meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Huberman Lab

How Your Brain Works & Changes

Huberman Lab

Scicomm Media

Life Sciences, Health & Fitness, Science

4.830.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2021

⏱️ 66 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s episode provides an introduction to how the nervous system works to create sensations, perceptions, emotions, thoughts and behaviors, as well as how we can change our nervous system—a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. The information sets the stage for all Huberman Lab podcast episodes that follow by covering neurons, synapses, brain chemicals and the rhythms that control our ability to focus, learn and sleep… and more. Thank you for your interest in science. We'll see you next week! Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction   00:02:25 Sponsors: AG1 & LMNT   00:07:57 What is the Nervous System   00:07:25 Deja Vu   00:08:09 How War, Guns & Soap Shaped Our Understanding of the Brain   00:10:47 Jennifer Aniston Neurons   00:11:58 Sensations   00:13:30 Magnetic Sensing & Mating   00:14:51 Perceptions & The Spotlight of Attention   00:16:33 Multi-Tasking Is Real   00:17:45 Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Control of Behavior   00:18:38 Focusing the Mind   00:21:47 Antidepressants   00:25:01 Thoughts & Thought Control   00:25:56 Actions   00:30:40 How We Control Our Impulses   00:33:44 Neuroplasticity: The Holy Grail of Neuroscience   00:38:34 The Portal to Neuroplasticity   00:43:53 Accelerating Learning in Sleep   00:47:29 The Pillar of Plasticity   00:52:22 Leveraging Ultradian Cycles & Self Experimentation   00:57:17 Summary   00:58:03 Zero-Cost Support, Feedback, Reviews   Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to the Huberman Lab podcast where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life.

0:09.0

I'm Andrew Huberman and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

0:15.0

For today's podcast, we're going to talk about the parts list of the nervous system.

0:20.0

Now that might sound boring, but these are the bits and pieces that together make up everything about your experience of life.

0:28.0

From what you think about to what you feel, what you imagine, and what you accomplish from the day you're born until the day you die.

0:35.0

That parts list is really incredible because it has a history associated with it that really provides a window into all sorts of things like engineering, warfare, religion, and philosophy.

0:49.0

So I'm going to share with you the parts list that makes up who you are through the lens of some of those other aspects of life and other aspects of the history of the discovery of the nervous system.

1:02.0

By the end of this podcast, I promise you're going to understand a lot more about how you work and how to apply that knowledge.

1:09.0

There's going to be a little bit of story. There's going to be a lot of discussion about the people who made these particular discoveries.

1:15.0

There'll be a little bit of technical language. There's no way to avoid that.

1:20.0

But at the end, you're going to have in hand what would be the equivalent of an entire semester of learning about the nervous system and how you work.

1:29.0

So a few important points before we get started. I am not a medical doctor. That means I don't prescribe anything. I'm a professor.

1:37.0

So sometimes I'll profess things. In fact, I profess a lot of things.

1:41.0

We are going to talk about some basic functioning of the nervous system parts and et cetera. But we're also going to talk about how to apply that knowledge.

1:49.0

That said, your healthcare, your well-being is your responsibility. So anytime we talk about tools, please filter it through that responsibility.

1:57.0

Talk to a healthcare professional if you're going to explore any new tools or practices. And be smart in your pursuit of these new tools.

2:05.0

I also want to emphasize that this podcast and the other things I do on social media are my personal goal of bringing zero cost to consumer information to the general public.

2:17.0

It is separate from my role at Stanford University. In that spirit, I really want to thank the sponsors of today's podcast.

2:25.0

Our first sponsor is Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens is an all-in-one vitamin mineral probiotic drink.

2:31.0

I've been taking Athletic Greens since 2012, so I'm delighted that they're sponsoring the podcast.

2:37.0

The reason I started taking Athletic Greens and the reason I still take Athletic Greens once or twice today is that it helps me cover all of my basic nutritional needs.

2:44.0

It makes up for any deficiencies that I might have. In addition, it has probiotics, which are vital for microbiome health.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Scicomm Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Scicomm Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.