Mind & Matter

By Nick JikomesSociety & Culture Science Education

Mind & Matter episodes

August 15, 2023The Estradiol in Birth Control Pills May Help Verbal Memory | Adriene Beltz | Episode 124
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Dr. Adriene Beltz is an associated professor of psychology at the University of Michigan who studies the effects of sex hormones & hormonal contraception on human cognition and the brain. They discuss: sex hormones (androgens & estrogens); hormonal regulation of menstruation, puberty, and pregnancy; common forms of hormonal birth control & how they work; effects of sex hormones & hormonal birth control on cognition & the brain; and more.

*Not medical advice.

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1 hr 29 min
August 10, 2023Runner's High Likely Comes From Endocannabinoids, Not Endorphins | Matthew Hill | Episode 123
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Nick talks to Dr. Matthew Hill, a neuroscientist at the University of Calgary whose lab studies how the endocannabinoid system and cannabis (marijuana) influence the brain & behavior. They discuss: endocannabinoid biology; endocannabinoid regulation of stress & anxiety; endocannabinoids & exercise; how marijuana & THC influence brain development; and more.

More content about cannabinoids & marijuana.

*Not medical advice

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1 hr 31 min
August 02, 2023Daily Taurine From Middle Age Extended Mouse Lifespan 10 to 12% | Vijay Yadav | Episode 122
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Nick talks to molecular physiologist Dr. Vijay Yadav, an assistant professor at Columbia University whose lab studies the molecular & cell biology of aging, nutrition, and longevity. They discuss: the cell biology of aging; how nutrients affect aging & disease; the atypical amino acid taurine & its effects on aging; taurine clinical trials & supplementation; diet, nutrition & anti-aging effects; and more.

*Not medical advice.

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Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
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1 hr 17 min
July 19, 2023Five Psychedelics Reopened a Social Learning Window in Adult Mice | Gül Dölen | Episode 121
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Nick talks to Gül Dölen, MD, PhD, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University whose lab studies social behavior, synaptic plasticity, psychedelics & evolution. They discuss: What drugs like LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA, and ibogaine have in common in terms of their molecular effects in the brain; why Dr. Gül Dölen believes all of these drugs can be described as "psychedelics"; the relationship between psychedelics and neuroplasticity vs. metaplasticity; how addictive drugs are similar to and different from psychedelics; social reward learning in rodents & critical periods of plasticity; the subjective effects of psychedelics; novel psychedelic drug development; human social behavior, mental health, and psychiatry; and more.

Check out my previous discussion with Gül Dölen.

*Not medical advice

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1 hr 43 min
July 11, 2023Therapy and SSRIs Work About Equally, Each Helping 30 to 50% of People | Alan Davis | Episode 120
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Nick talks to Dr. Alan Davis, a clinical psychologist and Director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research & Education at Ohio State University. They discuss: the effectiveness of mainstream forms of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications (SSRIs) for depression; psychedelic medicine & psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy; the relevance of the subjective effects of psychedelics for their therapeutic effects; FDA approval for MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in the coming years; and more.

*Not medical advice.
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1 hr 8 min
July 06, 2023A Receptor 'Lid' Traps LSD for Hours, Helping Explain Its Long Trips | Bryan Roth | Episode 119
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Nick talks to Bryan Roth, MD, PhD, a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Roth has been studying the molecular mechanisms of psychedelics since the 1980s. They discuss: serotonin 2A receptors in the mammalian brain; psychedelics & neuroplasticity; classic psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin, DMT) compared to drugs like ketamine & MDMA; TrkB receptors & BDNF; engineering novel drugs & psychiatric treatment methods; latest findings in psychedelic science.
*Not medical advice.

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Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
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1 hr 18 min
June 28, 2023Psychedelics Heal Through the Trip Itself, Not Just the Molecule | Dennis McKenna | Episode 118
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Nick talks to ethnopharmacologist Dr. Dennis McKenna, who is the brother of psychonaut Terence McKenna and author of the book, "The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss." They discuss: the lives and psychedelic adventures of Dennis & Terence McKenna; experiences with psilocybin mushrooms & DMT; Carl Jung & psychology; the medical relevance of subjective psychedelic experiences; drugs, culture & society; and more.

*Not medical advice

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Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
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1 hr 30 min
June 09, 2023Anxiety and Depression Definitions Overlap About 80% in the DSM | Daniel Karlin | Episode 117
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Nick talks to Daniel Karlin, MD, a board-certified physician in psychiatry, addiction medicine & clinical informatics who is the Chief Medical Officer at MindMed. They discuss: psychiatry; incentives in scientific & medical research; healthcare & mental health; psychedelics; LSD for anxiety; MDMA for autism; ibogaine derivatives for addiction; patient access & care; and more.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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1 hr 38 min
June 01, 2023About 80% of Store-Bought Avocado Oils Tested Were Oxidized or Impure | Selina Wang | Episode 116
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Most store-bought “extra virgin” olive and avocado oils fail basic purity or freshness tests.
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Oxidation Chemistry: Triacylglycerols break down into tasteless peroxides then into aldehydes that produce rancid odors; concentration and matrix determine whether the same compounds smell pleasant or foul.
Extra-virgin vs. Refined: Mechanical crushing and centrifugation yield EVOO with intact phenolics and pigments; refining removes defects, color, and antioxidants from low-grade fruit.
Purity Testing: Fatty-acid and sterol profiles distinguish true olive or avocado oil from canola, soybean, or other adulterants.
2010 Olive-Oil survey: ~68% of imported samples failed USDA quality standards, largely from oxidation rather than outright substitution.
Avocado-Oil Findings: ~80% of retail samples were oxidized or impure; some were 100% soybean oil labeled “extra-virgin avocado.”
Packaging Effects: Clear plastic permits light and oxygen; dark glass, tin, or bag-in-box better preserves freshness once opened.
Sensory Standards: Olive oil is one of few foods with mandatory trained-panel evaluation of defects such as fusty or rancid notes.
ABOUT THE GUEST: Selina Wang, PhD is a food scientist and chemist at the University of California, Davis. Her lab develops analytical methods for assessing quality, purity, and authenticity of edible oils and other California crops.
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Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
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1 hr 25 min
May 25, 2023Protein Given During Sleep Still Built Muscle in Older Adults | Luc van Loon | Episode 115
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Nick talks to Dr. Luc van Loon, Professor of Exercise Physiology & Nutrition at Maastricht University, about topics in exercise science, health & nutrition. They discuss: macronutrients & energy; protein quality & digestibility; endurance & resistance training; plant vs. animal protein; muscle conditioning & muscle fibers; sleep & aging; muscle physiology & metabolism; and more.

To learn more about diet & metabolism, check out this content.
*Not medical advice.

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Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
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43 min

About Mind & Matter

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Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed…