Podcast
Talk Neuro to Me (Fala-me Neuro)
Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)
Diana Aguiar de Sousa; Vera Bonvalot e Liliana Cerqueira
We have all heard of a stroke, but can we identify the signs? What happens in the brain and how can you recover from a stroke?
To answer these questions, we invited Diana Aguiar de Sousa, a neurologist at the Hospital de São José in Lisbon, who specializes in cerebrovascular diseases. We also spoke with Liliana Cerqueira, who shared her experience, and with Vera Bonvalot, Executive Director of the Associação Retorna, which supports people who have suffered Acquired Brain Damage, including strokes.
Episode 16
Neuroscience: from marketing to consumption
Nathalie Lorencini; Billy Nascimento
We live in a consumer society. Could neuroscience be useful in understanding our behaviors as consumers? When we understand how our brain responds to certain stimuli, can we create better campaigns, brands and products?
To answer these questions, we invited two experts in this area: Nathalie Lorencini (biomedical scientist and specialist in Consumer Neuroscience) and Billy Nascimento (PhD in Neurophysiology and co-founder of the company Forebrain, where he applies neuromarketing methods).
Episode 15
The psychedelics
Pedro Castro Rodrigues
Psychedelics have been used for thousands of years due to their ability to alter the content of consciousness. More recently, there has been much interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for various mental health problems, such as depression.
But how do psychedelics act on the brain? And how does treatment with psychedelics work in combination with psychotherapy? How can we explain its effects on resistant depression?
To discuss these issues, we spoke with Pedro Castro Rodrigues, who is a psychiatrist at the Lisbon Psychiatric Hospital Center, an associate researcher at Imperial College London and a member of the board of the Portuguese Society for the Clinical Application of Psychedelics (SPACE). We also have a testimonial from someone who underwent ketamine treatment in combination with psychotherapy for depression.
Episode 14
The vision
Raquel Santiago; João Pedro Marques
Vision is our most dominant sense. But how is the information received by our eyes transmitted to the brain? Are there neurons in the eye? And what happens in diseases that affect vision, such as glaucoma?
To discuss all these issues, we invited Raquel Santiago, professor and researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra and the Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Research of Coimbra (iCBR). In addition, we had the contribution of ophthalmologist João Pedro Marques, who gave us some advice on how to take better care of our vision.
Episode 13
The brain and learning
Joana Rato; Luísa Teixeira
What happens in our brain when we are learning something? What strategies can you use to learn more effectively? Can they be applied in schools?
To discuss all these issues, we invited Joana Rato, educational psychologist and specialist in the field of educational neuroscience. In addition, we share the testimony of Luísa Teixeira, a 1st cycle teacher, who decided to learn more about neuroscience to improve her teaching method.
Episode 12
The uniqueness of the human brain
Suzana Herculano-Houzel
We tend to think that our brain is unique and that this makes us somehow ‘superior’ to other species. But how does our brain differ from others?
To answer these questions, we have with us Suzana Herculano-Houzel: neuroscientist (specialist in comparative neuroanatomy), scientific communicator, researcher, writer and Professor at Vanderbilt University, in the USA.
Episode 11
Artificial intelligence
Paulo Aguiar; António Branco
We have all heard about artificial intelligence, especially with the emergence of GPT Chat. But what is artificial intelligence anyway? How can we use it to better understand how our brain works? Or even treat neurological diseases?
To discuss all these issues, we invited Paulo Aguiar (researcher at i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health at the University of Porto) and António Branco (professor at the University of Lisbon and coordinator of the team that developed the first major generative Artificial Intelligence model for the Portuguese language).
Episode 10
The brain and music
Carina Freitas; Luísa Sobral
We feel good when we listen to our favorite songs, but why? Can listening to or learning music have a positive impact on our brain? Or could it even have a therapeutic effect on neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases? To answer these questions, we invited Carina Freitas (specialist in music neuroscience) and Luísa Sobral (singer and composer).
Episode 9
The brain and anxiety
Gustavo Jesus; Tiago Galvão
It is known that 1 in 6 Portuguese people experience anxiety. What are the most common symptoms? What happens in our brain when we have anxiety? And what treatments are there? To answer these questions, we invited psychiatrist Gustavo Jesus and listened to Tiago Galvão's testimony.
