#249 ‒ How the brain works, Andrew’s fascinating backstory, improving scientific literacy, and more | Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. | The Peter Attia Drive

Intro

In this episode of “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast, Peter Attia sits down with Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., the host of “The Huberman Lab” podcast, to discuss neuroanatomy, the brain’s functioning, scientific literacy, and more. Andrew shares his personal journey and important mentors in his life. They also delve into the crisis of scientific literacy and the significance of science communication. The conversation is divided into two parts due to the overwhelming response from listeners.

Main Takeaways

Understanding the Brain and Neuroanatomy

• The discussion covers neuroanatomy and a greater understanding of how the brain works, including the rule sets with respect to thinking and senses.
• The hypothalamus and brainstem preferentially use lactate as fuel under high stress or exertion.
• The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, shuts down during stress due to preferential shuttling of glucose and lactate to other regions of the brain.
• Familiarity with stress states can lower the probability of being hijacked by them.
• Deliberate cold exposure and breath restriction can help teach the body to be comfortable with adrenaline.

Insights into Brain Development and Connectivity

• The human brain has more neocortex, which causes certain brain areas to move during development.
• The second criteria for establishing homology between species of a given brain area or neuron type is connectivity.
• The prefrontal cortex and amygdala are monosynaptically connected, which establishes fast communication between structures.
• The insula is becoming more important to neuroscientists and clinicians, as it has a map of the body’s surface and internal organs, controlling interoception.
• The insular cortex is fairly expanded in humans and larger than a few millimeters in neural real estate.

Visual Perception and Sensory Specializations

• Multi-modal neurons in the brain can be activated by both auditory and visual cues.
• 40 to 42 percent of the human brain has visual response specificity.
• Animals have heightened senses of smell and hearing compared to humans.
• Animals have evolved specialized retinas for specific tasks, such as elephants having a J-shaped retina to view the tip of their trunks for high acuity placement while eating.
• Book recommendation: “An Immense World” by Ed Young, which explores the sensory specializations of other animals.

Mindset, Creativity, and Problem-Solving

• Mindset effects can account for up to 20% of the effects of anything like food or behavior.
• Creativity is a combination of existing rule sets and coming up with completely novel rule sets.
• Placing the mind and body into relaxed and open states can access new rule sets and solve problems quickly.
• Humans perform exceptionally well at solving problems under conditions of relaxation and novelty.
• Advancements in human evolution have largely been from a desire for something, not an avoidance of something else.

Andrew Huberman’s Personal Journey

• Andrew shares his personal journey from childhood to his education, career, and important mentors in his life.
• He discusses his experiences with therapy and the positive impact it had on his life.
• Andrew reflects on his relationships, including a difficult relationship with his girlfriend’s parents.
• He talks about his career in research and the challenges he faced along the way.
• Andrew highlights the importance of forgiveness and the impact of mental health issues on his life.

Summary

Understanding the Brain and Neuroanatomy

In this episode, Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman dive into the intricacies of neuroanatomy and the functioning of the brain. They explore the rule sets that govern thinking and senses, shedding light on how different brain regions utilize fuel under stress. They also discuss the benefits of deliberate cold exposure and breath restriction in training the body to handle adrenaline. By familiarizing ourselves with stress states, we can lower the probability of being overwhelmed by them.

Insights into Brain Development and Connectivity

The conversation delves into the development and connectivity of the human brain. Andrew explains how certain brain areas move during development due to the presence of neocortex. He also emphasizes the importance of connectivity as a criterion for establishing homology between species. The monosynaptic connection between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala enables fast communication between these structures. Additionally, the insula, with its map of the body’s surface and internal organs, plays a crucial role in interoception.

Visual Perception and Sensory Specializations

Andrew and Peter explore the fascinating world of visual perception and sensory specializations in animals. They discuss how multi-modal neurons in the brain can be activated by both auditory and visual cues. Animals, with their heightened senses of smell and hearing, possess specialized retinas tailored to specific tasks. For example, elephants have a J-shaped retina that allows them to view the tip of their trunks with high acuity while eating. Andrew recommends the book “An Immense World” by Ed Young, which delves into the sensory specializations of various animals.

Mindset, Creativity, and Problem-Solving

The conversation shifts to mindset, creativity, and problem-solving. They explore how mindset effects can significantly impact the outcomes of various endeavors. Creativity is described as a combination of existing rule sets and the ability to come up with completely novel rule sets. By placing the mind and body in relaxed and open states, individuals can access new rule sets and solve problems more effectively. Humans excel at problem-solving under conditions of relaxation and novelty, and advancements in human evolution often stem from a desire for something rather than an avoidance of something else.

Andrew Huberman’s Personal Journey

Andrew shares his personal journey, starting from his childhood to his education and career. He discusses the important mentors in his life and the impact they had on his development. Therapy played a crucial role in Andrew’s life, providing him with the necessary guidance and support to navigate challenges. He reflects on his relationships, including a difficult one with his girlfriend’s parents, and the lessons he learned from those experiences. Andrew also opens up about his struggles with mental health issues and the importance of forgiveness in his personal growth.

Conclusion

In this episode of “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast, Andrew Huberman provides valuable insights into neuroanatomy, the brain’s functioning, and the importance of scientific literacy. The conversation spans various topics, including stress management, sensory specializations in animals, and the power of mindset in problem-solving. Andrew’s personal journey and experiences add depth and relatability to the discussion. Listeners are left with a greater understanding of the brain and its incredible capabilities, as well as the importance of science communication in improving scientific literacy.