Essentials: How Your Brain Functions & Interprets the World | Dr. David Berson

Huberman Lab

Scicomm Media

Science, Health & Fitness, Life Sciences

4.8 • 26.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. David Berson, PhD, a professor of neuroscience at Brown University and an expert on the visual system and circadian biology. We explore how the brain processes visual information, from photons entering the eye to conscious perception in the cortex. We discuss color vision, the discovery of melanopsin and intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, and how light regulates our circadian clock and melatonin release. We also examine the vestibular system's role in balance and motion detection, the cerebellum's function in motor coordination, and the midbrain's integration of multiple sensory inputs. Finally, we discuss the basal ganglia's role in decision-making and an extraordinary case of neuroplasticity in visual cortex. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. More Huberman Lab Essentials: https://hubermanlab.com/essentials Thank you to our sponsors AGZ: https://drinkagz.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. David Berson (00:00:30) Visual Perception, Photons & Retinal Processing, Ganglion Cells (00:02:12) Color Vision, Wavelengths & Photoreceptors; Cones & Rods (00:05:56) Sponsor: AGZ by AG1 (00:07:24) Melanopsin, Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells & Brightness Detection (00:08:31) Circadian Clock & Synchronization, Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN); Master Clock Function (00:11:16) Hypothalamus, Autonomic Nervous System & Hormonal Systems (00:13:01) Tool: Light Exposure & Melatonin Regulation, Pineal Function (00:14:35) Vestibular System, Balance & Motion Detection; Semicircular Canals (00:16:44) Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex, Image Stabilization & Head Rotation (00:18:51) Sponsor: Function (00:20:45) Motion Sickness, Visual-Vestibular Conflict; Tool: Avoiding Nausea (00:22:24) Cerebellum, Motor Coordination & Learning (00:23:17) Cerebellar Function, Precision & Timing of Movement; Cerebellar Ataxia (00:24:54) Flocculus & Visual-Vestibular Integration (00:25:56) Midbrain, Brainstem & Reflexive Behavior; Superior Colliculus (00:28:26) Spatial Orientation & Multisensory Integration; Rattlesnake Heat Detection (00:30:13) Sensory Integration & Corroboration (00:31:13) Sponsor: LMNT (00:32:45) Basal Ganglia, Go vs No-Go Behavior & Decision Making (00:33:56) Tool: Impulse Control & Delayed Gratification, Marshmallow Test (00:34:51) Individual Differences, Genetics & Experience (00:35:37) Visual Cortex, Neural Processing & Brain Plasticity (00:36:26) Cortical Reorganization, Braille Reading & Stroke Recovery (00:39:15) David Berson's Work; Acknowledgements Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Huberman Lab Essentials, where we revisit past episodes for the most potent and actionable
0:05.8	science-based tools for mental health, physical health, and performance.
0:11.4	I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.
0:17.2	And now for my discussion with Dr. David Burson.
0:20.6	For more than 20 years, you've been my go-to source for all things, nervous system, how it works, how it's structured.
0:27.0	So today I want to ask you some questions about that.
0:30.1	I think people would gain a lot of insight into this machine that makes them think and feel and see, et cetera.
0:38.0	If you would, could you tell us how we see?
0:41.8	You know, a photon of light enters the eye.
0:46.1	What happens?
0:47.4	Right.
0:48.0	I mean, how is it that I look outside, I see a truck drive by,
0:51.3	or I look on the wall, I see a photo of my dog.
0:54.2	How does that work?
0:56.2	Right.
0:57.2	So this is an old question obviously.
0:59.0	And clearly in the end, the reason you have a visual experience is that your brain is got some pattern of activity that it associates with the input from the periphery.
1:09.0	But you can have a visual experience with no input from the periphery as well.
1:12.6	When you're dreaming, you're seeing things that aren't coming through your eyes.
1:17.6	Are those memories?
1:18.6	I would say in a sense they may reflect your visual experience.
1:22.6	They're not necessarily specific visual memories, but of course they can be.
	...

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