Maybe you've heard that brain
cells come, and brain cells go
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but FAT cells live FOREVER!
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Well today, we are going to
be talking about this incredible
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universe of your brain,
and with me is Dr. Neil Nedley
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Welcome! Thank you, Rise
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I'm very glad to be
with you today... Good
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The brain is very complex,
and actually this 2-1/2 pound
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structure is an internal organ
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And as an internal medicine
physician, it actually is one of
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the organs that I have to
deal with on a day-by-day basis
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in trying to protect the
brain, as well as trying to
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enhance brain function.
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And, my study of the brain has
actually helped me personally
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as well, because I've
learned how to optimize my own
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brain function, as well as even
help in the rearing of children
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to improve, and get
their brain functioning as
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optimally as possible.
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Our first graphic has to do
with the complexity of the brain
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The brain is actually the
most complex structure ever
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investigated by Science...
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That means it's more complicated
than the Space Shuttle,
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more complicated than
the most complex computer,
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than the most complex bridge...
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100 billion nerve cells,
that is a phenomenal figure
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in and of itself, and even
more supporting cells known as
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glia... there is
well over 100 billion glia
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And glia, we used to think,
were just involved in structure
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and nutritional support.
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We now know they are
involved in thought processes.
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And then there are thousands
of different types of neurons...
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and that is really what
sets this brain apart from other
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body organ systems, because
the heart, as complex as it is
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...and we've done programs on
the heart on "Wonderfully Made"
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it only has about 24
different types of cells.
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Liver... very complex...
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also only about 26
different types of cells.
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The brain, what sets it apart
from the rest of the body organs
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is that it has thousands
of different types of cells
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that are so
different, that they have to be
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classified differently.
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And with that
amount of complexity,
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it's just a phenomenal organ
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And then just to
count the cells...
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You know, if you were to
begin counting from the time
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you are born
until the time you die,
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you wouldn't be able
to count to a billion!
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I read about a
researcher, a scientist, who was
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trying to count them, and
he started with infants...
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and he found that 3
billion nerve cells were being
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produced a second! Yes!
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I don't know if he ever
continued trying to count,
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or if he threw up
his hands and gave up!
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Well that's the thing
too... that, yes, in the
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development stage, because
of the rapid development of the
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nervous system, and
the complexity of it,
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yes, there are a lot of
nerve cells being developed
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in infancy and, particularly,
in the pre-infancy stage...
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And even up to about
age 2 or so the neurons
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are developing.
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In your opening statement, brain
cells come and brain cells go
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Well, after age 2, they
don't really come anymore...
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We just have to
fine-tune what we have,
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and get it structurally aligned.
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Structurally aligned...
that's an interesting word
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It's not necessarily then
the number of brain cells that
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I have, but maybe how they're
structured? Yes, absolutely!
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So you don't have
more brain cells than I do?
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I don't think so...
Oh, that gives me hope!
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Yes, it is actually
in the development...
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As far as the anatomical
structural development
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of the human brain, that takes
30 years to be completed...
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So, even though at age 2, you
have the number of brain cells
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there, you're going to
have improvement in that
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brain function up to age 30.
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And so, it is indeed,
a structure that is worth
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studying about, and we
do know a lot about it now,
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versus what we knew even
20 or 30 years ago. Um hm
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We still don't know everything
about this wonderful organ,
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but we're learning a lot.
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That's interesting
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The synapses also
make it quite complex.
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The synapses are
actually where one neuron
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communicates with another...
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And the average neuron
will actually make a thousand
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connections with other neurons!
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And so, if you were
to take that 100 billion,
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and just average a
thousand, you can see how many
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synapses there are
in the human brain.
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There are actually
100 trillion synapses
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in the human brain as
a conservative estimate.
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Some cells like
the "Purkinje" cell...
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1 neuron can make 200,000
connections with other neurons
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So these connections, it's
not like 1 neuron is connecting
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with another neuron...
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It's happening
between a space, isn't it?
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Isn't that what
the synapse is? Exactly
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It's an open space that
somehow 1 neuron is still
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able to communicate certain
information to the next one...
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Right, exactly.
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And it communicates through
chemical transmission actually
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When the electricity
of 1 neuron goes through
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what we call the terminal
button, there are chemicals
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that are released, and
those chemicals may be sensed by
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the other neuron, and then that
continues the communication.
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And, they may not be sensed,
for instance, and maybe that
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neuronal transmission
will cease depending on what
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receptors are there
on the receiving neuron.
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And so, a lot of brain
chemistry has to do with
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what's going on in
those synapses and what
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is going on in the
receptor portion of the neuron.
