424 episodes

Do you ever wonder what makes us tick? The way we act, feel and even process information from the world around us? All of it starts with the brain. CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is tapping his decades of experience as a neurosurgeon to explore the many states of the brain – distracted, nourished, concussed, frightened and more. Our brains are in constant conversation with our bodies, so the condition of one can have direct effect on the other. Sanjay will provide insights into how to actually build a stronger brain and keep it sharp.

Chasing Life CNN

    • Health & Fitness
    • 4.5 • 7.3K Ratings

Do you ever wonder what makes us tick? The way we act, feel and even process information from the world around us? All of it starts with the brain. CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is tapping his decades of experience as a neurosurgeon to explore the many states of the brain – distracted, nourished, concussed, frightened and more. Our brains are in constant conversation with our bodies, so the condition of one can have direct effect on the other. Sanjay will provide insights into how to actually build a stronger brain and keep it sharp.

    Is There Such a Thing as the Organized Brain?

    Is There Such a Thing as the Organized Brain?

    If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, taking out the trash or doing laundry is normally the last thing on your mind. Therapist KC Davis says that’s by design. Sometimes, brains are too focused on survival mode to complete even the simplest of tasks. So how can we beat this mental block? On today’s episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’S Chief Medical Correspondent, sits down with Davis to discuss the link between messiness and mental health. Plus, Davis shares her approach to tackling clutter from her book, “How To Keep House While Drowning.” 
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    • 33 min
    The Dating Brain in the Digital Age

    The Dating Brain in the Digital Age

    Online dating has changed the way we approach and pursue relationships. Like so much in modern life, potential partners are at the mercy of an algorithm that decides who we interact with. But has technology actually changed what we’re looking for? Can attraction and desire be predicted? Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and Chief Science Advisor at Match.com, has been on the front lines of the clash between a centuries-old phenomenon and relatively new technology. In this episode, she talks to CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta about what has and hasn’t changed about the dating brain.
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    • 33 min
    Treating the Depressed Brain

    Treating the Depressed Brain

    Nearly one in five US adults are diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives. As the use of antidepressants have steadily risen since their introduction in the 1980s, what have we learned about depression? Is depression truly a “chemical imbalance” of the brain? And why do antidepressants work for some people and not others? Sanjay talks to Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about what we now believe causes depression, and most importantly, what this means for how we treat the illness - from SSRIs to psychedelics and other emerging therapies.
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    • 37 min
    The Long Journey to Treat the Long Covid Brain

    The Long Journey to Treat the Long Covid Brain

    More than three years after the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, many long Covid patients are still experiencing brain fog, extreme fatigue, and myriad other health issues, leaving some unable to complete even the most basic of daily tasks. How should long Covid patients approach treatment, let alone everyday life? In this episode, Sanjay speaks to David Putrino, the director of rehabilitation innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System. He tells us about his latest research into identifying a possible biomarker for the condition and how we can all help those at high risk of developing it.
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    • 36 min
    Stephen King on Fiction and the Frightened Brain

    Stephen King on Fiction and the Frightened Brain

    The spooky season can be a divisive one. Some of us love being scared, and others avoid it at all costs. Author Stephen King has been terrifying readers for nearly 50 years, and knows what makes us scream. So how does he do it, and what’s happening in our brains when we’re afraid? Does anything frighten the king of horror? Sanjay talks to King, one of his favorite writers, about his latest book, “Holly,” and the benefits of fear in everyday life.
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    • 31 min
    The Recipe for a Nourished Brain

    The Recipe for a Nourished Brain

    Many of us have been told that foods like blueberries, salmon, and leafy greens are “good for the brain.” But what does that really mean? Can eating certain foods make us smarter? More alert? Less stressed? Sanjay talks to nutritional psychiatrist and personal chef, Dr. Uma Naidoo about what foods improve brain function and influence the way we feel. She’ll also share her secret sauce: a few nutritious and delicious ways to eat carbs, fats and sugar.
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    • 37 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
7.3K Ratings

7.3K Ratings

ACT_88 ,

Fascinating and absolutely needed conversation!

“The dating brain” is an outstanding episode of a great podcast! It’s fascinating scientific analysis of the brain circuitry of love!
Are you an explorer, a builder, a director or a negotiator 🤔
Thanks, Dr Gupta, for sharing such enlightening, insightful conversations with the public 🙏

luna strixae ,

Mostly enjoy it, but…

I mostly enjoy the topics that are covered. However, I find it overly focused on nuclear families at times (raising kids). There are a lot of people that are not in that stage of life right now, and week after week after hearing about, or from Sanjay’s kids or wife is a bit alienating- does this show apply to my life?

Cccgs ,

Organized Brain

Many episodes have been very helpful but the organized brain episode was absolutely ridiculous!! No one wants to hear how this privileged, entitled therapist (with her attorney husband) had to actually do something for herself instead of paying other people to do it. I'm sure that's how she was raised but...newsflash..most of us take care of our own children & clean our houses. Give me a break!!

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