Episode 8
The Obsessive Compulsive Brain
Pedro Morgado; Antonio Raminhos
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects around 1 in 25 people in Portugal and is one of the 10 most disabling conditions worldwide. Therefore, it is important to understand what this disorder is, what is happening in the brain of someone with OCD and what treatments exist.
To answer these questions, we invited Pedro Morgado, a psychiatrist at Braga Hospital, and researcher and professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Minho. Furthermore, we had the presence of António Raminhos, who has felt symptoms of OCD since he was little and shared his experience with us.
Episode 7
The depressed brain
Albino Oliveira Maia; Rita Redshoes
Depression is the most prevalent health problem in the European Union, where it affects around 50 million people. But what happens in the brain of someone with depression? And what treatments are there?
To find out more about this topic, we invited Albino Oliveira-Maia, from the Neuropsychiatry Unit at the Champalimaud Foundation.
We also have the participation of singer and songwriter Rita Redshoes, who has suffered from anxiety and depression problems since she was a child.
Episode 6
Addictions
Teresa Summavielle; Martinho Dias
There are many types of addictions, from the consumption of drugs, tobacco and alcohol to behaviors such as gambling, computer games or social media. Why is our brain so attracted to these substances and behaviors? Why do some people end up developing addictions? And does our brain change when we are addicted to something?
To answer these questions, we invited researcher Teresa Summavielle from the Institute of Research and Innovation in Health (i3S) at the University of Porto.
We also invited Martinho Dias, who works as a Peer Educator at CRESCER, where he supports drug addicts. Martinho stopped using drugs about eight years ago and shared his experience with us.
Episode 5
Brain and food
Carlos Ribeiro; Mafalda Rodrigues de Almeida
When we talk about a healthy diet, we tend to think about diets that don't make you fat and that prevent cardiovascular disease. But is there an ideal diet for our brain? Why do we like some foods more than others? And how does the brain control our appetite?
To answer these questions, we invited Carlos Ribeiro, main researcher at the Neuroscience Program at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon.
We also count on the participation of nutritionist Mafalda Rodrigues de Almeida, to clarify some of the myths (or truths) that are often heard in relation to healthy eating.
Episode 4
Sleep and the brain: what is the relationship?
Ana Rita Álvaro & Laetitia Gaspar; Bruna Reis
We spend a third of our lives sleeping and we all know how important it is to sleep well. But why? What does our brain do while we sleep? And what happens to the brain if we have sleep problems?
To answer these questions, we invited two researchers in the area of sleep: Ana Rita Álvaro and Laetitia Gaspar, from the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology at the University of Coimbra.
Furthermore, if you want advice on what you should (or should not) do to sleep well, listen to the contribution of Bruna Reis, cardiopneumologist specializing in sleep medicine and co-host of the podcast ‘O teu mal é sono’.
Episode 3
Physical exercise and brain
Tiago Reis Marques; Natália Guilherme
We know that physical exercise is good for our bodies. But is it also beneficial for our brain? To explore this topic, we started by talking to Natália Guilherme, amateur triathlete and founder of the Women+ project. Natália shared her experience and explained how physical exercise helps control her anxiety.
But why does this happen? How can physical exercise have a positive effect, not only on anxiety, but also on other neurological diseases and brain aging? To answer these questions, we invited Tiago Reis Marques, psychiatrist, teacher and researcher at two universities in London: Imperial College and King’s College.
Episode 2
Brain plasticity
Sara Xapelli
Is our brain made up of just neurons or does it have other cells that facilitate its functioning? What is brain plasticity? Can we generate new neurons in adulthood?
To answer these questions, in this episode we invited Sara Xapelli, professor and researcher at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon and Institute of Molecular Medicine, who has studied the relationship between the acquisition of new knowledge, during adult life, and the formation of new cells and factors that enhance this plasticity.
Episode 1
The launch of the Talk Neuro to Me (Fala-me Neuro) podcast
Rui Rodrigues, Founder of the Talk Neuro to Me (Fala-me Neuro) project
In this episode #0 we present the podcast Fala-me Neuro and we talk about the mission of the larger project with the same name: 1) inform about topics related to neuroscience and 2) promote informal education about this area for everyone who speaks Portuguese. Our main objective is to increase knowledge about neuroscience in society and inspire and empower people of all ages and contexts to use this knowledge in their daily lives.
What do they say, come talk Neuro with us?
Episode 0