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Synapses are the site,
aren't they... the place where
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even external drugs, be they
illegal or other medications
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can affect the brain...
right there? Yes, absolutely
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In fact, even the
antidepressants...
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you know, the most common
antidepressant is a selective
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serotonin reuptake inhibitor...
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and that is acting
right there in the synapse.
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Virtually all the
antidepressants actually
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are working
there on the synapse.
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And then here are other
ones, even you mentioned,
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the illicit drugs
that can do things...
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there in the synapse to produce
a sense of false pleasure
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so to speak... a pleasurable
sensation due to nothing
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except taking a drug
which, of course, can lead
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to a lot of problems. Um hm
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In fact, that leads us into
things that can affect the brain
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Actually it might be
good to talk about some of the
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different lobes of the brain...
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In fact, I think the
next graphic actually has the
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lobes of the brain
there, but the frontal lobe
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of the brain in human beings
is quite a large structure...
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and it is where
spirituality, morality,
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and the will is centered.
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It's where
analytical thinking occurs.
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It's where our
advanced planning occurs.
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The parietal lobe is
where our sensation is centered.
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It's also where
our speech is formed.
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It's where our
language comprehension occurs
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Those with good
language skills have
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more
well-developed parietal lobes.
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It's actually where calculation
and division occur as well.
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Einstein had a
little larger parietal lobe.
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The occipital lobe is
where our vision is centered,
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and also where
architectural skills come from
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and then the temporal
lobe there behind the ear
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is where our memory is centered.
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So you can have
an excellent memory,
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but still not have
good frontal lobe function,
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and good judgment.
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And then you can see the
bottom portion of the brain
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...the cerebellum That
is where the athleticism
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occurs actually... you
know, the people like the top
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athletes in the world
would have very well-developed
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cerebellums, and that's
why they're so graceful,
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and so well coordinated...
is due to the good
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development of their cerebellum.
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So we have all these
different lobes in our brain
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that are responsible for
certain functions? Exactly
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But do they
operate in an isolated way,
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or do they have a connection?
No, there are connections
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between them, fortunately.
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Is it important for some
of these other lobes to be
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connected with the frontal lobe?
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Absolutely... Yeah, you
would want the temporal lobe,
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for instance, to be
connected with the frontal lobe
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because when we're
remembering something,
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we want to be able
to remember it in a
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practical manner to
put it into use day by day
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And if we don't have connections
from the temporal lobe
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to the frontal lobe, we're
not going to be able to do that.
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And the same is true with
the parietal lobe when we're
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creating and
actually comprehending speech
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...we want to be able to put
that in the subsets into what
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should be accepted,
what should be rejected...
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and the frontal lobe is
really what does that for us
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Otherwise, we end
up being a sponge,
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and kind of accept everything,
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and that wouldn't be
good for the brain either. No
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So knowledge is like
taking information into my body
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through the senses, right?
That's how our brain is affected
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That's how the
brain is able to grow and
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as I take in this knowledge or
information through the senses,
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the axon of the nerve
cell... as they reach out
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isn't that's what
actually developing knowledge,
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and these connections... Yes
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There's movement
taking place in the brain...
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And, of course, we can put
that to work for us when we
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change our habits...
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You know, after you
repeat something 30 times
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it's a pretty ingrained habit,
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and there has been
structural movement in the brain
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to actually have that
habit pretty well entrenched
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And, of course, we can
even make that habit deeper
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but the nice thing about
it is that if we actually
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change that habit,
and totally quit doing it,
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and then do something
else, those connections
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over time will actually
loosen and not be near as firm
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or tight, and actually can
be done away with completely
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so that that habit, over the
course of a long period of time
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is no longer even present.
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That's exciting! You know,
the brain is not as cement block
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in other words... it's
plastic, there's resiliency
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and I don't think that
ever stops, does it even though
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maybe our brain stops
growing at a certain age,
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doesn't the
resiliency continue on?
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Yeah, actually the brain...
there's evidence that the
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Designer who put this brain
together wanted it to be able
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to expand, and actually
have improvement in function
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throughout life...
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And so, there is
capacity that's there...
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unless we get the
tangles of Alzheimer disease
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to really mess
things up, or something else
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like an artery closing
off to a portion of the brain
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that kills a portion of
the brain called a stroke
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...unless those types
of things start occurring,
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or we get atherosclerosis that
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starts deterring
thinking ability...
