The Brain Blown Podcast

If you think you’d never be pulled into a cult, that belief itself is part of the danger. In this episode, we explore why the brain is far more influenceable—and more predictable—than most of us want to believe.

We take a closer look at what happens when belonging, something we’re biologically wired to seek, becomes a pathway into harm. Together, we examine how group dynamics, stress, and relationship patterns can quietly shift a person’s behavior and sense of self. Laine brings research and real-world examples that show just how thin the line can be between healthy connection and unhealthy devotion.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Cults: A Natural Disaster—Looking at Cult Involvement Through a Trauma Lens
  Shelly Rosen

• Pedagogical, Neuropsychological and Social Conditions of Shaping the Identity of Cult Group Followers
  Mariusz Gajew

What does neuroscience reveal about great leadership—and why does it matter now more than ever?

In this episode, we explore the brain science behind leadership: how it guides us in uncertainty, shapes culture, and unlocks human potential. From Microsoft’s near-collapse to its stunning revival under Satya Nadella, we’ll uncover what happens in the brain when leadership fails—and what changes when it succeeds. You’ll hear how trust, safety, and connection transform not just teams, but entire organizations, driving innovation and resilience.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• David Rock & Jeffrey Schwartz — Neuroscience of Leadership

• Manu Melwin Joy — The Neuroscience of Leadership

• Kimberly Schaufenbuel — The Neuroscience of Leadership: Practical Applications

Humans are born dependent, slow, and vulnerable—but we’ve survived by working together. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience that makes teamwork possible, and why collaboration is more than a soft skill—it’s a biological necessity.
From mirror neurons and social cognition to trust, reward systems, and brain synchrony, we break down what’s really happening in your brain when you collaborate—and what it takes to build a team that actually works.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• David A. Waldman, M.K. Ward, William J. Becker — Neuroscience in Organizational Behavior

• Stephanie Balters, Grace Hawthorne, Naam Mayseless — Of Team Cooperation Versus Team Collaboration

• Paul Zak — The Neuroscience of Trust

• M.K. Ward, Stefan Volk, William J. Becker — An Overview of Organizational Neuroscience

• Mohammed Algumaei, Imali T. Hettiarachchi, Mohamed Farghaly, Asim Bhatti — The Neuroscience of Team Dynamics: Exploring Neurophysiological Measures for Assessing Team Performance

• Diego A. Reinero, Suzanne Dikker, Jay J. Van Bavel — Inter-brain Synchrony in Teams Predicts Collective Performance

• Hua Xie, Iliana I. Karipidis, Amber Howell, Manish Saggar et al. — Finding the Neural Correlates of Collaboration Using a Three-person fMRI Hyperscanning Paradigm

• Xinmei Deng, Meng Yang, Xiaomin Chen, Yong Zhan — The Role of Mindfulness on Theta Inter-brain Synchrony During Cooperation Feedback Processing: An EEG-based Hyperscanning Study

Most people agree that rape is wrong. But far fewer understand what it actually is—and what it isn’t. In this episode, we confront the myths and misconceptions that continue to shape how we define rape, treat survivors, and pursue justice.

We explore the neuroscience behind trauma responses like freezing and fawning, and why these involuntary reactions are still so often misunderstood in courtrooms, conversations, and cultural narratives. From the impact of the #MeToo movement to the hardwired survival mechanisms of the brain, we examine what needs to change—and why it matters.

This is not an easy conversation. But it’s one we all need to have.

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• Medicolegal Findings of Rape Victims: A Retrospective Study of 69 Cases at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dhaka City
  Palash Kumar Bose, Mamtaz Ara, Md. Syedur Rahaman, Mohammad Jubaidul Kabir, Prodip Biswas

• Assault-Related Self-Blame and Its Association with PTSD in Sexually Assaulted Women: An MRI Inquiry
  Zohar Berman, Yaniv Assaf, Ricardo Tarrasch, Daphna Joel

• Rape Myth Scale: Factor Structure and Relationship with Gender Egalitarianism Among Japanese Professionals
  Masayo Uji, Masahiro Shono, Noriko Shikai, Toshinori Kitamura

• Neuroscience Evidence Counters a Rape Myth
  Ebani Dhawan, Patrick Haggard

• Neuropsychological and Electrophysiological Evaluation After Rape: A Case Study of a Teenage Girl
  Lucía Ester Rizo-Martínez, Miguel Ángel Guevara, Luis Francisco Cerdán, Francisco Abelardo Robles-Aguirre, Araceli Sanz-Martin, Marisela Hernández-González

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times.

For more informaiton on the Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]

As a tribute to this month's episode, we wanted to give a quick shoutout to a local store Laine & I know and love: Smitten Kitten in Minneapolis.

Founded in 2003 by Jennifer 'JP' Pritchett, Smitten Kitten is a trans-owned business that has been a staple in the community for over two decades. JP and their team are passionate about creating a safe, inclusive space where folks can explore intimacy, sexuality, and self-expression in a fun and positive way.

Whether you're looking for high-quality toys, thoughtful resources, or expert advice, they've got you covered. Check them out online at smittenkittenonline.com and show them some love if you're interested.

We absolutely love supporting businesses that foster open, healthy conversations about sex, and we think you will too!

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Learn more at brainblownpodcast.com and send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• School-Based Sex Education and Neuroscience: What We Know About Sex, Romance, Marriage, and Adolescent Brain Development – Ahna Ballonoff Suleiman, DrPH; Megan Johnson, PhD; Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, PhD; Adriana Galván, PhD

• The Importance of Sexual and Romantic Development in Understanding the Developmental Neuroscience of Adolescence – Ahna Ballonoff Suleiman, K. Paige Harden

• Frequency of Penile–Vaginal Intercourse is Associated with Verbal Recognition Performance in Adult Women – Larah Maunder, Dorothée Schoemaker, Jens C. Pruessner

• Integrating Neural Circuits Controlling Female Sexual Behavior – Paul E. Micevych, Robert L. Meisel

• Neuropeptides and Behaviors: How Small Peptides Regulate Nervous System Function and Behavioral Outputs – Umer Saleem Bhat, Navneet Shahi, Siju Surendran, Kavita Babu

• The Neurobiology of Sexual Function – Cindy M. Meston, PhD; Penny F. Frohlich, MA

• Neuroanatomy and Neurochemistry of Sexual Desire, Pleasure, Love and Orgasm – H. Ümit Sayin, Carlos H. Schenck

• Oxytocin, Erectile Function and Sexual Behavior: Last Discoveries and Possible Advances – Maria Rosaria Melis, Antonio Argiolas

• Editorial: From Sex Differences in Neuroscience to a Neuroscience of Sex Differences: New Directions and Perspectives – Belinda Pletzer

• The Human Sexual Response Cycle: Brain Imaging Evidence Linking Sex to Other Pleasures – J.R. Georgiadis, M.L. Kringelbach

• The Affective Neuroscience of Sexuality: Development of a LUST Scale – Jürgen Fuchshuber, Emanuel Jauk, Michaela Hiebler-Ragger, Human Friedrich Unterrainer

• The Physiological Basis of Human Sexual Arousal: Neuroendocrine Sexual Asymmetry – Ion G. Motofei, David L. Rowland

• Neuroanatomy and Function of Human Sexual Behavior: A Neglected or Unknown Issue? – Rocco S. Calabrò, Alberto Cacciola, Daniele Bruschetta, Demetrio Milardi, Fabrizio Quattrini, Francesca Sciarrone, Gianluca La Rosa, Placido Bramanti, Giuseppe Anastasi

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times.

For more informaiton on the Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]

If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you.

REFERENCES

• "Appeasement: replacing Stockholm syndrome as a definition of a survival strategy" Rebecca Bailey, Jaycee Dugard, Stefanie F. Smith & Stephen W. Porges

• "Traumatic entrapment, appeasement and complex post-traumatic stress disorder: evolutionary perspectives of hostage reactions, domestic abuse and the Stockholm syndrome" Chris Cantor, John Price
• "Bonding after trauma: on the role of social support and the oxytocin system in traumatic stress,"  Miranda Olff
• "How Trauma Impacts Learning and How to Find Support" Nadia Albritton, MA
• "The Fawn Response in Complex PTSD" | Dr. Arielle Schwartz
• "Stockholm Syndrome Explained by the Stanford Prison Experiment"

This is a recording of Laine's live presentation -- the second of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.

For more information on The Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]!

This is a re-recording of Laine's live presentation -- the first of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.

For more information on The Brain Blown Podcast, visit us at brainblownpodcast.com or email at [email protected]!