We're back with another Ask Us Anything! On this episode of The Social Brain, we will be addressing questions about all things #neuroscience sent to us by viewers like you.

1. I want to know the difference between the limbic brain and the reptilian brain. Are they the same or [do they] operate differently?
2. Can you discuss the interplay between the desire circuitry and pleasure circuits, is there an overlap? Could you discuss the nuclei? What circuits act in opposition to these circuits?
3. About to go on a 10-day vipassana meditation silent retreat. Was wondering what the likely effects are of spending 10 days meditating / making the most of it?
4. Why do I have intrusive thoughts?
5. Where in the brain would you go on the magic school bus and why?
6. What are some resources for learning about neuroscience?

As humans, we are constantly interacting with others, both in person and online. In order to make snap decisions about how to interact with these people, our brains have evolved to create mental shortcuts that allow us to quickly categorize them. Our brain is wired to predict, and we put these prediction circuits to work every time we engage in one of these interactions. What are their intentions? Are they a threat? Can they help me? Are they a potential mate? This can be incredibly adaptive and helpful in some circumstances, but it can also lead to bias and misattribution. At its extreme, this can result in disgust, hatred, and even violence. The us vs them mentality served us great as a tribal species but in today’s interconnected complex world we must put in work to overcome these unconscious categorization processes. In this episode, we will explore the neuroscience and biology of these mechanisms. We will look at how they manifest in the behaviors we see in the divided world we live in. And most importantly, we will explore how to overcome and override these behaviors so that we can encourage the emergence of a more accepting and heterogeneous world.

We spend a lot of time inside our own heads–thinking, reminiscing, ruminating, predicting, and imagining. All of this is occurring as a result of brain activity, and we can learn to direct our inner experience to help reshape our brains, hone our abilities, and become the best versions of ourselves. There are limitations to the power of mental practice and visualization, which we will talk about. But the truth is that most people aren’t using this ability to its full potential, either because they don’t believe in it or they use it sub-optimally. Consider the fact that all of your behaviors, thoughts, and abilities are only possible because of your brain’s pattern of wiring and activation at any given moment. By deliberately activating certain patterns of activity while suppressing others, you can enhance your abilities, get better at setting and achieving goals, and even become a happier person. In this episode, we’ll dive into the science of mental imagery and visualization, the best practices for using it in daily life, and how to avoid the potential pitfalls.

As modern humans, we often get stuck ruminating on abstract cognitive thoughts and thereby neglect our relationship with our bodies. In doing so, we forget that the brain evolved to take care of its body. The only reason that neurons and “you” exist is because all of the other cells that pump your blood and move you through the world needed help coordinating their actions. None of this is done in English, but instead through heat, pressure, sensation and perception. We need a new way of thinking about the ways in which our body speaks, and we listen. In this episode, we will delve into the cybernetic approach of control, understanding how biology has evolved so that all of our cells -- from the tiniest single-celled creature to the most complex multi-celled organism – behave according to overarching goals. We as the “mind” are simply at the top of this control hierarchy, balancing the forces of each cell striving to achieve its own goal, as well as the emergent collective goals that arise as these cells work together. By understanding this, we learn to respect the massive potential of our minds to regulate and care for the many biological systems that make us up.

You asked, we're here to answer! On this episode of The Social Brain, we will be addressing questions about all things neuroscience sent to us by viewers like you. Be sure to join in and leave any questions you have for future AMA episodes in the comments or the live chat!

We have all sought to become the best versions of ourselves, understanding who we are and what we want to become. But how do humans have such a strong sense of self? Philosophers have deliberated on this topic for centuries, yet recent advances in cognitive science and neuroimaging have enabled us to glimpse into the brain's role in creating this representation. We understand how the brain develops through adolescenceand starts to specialize as we move into adulthood, placing a strong emphasis on self-relevant information. With this knowledge, we can use identity to bring about meaningful changes to our lives and ultimately become more self-aware. In this episode, we will dive into the neuroscience of the self, exploring how the brain processes self-referent information, the role of identity in our evolution and development, and how identity can be used to make significant changes. Join us on this journey to uncover the neuroscience of the self, and its relationship with identity and identity development.