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the brain really
should continue to improve
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throughout life if we
treat it appropriately
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So let's say our frontal
lobe, right now, doesn't have
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complete good communication
with some of these other
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areas of our brain, and we're
realizing maybe a heightened
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awareness and need to
have our frontal lobe maybe
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be more in charge...
the will, spirituality;
00:11:45.33\00:11:48.19
these kinds of things govern
over our other decision-making
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abilities... What is it
that we can do to enhance
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this frontal lobe
function, or what can we do that
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negatively affects it?
00:11:57.08\00:11:58.67
Well, there are 2 primary
ways in which we can actually
00:11:58.68\00:12:03.31
positively or
negatively affect the brain...
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One is through what I
call... "the hardware"
00:12:06.10\00:12:08.53
You know, this is
a wonderful computer,
00:12:08.56\00:12:10.87
and it does have
significant amounts of hardware
00:12:10.90\00:12:14.93
including the brain chemistry
00:12:14.96\00:12:16.18
And so there are things
that we can do to change
00:12:16.21\00:12:18.08
that brain chemistry.
00:12:18.11\00:12:19.35
And then there's the
software component...
00:12:19.36\00:12:21.38
And the software component
has to do with how we are
00:12:21.41\00:12:25.42
loading this brain in
regards to its actual functions
00:12:25.45\00:12:29.94
So, I like to talk of the
software in regards to what
00:12:29.97\00:12:33.50
we're choosing to
actually even think about.
00:12:33.53\00:12:35.55
What we're choosing to
meditate on, contemplate on
00:12:35.58\00:12:38.94
...how we're analyzing
what is going on in a day-by-day
00:12:38.97\00:12:42.61
situation in our own
relationships, in our own tasks
00:12:42.62\00:12:46.63
and that is
tweaking the software,
00:12:46.66\00:12:50.03
and making the
software a lot better...
00:12:50.04\00:12:52.69
And, of course, you can
have the greatest hardware
00:12:52.72\00:12:54.16
in the world, but if you
don't have good software,
00:12:54.19\00:12:56.92
you're still not going to
have emotional intelligence.
00:12:56.95\00:12:59.69
The software is very important
in emotional intelligence...
00:12:59.72\00:13:02.76
And today, we're going
to primarily emphasize the
00:13:02.79\00:13:05.65
hardware, but
before we do, I would just,
00:13:05.68\00:13:07.45
for your interest sake, like
to talk about animals' brains...
00:13:07.48\00:13:11.43
Oh yeah!
00:13:11.46\00:13:13.02
Animals have brains as well
00:13:13.05\00:13:15.40
And they can see, of
course, they can hear,
00:13:15.43\00:13:19.05
they can think,
they can have memory
00:13:19.08\00:13:22.39
They can have a
lot of these things,
00:13:22.42\00:13:23.99
and our next graphic actually
shows the marked difference
00:13:24.02\00:13:28.65
in the frontal lobe
size of animal brains
00:13:28.68\00:13:34.03
You can see there, cats...
only 3% of a cat's brain is
00:13:34.06\00:13:38.96
in the frontal lobe...
00:13:38.99\00:13:39.98
Only 7% of a dog's brain
is in the frontal lobe...
00:13:40.01\00:13:44.48
and a chimpanzee is 17%
00:13:44.51\00:13:48.10
...a human being is 33 up
to 38% of the human brain is
00:13:48.13\00:13:52.46
in the frontal lobe.
00:13:52.49\00:13:53.91
And so, cats don't have
the ability to accomplish the
00:13:53.94\00:13:59.00
advanced planning and thinking.
00:13:59.03\00:14:01.21
Actually, the frontal lobe is
also the seat of worship... Hmm
00:14:01.24\00:14:05.41
You know, and human
beings that have frontal lobes,
00:14:05.44\00:14:08.37
every one of them worships!
00:14:08.40\00:14:10.21
Now they may think
they don't believe in God,
00:14:10.24\00:14:12.37
or they're not
worshipping, but actually,
00:14:12.40\00:14:14.25
they are worshipping...
the question is...
00:14:14.28\00:14:15.78
WHO are they worshipping?
WHAT are they worshipping?
00:14:15.81\00:14:18.98
They may be worshipping
some Hollywood star...
00:14:19.01\00:14:21.27
They may be
worshipping some politician
00:14:21.30\00:14:23.55
Or, they may be modeling
themselves after who knows what,
00:14:23.58\00:14:27.95
or worshipping MONEY!
00:14:27.99\00:14:28.96
And something that
isn't a human being,
00:14:29.00\00:14:32.01
but they are worshipping...
00:14:32.04\00:14:33.05
The frontal lobe
is the center of that.
00:14:33.08\00:14:35.04
The reason why we don't see
dogs and cats coming to church
00:14:35.07\00:14:38.05
and getting experience out
of that is because they don't
00:14:38.08\00:14:40.20
have the frontal lobe
size to be able to do that.
