscious states, and how brain imaging techniques have advanced our understanding of these conditions. We also talked about some treatments people have proposed for these conditions, including psychedelics.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction and Background
(01:58) - Defining Disorders of Consciousness: Coma, Vegetative, and Minimally Conscious States
(05:13) - Using Neuroimaging to Study Consciousness in Brain-Injured Patients
(07:36) - Predicting Recovery from Disorders of Consciousness
(09:51) - Auditory and Visual Cortex Communication in Conscious Patients
(15:16) - The Role of the Default Mode Network in Consciousness
(20:14) - Phase Coherence and Communication Across the Brain
(26:34) - Functional vs. Structural Connectivity in Consciousness
(28:24) - Theories of Consciousness: Global Workspace, Integrated Information, and Active Inference
(35:44) - Body-Brain Interactions in Anesthesia and Unconscious States
Previous Episode
5. Stephen Coombes, PhD on neural field theory
In this episode, I talk with Stephen Coombes, Ph.D. about neural field theory, or the theory of brainwaves. Dr. Coombes is Professor of Applied Mathematics in the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Nottingham. We explore the foundations of neural field theory, how it models large-scale brain activity, and its relevance to understanding states of consciousness, visual hallucinations, and working memory. Dr. Coombes shares insights from his journey from theoretical physics to neuroscience, and we discuss the future directions and challenges in this fascinating field of study.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction to Neural Field Theory
(02:05) - Dr. Stephen Coombes’ Journey to Neuroscience
(10:06) - What is Neural Field Theory?
(16:22) - Why Model Average Firing Rates?
(24:00) - History and Evolution of Neural Field Theory
(32:12) - Mean Field Models vs. Neural Mass Models
(36:16) - Patterns in Neural Field Theory: Waves, Bumps, and Turing Patterns
(44:54) - Neural Field Theory as a Space-Time Model
(45:54) - Neural Field Theory and Visual Hallucinations
(50:06) - Working Memory and Neural Field Theory
(53:18) - Advances in Neural Field Theory
(59:53) - Recent Challenges and New Directions
(1:06:16) - The Future of Neural Field Theory
(1:09:34) - White Matter Plasticity and Its Role in Neuroscience
(1:12:28) - Closing Remarks and Resources
Next Episode
7. Gill Livingston, MD on preventing dementia
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Gill Livingston about her groundbreaking research on dementia. Dr. Livingston has played an important role in uncovering the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that contribute to our risk of developing dementia. Follow her on X @Gill_Livingston for more insights.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction to Dr. Gill Livingston and Her Research on Dementia
(00:30) - Dr. Livingston's Career Path and Inspiration for Dementia Research
(06:35) - The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention and Key Findings
(09:53) - Understanding Dementia’s Preventability and Main Risk Factors
(12:22) - Hearing Loss and Other Key Dementia Risk Factors
(22:45) - Blood Pressure, Air Pollution, and Dementia Risk
(29:44) - Amyloid Beta and Tau’s Role in Alzheimer’s Disease
(36:59) - Cognitive Reserve and the Impact of Education on Dementia Risk
(41:12) - Genetics in Dementia: APOE4 and Other Risk Genes
(46:24) - The Immune System’s Role in Alzheimer’s and Potential Treatments
(50:12) - Policy Implications for Dementia Prevention
(01:04:01) - Dr. Livingston’s Ongoing Research
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