Coffee with Scientists Vivian Kulaga, PhD

Dr Marco Pagani talks about the first scientific study ever to look at the brain during psychotherapeutic treatment and reveals how EMDR therapy works to cure PTSD

In this episode, Dr Marco Pagani, expertly summaries decades worth of groundbreaking neuroscientific studies that have investigated psychological trauma illnesses, such as PTSD, and it's treatment using EMDR therapy. He describes the first-ever study to monitor the brain while undergoing psychotherapy and a myriad of studies revealing how the brain is impacted by psychological trauma to manifest conditions like PTSD. He also discusses how these symptoms are resolved using EMDR, and how the therapy works by copying natural brain processes similar to those activated when we sleep. Don't miss this fascinating episode!

Dr Marco Pagani is a neuroscientific expert in psychological trauma treatment and illness. He is a senior researcher at The Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies in Rome, Italy, with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of La Sapienza in Italy, and a PhD from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, in Brain Imaging Methodologies. He has won several scientific prizes. Most notably, he was the winner of the Francine Shapiro award in 2011 for the best scientific contribution in the EMDR field in 2010, and the winner of the Karolina award in 2004, best research contribution of the year at the Karolinska Hospital of Stockholm.

He has also taught numerous courses, workshops, and presented scientific works in the areas of neurobiology and neuroimaging in psychological trauma and other psychiatric conditions internationally.

n this episode Dr Dunkley discusses in detail the neurophysiological brain changes associated with psychological trauma. He describes fascinating studies looking at the brains of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and explains findings that may underline symptoms such as feeling stuck with looping memories, thoughts, flashbacks, and emotional triggers.

Dr Benjamin Dunkley works at SickKids Hospital in Toronto as an MEG Clinical Associate, using MEG (magnetoencephalography) to study how different neurological and psychiatric conditions affect brain function. He earned his PhD at Cardiff University in the UK, and his postdoc at York University, Toronto, followed by a second postdoc at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto with Drs. Margot Taylor and Elizabeth Pang. He has authored dozens of scientific publications, and his laboratory work has been referenced on the CBC, The Globe and Mail, National Geographic, and The Economist.

You can learn more about Dr Dunkley and his work at www.dunkleylab.com.

Dan Siegel describes the physiology and science behind mind cultivation practices. In this episode, Dr Siegel discusses the science investigating meditation, mindfulness, and compassion practices that demonstrate 6 amazing physiological benefits from anti-aging to epigenetic reduction in inflammation associated with certain types of cancers and forms of diabetes. Brain and health changes associated with early childhood psychological trauma are also discussed, and why mind cultivation practices and EMDR therapy are used as avenues of intervention to restore healthy brain structure and function.