00:14:40.23\00:14:42.59
Maybe that's why we see
dogs having a little bit more
00:14:42.62\00:14:44.68
devotion to their owners
than a cat. Yes, that's right!
00:14:44.71\00:14:47.72
The devotional component would
be a frontal lobe component
00:14:47.75\00:14:52.04
And so, we can actually become
more animalistic, so to speak,
00:14:52.07\00:14:57.21
by impairing
our frontal lobes...
00:14:57.24\00:14:59.70
and that's what alcohol,
for instance, will do...
00:14:59.73\00:15:04.61
Alcohol actually affects the
frontal lobe of the brain first
00:15:04.64\00:15:07.59
before it affects any other
portion of the brain... Hmm
00:15:07.62\00:15:10.54
And the interesting thing about
alcohol is you were to drive
00:15:10.57\00:15:14.23
at the legal limit of alcohol
intoxication in the U.S.,
00:15:14.24\00:15:16.89
and, in most states, it's 0.08%
00:15:16.92\00:15:19.59
...There are a few states that
still have it up there at 0.10%
00:15:19.60\00:15:23.91
where the politicians in
that particular state still want
00:15:23.94\00:15:27.21
to be able to have
more at their mealtime.
00:15:27.24\00:15:30.27
But, at the 0.08% level,
if you were to be pulled over
00:15:30.30\00:15:34.73
on a police stop, you would
be able to walk a straight line
00:15:34.76\00:15:39.23
You'd be able to
actually hit a curve ball
00:15:39.26\00:15:41.63
out of a baseball park
if you were trained to do so
00:15:41.66\00:15:44.53
But, you would have a
10 times greater risk of
00:15:44.56\00:15:47.88
getting into an
automobile accident.
00:15:47.91\00:15:49.61
The reason...
because your judgment is off
00:15:49.64\00:15:53.18
And that's what
happened to Princess Di's driver
00:15:53.21\00:15:56.23
No one recognized he was drunk.
00:15:56.26\00:15:59.30
He was walking straight lines
00:15:59.33\00:16:01.04
He was socializing normally...
00:16:01.07\00:16:03.30
but he attempted to negotiate
a turn at the speed that was
00:16:03.31\00:16:08.10
impossible to
negotiate even under the best of
00:16:08.13\00:16:10.60
coordinative circumstances.
00:16:10.61\00:16:12.01
The best race car driver in the
world would not have been able
00:16:12.04\00:16:14.87
to successfully negotiate
that turn at that speed
00:16:14.90\00:16:17.98
and thus, he lost his life, and
others lost their life as well
00:16:18.01\00:16:21.78
And so, alcohol can do that
00:16:21.81\00:16:24.41
that's why it's not
good for dogs and cats,
00:16:24.44\00:16:26.53
and even chimpanzees
to drive automobiles...
00:16:26.56\00:16:29.00
They might have the
coordination to do it
00:16:29.03\00:16:30.98
Chimpanzees, by the way,
have much better developed
00:16:31.01\00:16:34.06
cerebellums... this back
portion of the brain here
00:16:34.09\00:16:36.56
...much more highly developed
in monkeys, in chimpanzees
00:16:36.59\00:16:41.37
They've got
great coordination...
00:16:41.40\00:16:42.86
and so you'd think... Well, why
shouldn't they be great drivers?
00:16:42.87\00:16:45.96
Well, they don't have
the frontal lobe to go along
00:16:45.99\00:16:48.39
with that, and so their
judgment is going to be off
00:16:48.42\00:16:50.28
and they're going to
attempt to do things with that
00:16:50.31\00:16:52.59
automobile... like they
attempt to do it in the trees,
00:16:52.62\00:16:56.28
and not get by with it.
00:16:56.31\00:16:58.26
And so, going back to
alcohol, once it affects
00:16:58.29\00:17:04.35
the frontal lobe of
the brain, the next day,
00:17:04.38\00:17:06.92
alcohol is out of the
system, and the person
00:17:06.95\00:17:08.95
is okay to drive again
00:17:08.98\00:17:11.13
The problem is that
he needed to accomplish
00:17:11.16\00:17:13.39
the advanced
planning and thinking
00:17:13.43\00:17:14.99
It takes 2 weeks for the frontal
lobe to fully recover from that.
00:17:15.02\00:17:18.24
From one night of drinking?
From one night of drinking...
00:17:18.27\00:17:21.31
And so, that is critically
important if you're really
00:17:21.34\00:17:25.12
having to do complex
advanced planning and thinking.
