Control Pain & Heal Faster with Your Brain

A specific genetic mutation in a sodium channel that, when absent, leads to insensitivity to pain, making it a terrible situation for affected children (e.g., joint destruction, early death due to accidents). Conversely, too much of this channel leads to extreme pain sensitivity.

A type of deep sleep, typically occurring in the early part of the night, during which most of the glymphatic system's debris washout occurs. Essential for brain repair after injury.

A terrible and often deadly brain tumor composed of glial cells that have returned to an excessive "stemness" state, producing too many cells.

Factors discovered by Yamanaka that can reprogram skin cells into neurons, offering potential for regenerative medicine but not yet an approved therapy.

An ancient breathing technique similar to Wim Hof breathing, which can liberate adrenaline to counter infection.

One of the molecules isolated from young blood that appears to vitalize or revitalize the old brain and body, pointing to future treatments for cognitive and physical decline.

A chemical associated with warmth and connection, typically found in more stable, long-lasting relationships, distinct from dopamine's role in infatuation.

Protocols recommended for injury recovery if sleep is challenging, providing similar benefits to sleep for glymphatic clearance and tissue repair.

A map of the body surface in the brain where representation is scaled according to nerve receptor density and sensitivity, not body part size. More sensitive areas (lips, fingertips) have larger brain real estate.

A molecule mainly expressed by astrocytes, glial cells that bridge connections between neurons, vasculature, and the glymphatic system. It is involved in the glymphatic system's function.

A huge fiber pathway linking the two sides of the brain, through which plasticity can occur in both hemispheres when one side is injured and the other is restricted.

A breathing technique, similar to Tummo breathing, involving hyperventilation, exhales, and breath holds. It liberates adrenaline, countering infection and blunting pain, but should never be done near water.

Our knowledge of where our limbs are in space, an extremely important aspect of the somatosensory system.

A type of glial cell, the most numerous cells in the brain, that ensheath synapses and are very dynamic, involved in repairing neuronal connections and bridging the glymphatic system and blood system.

The 10th cranial nerve that serves the 'rest and digest' and parasympathetic calming response. Its activity can be increased by low-intensity stimulation of feet and hands, reducing inflammation.

Sensors in the skin that detect particular types of stimuli, derived from the Latin word 'nocere' meaning 'to harm,' used in neuroscience to describe pain detection objectively.

A condition characterized by whole-body pain, related to too little central inhibition of pain responses in the brain. Emerging therapies include red light therapy.

Formulated by neurologist Margaret Kennard, stating that brain injuries are better sustained early in life due to heightened capacity for self-repair compared to later in life.

The dominant form of androgen in human males, involved in aggression and libido, which turmeric can antagonize.

The brain's lymphatic-like system, acting as a sewer to clear debris around neurons, especially injured ones. It is very active during slow-wave sleep and its function is crucial for TBI recovery and general brain health.

An emerging therapy explored for chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia. Local red light may have some effect, while systemic therapy may approximate the effects of natural sunlight.

A supplement company offering a discount to podcast listeners who wish to try their supplements.

A platform where listeners can financially support the podcast through donations.

A vitamin, mineral, and probiotic drink taken to cover nutritional bases and support gut microbiome health, mood, metabolic function, and hormone function. Comes with a year's supply of Vitamin D3 K2 and travel packets.

A virtual private network (VPN) that secures online data and activities by routing them through its servers, preventing data selling to third parties. Recommended for data security, especially on public Wi-Fi networks.

A researcher whose work in the '90s and 2000s showed the benefits of restricting activity of an uninjured limb to encourage movement and recovery in an injured limb, promoting plasticity on both sides of the brain.

A professor at Harvard Medical School whose laboratory explores the mechanisms of electroacupuncture and acupuncture, demonstrating how different stimulations can modulate pain and inflammation through discrete neural pathways.

A colleague of Andrew Huberman at Stanford whose lab published a study showing that blood from young rodents or umbilical cords can revitalize old, demented rodents, improving memory and vitality.

The institution of Glen Jeffery's lab, which published a study on red light therapy for macular degeneration.

A researcher at University College London whose lab published a study showing red light stimulation to the eyes in people 40 or older can offset macular degeneration effects.

A formally trained exercise physiologist and world expert in movement and tissue rehabilitation. Consulted for advice on managing injury and accelerating healing.

A graduate student/postdoc of Timothy Schallert, contributing to research on motor injury recovery by restricting uninjured limbs.

A famous neurologist after whom the Kennard Principle is named, which describes the brain's capacity for repair at different life stages.

A colleague of Andrew Huberman at Stanford who conducted neuroimaging studies on how romantic love can modulate pain response, discovering that infatuation and obsession significantly blunt pain.

A U.S. government agency that now has a subdivision for complementary health, interested in practices like acupuncture and other treatments that improve health.

The podcast itself, focusing on science and science-based tools for everyday life, with this episode continuing a discussion on neuroplasticity.

Andrew Huberman's academic affiliation where he is a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology.

Kelly Starrett's platform that provides information and protocols for movement and tissue rehabilitation.

A device that replaces the deficient cochlea in congenitally deaf individuals, allowing the brain to make sense of artificial hearing apparatus and perceive sounds.

A treatment involving enriching blood for platelets and re-injecting it into injured tissues. Claims of high stem cell content in PRP are feeble, and efficacy separate from placebo or injection volume effect has not been definitively shown. Caution is advised (labeled 'illegal' to advertise as stem cell therapy).

A pain reliever that reduces inflammation by blocking COX prostaglandin pathways, commonly used for pain but may not be ideal when acute inflammation is beneficial for healing.

A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation by blocking COX prostaglandin pathways, commonly used for pain but may not be ideal when acute inflammation is beneficial for healing.

A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation by blocking COX prostaglandin pathways, commonly used for pain but may not be ideal when acute inflammation is beneficial for healing.

Mentioned as an extreme case of cold and power outage, leading to people suffering and releasing adrenaline to stay safe from infection.

An herb with anti-inflammatory properties, but Andrew Huberman expresses skepticism due to potential lead contamination in supplements and its antagonistic effects on dihydrotestosterone in men.

A vitamin supplement bundle offered with Athletic Greens, important for immune function.

An excellent journal that published a paper in 2014 describing how dopamine and norepinephrine can activate the vagus nerve peripherally to reduce inflammation.

A scientific journal that published a paper showing how certain breathing patterns can counter infection from endotoxins by liberating adrenaline.

A publication where a famous case study about a construction worker experiencing phantom pain from a nail in his boot was published, highlighting the mind's power in pain perception.

A simple yet powerful solution developed by Ramachandran for phantom limb pain, where patients use mirrors to visualize their missing limb as intact and move it, providing immediate relief from pain by remapping brain representations.