Your Brain On Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

Laughter predates language. But what’s the neurological function of humor? Why do we find things funny?
Your brain’s ability to perceive and create comedic ideas is one of the most powerful facets of the human experience. Through humor and laughter, we can find shared understanding across the boundaries of cultures, languages, and ideologies.
In this episode of ‘YOUR BRAIN ON...’, we discuss:
• Why we evolved the ability to laugh
• The ‘benign violation theory’ — the most prevalent hypothesis for the function of humor
• Why we find some things funny, and some things not
• How some comedians use humor as a form of therapy
• The nervous disorders underpinning involuntary bursts of laughter
This episode, we’re joined by:
CALEB WARREN, a primary contributor of the Humor Research Lab (HuRL) at the University of Colorado, and a key pioneer of the Benign Violation Theory, which he speaks about in this episode.
JESSICA PORTER, an hilarious comedian who uses humor both for performances and for therapy. Jessica shares some fascinating ideas about comedy as a tool for communication and growth.

‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... COMEDY’ • SEASON 2 • EPISODE 2
 
LINKS
The Humor Research Lab at University of Colorado: https://humorresearchlab.com/
Jessica Porter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_porter_standup
Jessica’s podcast, Sleep Magic: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sleep-magic-sleep-hypnosis-meditations/id1650407051
 
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Space travel goes against a million years of human evolution. So how does it affect our brains?
In just six decades of manned space flights, we’ve discovered a remarkable amount about the neurological effects of venturing to the stars.
In this episode of ‘YOUR BRAIN ON...’ we discuss:
• How low gravity changes your brain structure, impacts your balance, and... actually might improve your sleep
• The cognitive dangers of space travel, from the mania of isolation to the destructive forces of cosmic radiation
• Why we’re evolutionary drawn to explore other worlds and believe in aliens
• What spaceflight can teach us about neuroplasticity and cogntive decline
This episode, we’re joined by:
DR. JAY BUCKEY, astronaut and space physiologist, who, in 1998, was part of the Neurolab mission, going to space for 16 days to study the effects of spaceflight on the brain and nervous system.
DR. SHEYNA GIFFORD, aerospace medic, who famously spent a year in a simulation of Mars on a volcano in Hawaii, to study the psychological impacts of long-term space travel.
DR. RACHAEL SEIDLER, Professor in the Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of Florida, and an expert on spaceflight’s affects on neuroplasticity.
EMILY CALANDRELLI, renowned science educator and engineer, who highlights how what we learn while exploring space greatly benefits our lives down here on Earth.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... SPACE TRAVEL’ • SEASON 2 • EPISODE 1
 
👉 LINKS
Dr. Jay Buckey at Dartmouth: https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/faculty/facultydb/view.php/?uid=426
Dr. Sheyna Gifford’s website: https://sheynagifford.com/
Dr. Rachael Seidler at University of Florida: https://hhp.ufl.edu/about/faculty-staff/seidler_rachael/
Dr. Rachael Seidler on Twitter (AKA ‘X’): https://twitter.com/SeidlerRachael
Emily Calandrelli’s website, ‘The Space Gal’: https://www.thespacegal.com/
Emily Calandrelli on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespacegal
Emily Calandrelli on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thespacegal
 
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Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com
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Website: TheBrainDocs.com
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

The U.S. is set to have its oldest President ever. Should we be worried, or are we thinking about aging the wrong way?
The unprecedented age of the two United States presidential candidates, Biden and Trump, has sparked fiery debates over whether a leader can be ‘too old’ to effectively run a country.
Our guest for this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Charan Ranganath, recently published a New York Times op-ed offering an alternative view: age itself may not be a useful metric for measuring how successfully a president might lead the nation.
In this episode of ‘Your Brain On’, we discuss:
• The different types of memory, and how they work
• How our brains can remain more resilient than is often thought in older age
• Historic figures who have made significant contributions to the world during their twilight years
• The inspiring power of our cognitive reserve
We’re also joined by longevity expert Dan Buettner, renowned for his work on ‘The Blue Zones’ — parts of the world with longer life expectancy — for a conversation about why having an older leader might not be an inherently bad thing.
This is the SEASON ONE FINALE of Your Brain On. Thank you so much for listening! We return in May 2024 with ten more exhilarating stories about the world through a neuroscientific lens.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... Presidential Aging’ • SEASON 1 • EPISODE 10
Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and celebrated author, who Dr. Charan Ranganath mentioned during our conversation, sadly passed away the week before we recorded this episode. We dedicate this episode to his memory, and his work.
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LINKS
Dr. Charan Ranganath
His website: https://charanranganath.com/
His new book, ‘Why We Remember’: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705542/why-we-remember-by-charan-ranganath-phd/ 
At UC Davis: https://psychology.ucdavis.edu/people/charan  
Dan Buettner
His website: https://danbuettner.com/
Blue Zones: https://www.bluezones.com/ 
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danbuettner 
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Instagram: @thebraindocs
Website: TheBrainDocs.com
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