00:17:25.15\00:17:28.90
And actually, people
would get by in their society
00:17:28.91\00:17:32.74
a lot better if
they did more of that...
00:17:32.77\00:17:34.47
You know, very few people are
accustomed to using their brain
00:17:34.50\00:17:38.05
at the level that they
could use it to plan their life,
00:17:38.08\00:17:41.57
and plan their career,
and plan their marriage
00:17:41.60\00:17:43.65
partner and
those type of things.
00:17:43.68\00:17:45.62
And, if they would
utilize their frontal lobes
00:17:45.65\00:17:49.18
their success
in life would be...
00:17:49.21\00:17:51.29
You know, the sky
would be the limit...
00:17:51.32\00:17:53.16
And the more you use
it, the stronger it becomes,
00:17:53.19\00:17:56.64
and if you don't use it,
you lose it... it sounds like.
00:17:56.67\00:17:59.52
Yes, that's right.
00:17:59.55\00:18:00.55
If we don't use it, then those
circuits aren't going to be
00:18:00.58\00:18:04.26
lined up exactly right.
00:18:04.29\00:18:05.72
We're going to have problems
with our synapses, so-to-speak
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.82
And, we're not going to be
near as good at accomplishing
00:18:08.85\00:18:12.29
advanced planning and thinking
00:18:12.32\00:18:14.48
Another substance that commonly
affects the frontal lobe
00:18:14.51\00:18:18.26
and actually, it's the
most commonly consumed drug
00:18:18.29\00:18:22.74
in America today.
00:18:22.77\00:18:24.59
Do you know what
that is, Rise? Caffeine!
00:18:24.60\00:18:26.57
That's right! Caffeine
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.48
Any guess at what
percent of Americans consume it?
00:18:28.51\00:18:31.26
I would say... 75?
Pretty close... 80%
00:18:31.29\00:18:36.98
Yeah, 80% of
Americans consume caffeine!
00:18:37.01\00:18:39.53
Caffeine blocks the
adenosine receptors right here
00:18:39.56\00:18:42.32
in the frontal lobe.
00:18:42.33\00:18:43.76
What's adenosine?
00:18:43.79\00:18:44.78
Adenosine is one of
those neurotransmitters that's
00:18:44.81\00:18:46.96
extensively used
in the frontal lobe,
00:18:46.99\00:18:49.11
and it also does
something else...
00:18:49.14\00:18:51.73
it blocks the action of
an enzyme in the entire brain
00:18:51.76\00:18:54.34
called "acetylcholinesterase"
00:18:54.37\00:18:56.36
...so it makes too much
acetylcholine there in the brain
00:18:56.39\00:19:00.07
Now that's why
people feel stimulated under
00:19:00.08\00:19:02.36
the influence of caffeine...
00:19:02.40\00:19:03.91
And Pavlov studied this out...
00:19:03.95\00:19:05.43
A typist can type a
little bit faster under the
00:19:05.46\00:19:08.35
influence of caffeine, but they
make 10 times as many errors...
00:19:08.38\00:19:11.65
And that's really due to
the effect of adenosine there
00:19:11.68\00:19:16.18
and the frontal lobe ability
to impair certain things that
00:19:16.21\00:19:22.45
need to be impaired.
00:19:22.46\00:19:23.61
So you have the illusion
that you feel more energetic
00:19:23.64\00:19:26.03
and you're accomplishing more,
and you're doing a better job
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.17
but that's all it
is... an illusion!
00:19:28.20\00:19:30.07
Particularly if it's going
to involve thought processes
00:19:30.10\00:19:33.65
You know, for instance, in
the NFL, the person doing the
00:19:33.68\00:19:39.70
blocking and just the
brute force type of things
00:19:39.73\00:19:43.15
...they might think
they're getting better
00:19:43.18\00:19:44.47
with the caffeine
because of the stimulant effect
00:19:44.50\00:19:47.68
but the quarterback would
not best be utilizing that
00:19:47.71\00:19:50.52
because he has to
analyze a bunch of information,
00:19:50.55\00:19:53.37
and make a very wise decision
in a short period of time.
00:19:53.40\00:19:56.89
Adenosine receptor blockade
is going to impair his ability
00:19:56.92\00:20:00.66
to make the right
decision there on the field.
00:20:00.69\00:20:03.18
Now isn't the frontal lobe
one of the last lobes to really
00:20:03.21\00:20:07.12
be fully developed
in a human being? It is.
00:20:07.15\00:20:09.60
So have you noticed all these
drinks that are out for young
00:20:09.63\00:20:12.76
kids... they're energy drinks
and they're loaded with caffeine
00:20:12.79\00:20:16.09
Does the effect of caffeine
on maybe the younger population
00:20:16.12\00:20:19.04
whose frontal lobes are
still growing affect them
00:20:19.07\00:20:21.04
even more than maybe an adult?
00:20:21.07\00:20:22.52
Yes it would... just
like alcohol, for instance,
00:20:22.55\00:20:24.68
is going to adversely affect the
young even more so than the old
00:20:24.71\00:20:29.48
But there's a good rule,
and that is if it's not good
00:20:30.33\00:20:32.54
for young people, it's not
really good for older people
00:20:32.57\00:20:35.10
as well... Right
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.16
But it would be more damaging
to them for a couple of reasons
00:20:36.19\00:20:39.65
Another reason is... it's
the setting up for the addiction
00:20:39.66\00:20:41.84
Caffeine is
quite an addiction...
00:20:41.87\00:20:43.40
In fact, if you're on
2 cups of coffee a day,
00:20:43.41\00:20:45.74
which many Americans are...
00:20:45.77\00:20:47.83
If they were to abruptly
stop that, they would get
00:20:47.86\00:20:49.72
severe
headaches for 2 or 3 days,
00:20:49.75\00:20:52.37
and feel like the walking-dead
00:20:52.40\00:20:53.68
I mean, it's a drug... it
has withdrawal effects as well
00:20:53.71\00:20:57.28
And so, you're setting
these kids up to continually
00:20:57.31\00:21:00.06
reach for that caffeine... Um hm
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.22
And, thus, their frontal lobes
will never quite accomplish
00:21:02.25\00:21:06.09
what they could
have without it...
00:21:06.12\00:21:08.27
so important to recognize.
00:21:08.30\00:21:10.38
Another factor is, of
course, what we are eating
00:21:10.41\00:21:14.58
and the brain primarily utilizes
carbohydrates as their source
00:21:14.61\00:21:19.50
of energy.
00:21:19.53\00:21:20.82
There are some foods that are
deficient in carbohydrates...
00:21:20.85\00:21:25.45
Lots of protein, lots of fat,
virtually no carbohydrate...
00:21:25.48\00:21:29.22
What food would that
be? Meat... That's right
00:21:29.25\00:21:32.39
Meat is a
carbohydrate-deficient food
00:21:32.42\00:21:35.21
The plant foods are
abundant in carbohydrates...
00:21:35.24\00:21:38.75
even nuts have
carbohydrate in them...
00:21:38.78\00:21:41.01
fruits, vegetables, grains
00:21:41.04\00:21:43.12
So plant foods are actually
very healthy for the brain.
00:21:43.15\00:21:46.84
And avoidance of meat has
actually been shown to help
00:21:46.85\00:21:50.40
improve frontal
lobe function. Hmm
00:21:50.43\00:21:52.44
Another factor that can affect
the frontal lobe of the brain
00:21:52.47\00:21:56.28
is actually even foods that
have false neurotransmitters...
00:21:56.31\00:21:59.21
cheese is one of those;
00:21:59.24\00:22:00.27
particularly the ripened cheeses
00:22:00.30\00:22:02.84
Tyramine can be a
false neurotransmitter...
00:22:02.87\00:22:05.40
it can actually stimulate
nerves that were never meant
00:22:05.43\00:22:11.90
to be stimulated...
00:22:11.93\00:22:12.96
and, thus, that
can confuse the brain
00:22:12.99\00:22:15.02
And so, we recommend actually
avoidance of the hard cheeses
00:22:15.05\00:22:18.83
as well for that reason.
00:22:18.86\00:22:20.84
That's interesting...
meaning parmesan, and
00:22:20.85\00:22:23.70
Yeah... I mean cottage cheese
would not be a hard cheese
00:22:23.73\00:22:26.76
...cream cheese would not be,
but the typical cheeses wouldn't
00:22:26.77\00:22:30.94
qualify as the hard cheeses.
00:22:30.97\00:22:32.36
And, of course, now you can get
foods that are actually just as
00:22:32.39\00:22:36.60
tasty as cheese that are
not made with the substances
00:22:36.63\00:22:41.14
that are going to
have tyramine in them.
00:22:41.15\00:22:43.19
And, a lot of health
food stores have pizzas,
00:22:43.20\00:22:45.29
and things of that
nature with very tasty cheeses,
00:22:45.32\00:22:47.96
without the tyramine. Um hm
00:22:47.99\00:22:52.73
How about fat?
00:22:52.74\00:22:54.30
Now, what kind of fats
are best for the brain cells,
00:22:54.33\00:22:57.16
or the frontal lobe...