One of the most empowering things you can do for yourself is to become more hopeful. To many people, this can sound trite. It can sound a lot like the idea that you should just have faith that things will work out, regardless of the reality of your situation. That makes sense because many people use the word “hope” as a synonym for “wish”. We say things like “I hope it all works out for you!” or “I hope that candidate doesn’t win the election.” In other words, we use “hope” to express our preferences for the future, without any reference to our role in bringing those preferred outcomes to fruition. But hope, as an emotion, is much more than mere wishful thinking or faith. Hope is the state of mind where we express not only what kind of future we want, but also the belief that we are capable of achieving that future. It is fundamentally about growing into a better life. In recent years, the psychology of hope has been scientifically studied, along with its many benefits for health and wellbeing. But even more recently, the neuroscience of hope has begun to emerge. In this episode, we will explore the psychology and neuroscience of hope, starting in an unlikely place: the science of learned helplessness and depression.

Probably the most important question we can ask is “how can I be happier?” Some people might find this question overly self-centered, but becoming happier is not only good for us, but everyone we come into contact with as well. Others, while agreeing that individual happiness is important, may nevertheless think it is impossible to be any happier than one’s genes or childhood determine. That is a myth. In fact, over the last fifty years, an entire field of psychological science (and more recently, neuroscience) has been created in order to understand and maximize individual human flourishing—positive psychology. In this episode, we will focus on some of the science behind positive psychology, but we will spend a lot of the time talking about how you can use this knowledge to create more happiness for yourself. We will also talk about some of the emerging neuroscientific literature, but we will go much deeper into this topic on a future episode.

We all want to be able to do more, achieve more, and become more successful. But how do we do that? It turns out that the answer lies in the psychology and neuroscience behind willpower and self-control. Many of us probably believe that our will power is limited and that when we’re tired or depleted that we are incapable of staying motivated. The science is showing though that this is far from the truth and is highlighting that this belief that you hold may be the main reason why you feel this way. If we can change our beliefs about what is possible and about how much we are capable of then we can start to take advantage of one of the most exciting things about being human – the power to see the future. We need to learn how our brain creates and tracks long term goals and how we can use these mechanisms to motivate our behavior and to regulate our impulses and bad habits. We will be exploring these different brain mechanisms that influence our ability to exert effort and stay focused on our goals, the role of our beliefs in how much effort we put in, and the various value judgements that help us make decisions. We will explore how to be passionate and how this can help us to persevere so that we can truly acquire the change that we all seek in our lives. Join us as we dive into the fascinating realm of psychology and neuroscience of willpower and self-control.

In this episode, we will explain how neuroplasticity works and how you can use it to improve your life. Throughout life, you are continually changing, shifting, adapting, learning, and becoming who you are. Another way of saying that is that your mind is continually changing, because you are your mind. Of course, your brain is the physical substrate of your mind–the brain is what makes you you. So every change you have ever experienced is a result of your brain changing. Your memories, your sense of who you are, your ability to do even the simplest tasks–all of it is stored as patterns of connections among cells in your brain. And whenever you remember some experience or fact, that is only possible because a certain pattern of neural activity occurs. If the connections weren’t stored as they are, your memories would disappear. Your personality and sense of self also depend on the details of how the cells of your brain communicate with each other and the fact that you are approximately the same person (psychologically speaking) throughout life is a result of connections among neurons and the resulting patterns of neural activity. Your ability to sense and perceive the world and various objects within it is also the result of these connections and their activity. The upshot of all of this is that you are malleable. More accurately, your mind is malleable because your brain is malleable. It is not infinitely malleable and none of us are blank slates at birth or any other time, but all of us can become better, happier, smarter versions of ourselves.