179 - Adam Gazzaley: Neuroscience, Therapeutic Video Games, and the Cognition Crisis

Adam Gazzaley is David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Adam works on developing new approaches to both assess and optimize human cognition, with particular attention to underutilized but high-potential tools like video games. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the cognition crisis—why our brains seem to be under such duress in the modern age—and the structural features of the brain, as well as its plasticity, and how these things can be modified and optimized to deal with the current environment. Check out Adam’s book, The Distracted Mind (MIT, 2016).

Adam’s Website: https://gazzaley.com

The Distracted Mind: https://a.co/d/aZm8Reg

OUTLINE
00:00 In This Episode…
00:39 Introduction
03:09 Science and Medicine
07:29 What Is Brain Plasticity
11:17 What Is the Cognition Crisis?
31:48 Can Neuroscience Make Us Smarter?
43:17 Can Neuroscience Develop Technological Medicine?
54:45 On Medicinal Video Games
01:04:01 Why Doctors Might Prescribe Video Games For ADHD
01:23:49 Sleep Improvement
01:27:24 The Future of Medicinal Video Game Research
01:43:07 How We Can All Improve Cognitive Function
Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between. 

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