Summary
The Huberman Lab Podcast is hosted by Andrew Huberman, a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast covers a variety of topics related to neuroplasticity, including pain regeneration, injury to the nervous system, and wound healing. The somatosensory system is discussed as an important system in the nervous system, involved in understanding touch and physical feeling on the body. The podcast also covers the controversial word pain and why neuroscientists prefer to use the word nociception. The podcast provides principles for removing pain and wound healing, and discusses tools such as acupuncture and modern medicine's attempt to restore youth to the aging or injured brain.
The podcast episode discusses the relationship between pain and neuroplasticity. The host explains that pain and tissue damage can be dissociable and that the brain's perception of pain can be influenced by cognitive functions. The episode covers the role of genetics in pain sensitivity and the brain's map of the body surface. The host also discusses inflammation and its role in tissue repair. The episode concludes by discussing phantom limb pain and the brain's representation of missing body parts.
The podcast episode discusses the principle of overworking the side of the body that needs work and restricting activity on the healthy side to promote neuroplasticity and aid in injury recovery. The episode also touches on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the importance of the glymphatic system in repairing the brain. The glymphatic system is activated during sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep, and can be further activated by sleeping on one side or with feet slightly elevated. Low-level cardio exercise for 30 to 45 minutes, three times a week, has been shown to improve glymphatic system function and aid in the clearance of debris after injury.
The podcast episode discusses the benefits of Zone 2 cardio exercise for brain longevity and health, particularly for those with traumatic brain injuries. The glymphatic system and the glial astrocyte system are important for keeping the brain healthy, and low-level walking and Zone 2 cardio can activate these systems. The podcast also talks about the subjective aspects of pain modulation and how our interpretation of a sensory event can dictate our experience of it.
In this podcast episode, the host discusses acupuncture and its effects on the somatosensory system, autonomic nervous system, and inflammation. The National Institutes of Health has a subdivision dedicated to complementary health, including acupuncture. Acupuncture involves stimulating particular locations on the body to achieve specific effects, such as reducing inflammation or slowing gut motility.
The podcast episode provides actionable tools for injury management and debunks common misconceptions around inflammation and stress. Chronic pain is caused by plasticity gone wrong in the emotional and stress systems, and involves rewiring both brain and peripheral centers. Movement, heat, light, sleep, and restricting above and below the injury to increase perfusion may accelerate wound healing. PRP treatments are controversial and it has not been proven whether the injection itself or the PRP is creating the effect. Stem cell treatments need to be approached with caution and require further research. Baby blood, specifically molecules from young blood such as TIMP2, have been shown to revitalize the old brain and body, but it is uncertain when treatments based on blood transfusions will be available.