Does that affect them at all?
00:22:57.19\00:22:59.28
Yes, fat does, very
much, affect the brain...
00:22:59.31\00:23:03.01
In fat, there are 2
essential fats for the brain
00:23:03.04\00:23:07.65
one is the omega-6 fatty
acids which are more plentiful
00:23:07.68\00:23:11.16
in our American diet.
00:23:11.19\00:23:14.50
Corn oil, for
instance, would have omega-6
00:23:14.53\00:23:17.41
But then there is one that's
a little much less plentiful
00:23:17.44\00:23:19.87
called omega-3...
00:23:19.90\00:23:21.51
And omega-3 fats are very
crucial for brain development
00:23:21.54\00:23:24.98
for the infant, as well
as brain function for the
00:23:25.01\00:23:30.13
adolescent and the adult.
00:23:30.16\00:23:32.04
And many Americans
aren't getting enough of omega-3
00:23:32.07\00:23:35.05
in their diet, and so that's
something that we emphasize
00:23:35.08\00:23:38.55
for improving brain function.
00:23:38.58\00:23:39.72
It can even improve depression.
00:23:39.75\00:23:40.83
One study recently showed
that for people who did not
00:23:40.86\00:23:44.57
respond to antidepressants
with major depression
00:23:44.60\00:23:46.87
if they got on omega-3...
over 70% of them had resolution
00:23:46.90\00:23:51.07
of their depression... Wow
00:23:51.08\00:23:52.44
...just from
getting enough omega 3.
00:23:52.47\00:23:54.65
Actually, you wonder how many
that did respond to medicine
00:23:54.68\00:23:57.75
wouldn't have even
needed the medicine...
00:23:57.78\00:23:59.15
if they would
have been on omega-3
00:23:59.18\00:24:01.06
So this is just one
avenue though that we can affect
00:24:01.09\00:24:04.30
our brain, that we
can put information in
00:24:04.31\00:24:06.17
How does entertainment, and
the world of music and media
00:24:06.20\00:24:10.27
affect the frontal lobe?
00:24:10.30\00:24:11.48
Yeah, what we're putting
into our brains that way...
00:24:11.51\00:24:13.54
and, in other words,
not what we're ingesting.
00:24:13.57\00:24:15.87
It can have a profound effect...
00:24:15.90\00:24:17.74
Entertainment... television
actually suppresses the
00:24:17.77\00:24:20.06
frontal lobe of the brain...
00:24:20.09\00:24:21.96
Unlike what you're
watching here today where the
00:24:21.99\00:24:24.42
camera views are there
for a while before they switch
00:24:24.45\00:24:27.93
in most cases, entertainment
television will change its
00:24:27.96\00:24:30.94
camera view every
3 seconds or less...
00:24:30.97\00:24:34.26
And that actually suppresses
the frontal lobe of the brain
00:24:34.29\00:24:38.17
It's like a
hypnotic effect that occurs.
00:24:38.20\00:24:40.82
The alpha wave rhythms
are there so that the memory
00:24:40.85\00:24:42.88
is still working.
00:24:42.91\00:24:44.07
The emotions can laugh
and cry with the scene,
00:24:44.10\00:24:46.78
but the person no longer
has the ability to put it in
00:24:46.81\00:24:49.65
the correct subset... Hmm
00:24:49.68\00:24:51.43
And that's why entertainment
television can have a profound
00:24:51.46\00:24:53.87
negative effect on the
frontal lobe of the brain
00:24:53.90\00:24:56.08
Actually, 17 different frontal
lobe functions have been shown
00:24:56.09\00:24:59.19
to decline with
entertainment television.
00:24:59.22\00:25:02.63
And the more entertainment
television is viewed,
00:25:02.66\00:25:05.01
the greater the decline in
those 17 different factors.
00:25:05.04\00:25:08.85
Interestingly, many of the
Hollywood producers who have
00:25:08.89\00:25:12.92
to be creative and utilize
their frontal lobe to put a
00:25:12.96\00:25:14.90
program together...
They don't watch much TV...
00:25:14.94\00:25:17.71
That's right! They will
stay away from entertainment
00:25:17.75\00:25:20.65
television if they want to be
at the top of their field... Wow
00:25:20.68\00:25:23.65
Because they
recognize that effect.
00:25:23.68\00:25:26.83
And you mentioned music,
the type of music that has
00:25:26.86\00:25:30.33
a significant negative effect
is the syncopated rock 'n' roll
00:25:30.36\00:25:35.91
rhythm where you
have the boom-cha...
00:25:35.94\00:25:38.01
kind of the hip-swinging
music, more the dance music
00:25:38.04\00:25:41.94
but that also suppresses frontal
lobe function significantly
00:25:41.97\00:25:46.47
and can have a profound
effect, not only when the music
00:25:46.50\00:25:49.68
is being played, but afterwards
in regards to making the
00:25:49.71\00:25:53.47
right decisions.
00:25:53.50\00:25:55.01
Yeah, what I've
experienced with rock 'n' roll
00:25:55.04\00:25:57.17
it seems like is that it
produces an illusion again
00:25:57.20\00:26:00.79
in the mind that
something wonderful has happened
00:26:00.82\00:26:03.73
You know, you've either
experienced this incredible
00:26:03.76\00:26:06.24
victory... and this
music produces this,
00:26:06.27\00:26:09.16
but then when the music stops,
it's just this let-down... Yes
00:26:09.19\00:26:12.52
And, like you said, it continues
to affect you even afterwards
00:26:12.55\00:26:14.95
Yeah and for that
reason, it can be addictive
00:26:14.98\00:26:17.00
Entertainment television
actually is highly addictive
00:26:17.03\00:26:19.52
and it's been shown to
produce withdrawal when you quit
00:26:19.55\00:26:23.74
utilizing it.
00:26:23.77\00:26:24.90
Rock music also is addictive.
00:26:24.93\00:26:27.42
And, you know, any addictive
substance... it's a false
00:26:27.45\00:26:30.16
way of altering
the way you feel.
00:26:30.19\00:26:32.52
A true way of
altering the way you feel is
00:26:32.55\00:26:34.62
changing your thoughts
00:26:34.65\00:26:36.01
...And changing your
thoughts into accurate thoughts
00:26:36.04\00:26:38.45
that's what the frontal
lobe can help you analyze with
00:26:38.48\00:26:40.81
If your frontal
lobe is working well,
00:26:40.84\00:26:43.41
you can rid yourself
of distorted thoughts
00:26:43.42\00:26:46.40
of over-generalizing
and those types of things...
00:26:46.43\00:26:48.51
and that is the true way
of altering the way you feel
00:26:48.54\00:26:51.72
...is by changing your
thoughts in an accurate manner
00:26:51.75\00:26:55.74
Any addictive substance
is going to be a false way of
00:26:55.77\00:26:58.17
altering the way they feel.
00:26:58.20\00:26:59.54
And because it's not necessary,
it also is something that they
00:26:59.55\00:27:05.05
can't get enough of.
00:27:05.08\00:27:06.09
You can never get enough
of what you don't need. Um hm
00:27:06.12\00:27:08.79
Because what you don't
need will never satisfy you.
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.12
And people THINK
they need the rock music,
00:27:11.15\00:27:14.48
they THINK they need
the entertainment television
00:27:14.51\00:27:16.33
It's not an essential part
of life development in any form
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.08
or fashion, but because
they have that false belief
00:27:19.11\00:27:22.05
that they think they
need it, they can never
00:27:22.08\00:27:23.55
get enough of it
because they don't need it.
00:27:23.58\00:27:25.68
Right... isn't that
amazing how it cycles? Yes
00:27:25.71\00:27:28.65
It seems to me... like
what you're saying is that
00:27:28.68\00:27:30.26
the power of choice...
the freedom that we have
00:27:30.29\00:27:33.45
to choose, has a dramatic effect
on the shaping of our brain
00:27:33.48\00:27:37.60
Yes... absolutely!
00:27:37.63\00:27:39.01
And you know, this
message needs to get out, Rise,
00:27:39.04\00:27:41.16
because a lot of people think
their brain function is just
00:27:41.19\00:27:43.42
totally based on
their parents' genetics,
00:27:43.45\00:27:46.39
or on their
schooling, or environment,
00:27:46.42\00:27:49.82
but it actually is intricately
related to what they're putting
00:27:49.85\00:27:52.68
into their
body... what they're doing
00:27:52.71\00:27:53.93
with their body,
and even what they're
00:27:53.96\00:27:55.39
choosing to view, and
choosing to think about.
00:27:55.42\00:27:59.03
Thank you, Dr. Nedley,
for being with us today.
00:27:59.06\00:28:01.10
Thank you, Rise, my pleasure.
00:28:01.13\00:28:02.83
Our time is all gone,
00:28:02.84\00:28:04.77
but I hope that this information
00:28:04.80\00:28:06.07
encouraged YOU to take
care of your frontal lobe.
00:28:06.11\00:28:08.31
You only have one of them!
00:28:08.35\00:28:11.32