A healthier heart equals a healthier brain — no surprise there — but what’s the neuroscience behind the benefits of a cardio workout?
Cardiovascular exercise, be it a brisk stroll, a light jog, or an intense interval training session, releases neurotransmitters that can improve your mood, reduce stress, enhance your memory, and strengthen immunity.
In this episode of ‘Your Brain On’, we discuss:
• How your brain and your body respond to increasingly challenging aerobic workouts
• The neurochemistry of phenomena like ‘feeling the burn’ and ‘runner’s high’
• How the protein BDNF, triggered by exercise, can reverse the effects of aging and cognitive decline
• Ways to integrate more cardio exercise into your life, no matter which hurdles each day brings
We speak to Dr. John Ratey, author of ‘Spark’, widely celebrated as one of THE go-to books about how exercise benefits the brain. He shares the story that led him to write the book, about a school which favored fitness over sports skills in its PE classes and subsequently ranked amid the smartest schools in the world.
We’re also joined by Dr. Art Kramer, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Cognitive & Brain Health at Northeastern University, who dismisses the idea that you can be ‘too old to exercise’.
And we invite anti-influencer and social media personality Erin Azar, AKA Mrs. Space Cadet, to the show, to talk about how her videos, which show the less glamorous side of running and exercise, went viral and spawned a community of nearly one-million followers.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... Cardio • SEASON 1 • EPISODE 9
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LINKS
Our ‘Mastering Memory’ training webinar: https://thebraindocs.com/memory/ 
Dr. John Ratey
Website and books: https://www.johnratey.com/ 
Dr. Art Kramer
At Northeastern University College of Science: https://cos.northeastern.edu/people/art-kramer/ 
Erin Azar, “Mrs. Space Cadet”
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immrsspacecadet
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrs.space.cadet 
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FOLLOW US
Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com
Instagram: @thebraindocs
Website: TheBrainDocs.com
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

How does Alzheimer’s alter the brain, and how do we create a future without the disease?
Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, threatens to single-handedly collapse our healthcare systems. But our knowledge of how to prevent it is stronger than ever.
In this episode of ‘YOUR BRAIN ON’, we discuss:
• The power of stories and the importance of community for finding comfort and confidence following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis
• What we know about preventing cognitive decline through brain-healthy living
• The neurochemistry of how Alzheimer’s physically changes the brain
• Genetic predisposition to neurodegenerative diseases, and why women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s
• Why we should approach brain health in the same way we approach heart health
We’re joined by Dr. Lisa Genova, neuroscientist and writer of ‘Still Alice’, a book which allows the reader to step into the shoes of a woman experiencing the onset of Alzheimer’s. ‘Still Alice’ was adapted into a feature film, for which Julianne Moore won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2015. Lisa talks to us about how stories can help us find a sense of hope and empathy in the face of ‘scary’ diagnoses.
Dr. Charles DeCarli, Director of the the University of California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center, explains a broad range of Alzheimer’s risk factors — from amyloid and tau proteins to cardiovascular diseases — and offers advice on thinking about brain health as part of the body’s wider functionality, not a standalone system.
And Dr. Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist, educator, and author of ‘The Menopause Brain’, highlights how the hormonal shifts caused by menopause contribute to a higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s in women, and unpacks the controversial history and potential future of hormone replacement therapy.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... ADHD • SEASON 1 • EPISODE 8
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LINKS
Lisa Genova:
Website and books: https://www.lisagenova.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlisagenova
 
Lisa Mosconi:
Website: https://www.lisamosconi.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_mosconi
Book, ‘The Menopause Brain’: https://www.amazon.com/Menopause-Brain-Transition-Knowledge-Confidence/dp/0593541243
 
Dr. Charles DeCarli at UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/medical-center/team/639/charles-decarli---neurology---dementia---alzheimer-s-disease-sacramento/
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Are there differences between the brains of women and men?
In this episode of Your Brain On, we explore the unique aspects of the female brain, and how the male-biased history of medical science has left us with enormous gaps in our knowledge of women’s distinctive neurology.
We discuss:
• The striking uniformity in the structure of the female and male brain
• The possible physiological and sociological reasons why women have a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s
• The recent progress that’s been made in making neuroscientific studies more inclusive
• What current research says about Hormone Replacement Therapy, a common treatment for postmenopausal drops in neuroprotective hormones
We’re joined by Dr. Margaret McCarthy, James & Carolyn Frenkil Endowed Dean's Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she is also Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, renowned for her research into the neuroscience of sex differences, and Dr. Lise Eliot, Professor of Neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates, Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... Being A Woman • SEASON 1 • EPISODE 7
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LINKS
Dr. Margaret McCarthy’s website: https://www.mccarthylab.com/
Dr. Lise Eliot at Rosalind Franklin University: https://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/academics/faculty/lise-eliot/ 
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FOLLOW US
Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com
Instagram: @thebraindocs
Website: TheBrainDocs.com
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast