Think Twice Podcast

Ever wondered how neuroimaging works? The development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 1990 was revolutionary for the field of neuroscience and has led to groundbreaking discoveries about the brain. However, it has also led to exaggerated claims and misinformation when results are misinterpreted and shared incorrectly in the media. Further, numerous issues and limitations have been raised by critics over the years, threatening the credibility of this method. In this episode, we discuss how fMRI works, what the critics are saying and the common misconceptions circulating about this important tool. What does the future hold for fMRI in the field of neuroscience?

Authors: Shima Hassanpour, Elena Koning, Eve Racette

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Can you really be addicted to food? What causes emotional eating? How can simple mindfulness tools improve your relationship with food? Research on the relationship between eating behavior and mood is being increasingly discussed in the media, but it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. We break it all down for you in this deep dive into the neuroscience of eating behavior and mood. We discuss topics like emotional eating, binge eating, body image as well as some emerging tools and interventions which could help improve your food-mood relationship.

Authors: Elena Koning, Eve Racette

Eating Disorder Help: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines

References: Koning E, Vorstman J, McIntyre RS, Brietzke E. Characterizing eating behavioral phenotypes in mood disorders: a narrative review. Psychol Med. 2022 Oct;52(14):2885-2898. doi: 10.1017/S0033291722002446. Epub 2022 Aug 25. PMID: 36004528; PMCID: PMC9693712.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Research is discovering that not only WHAT you eat but also WHEN you eat can have a significant impact on your mental health. In this episode, we discuss how modern society may be negatively impacting your circadian system and eating behaviors. We’re going to touch on the neuroscience of eating rhythms, how they impact mood and some of the clinical relevance of this knowledge. We’ll end off with a discussion of the sometimes controversial topic of intermittent fasting and some tools to help anyone looking to improve their eating rhythms, mood and overall life!

Authors: Elena Koning, Eve Racette

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Description: What is a healthy gut microbiome? Can probiotics cure depression? Why should I eat like a Mediterranean? In this episode, you'll learn how the two-way communication between our gut and brain could be the secret to how our diets impact our mental health. For this discussion, we are joined by Dr. Caroline Wallace, a Postdoctoral Fellow and Part-Time Professor in the School of Nutrition Sciences and Institute for Mental Health Research at the University of Ottawa and the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre in Ottawa, Canada.

Authors: Elena Koning

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Are you really what you eat? Are there mood-boosting diets? If so, why do healthcare practitioners rarely talk about it? We know that a healthy diet plays a significant role in physical health, but a growing body of research is shedding light on how diet and nutritional intake may help regulate mood and mental well-being. This exciting field, known as nutritional psychiatry, could potentially be a game changer for the mental health epidemic that is becoming a global problem. But like any emerging field, nutritional psychiatry is not without its controversies. In this episode, we dive into the history, promise, pitfalls and controversies of research on diet and mental health.

Authors: Elena Koning, Eve Racette

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Have you been thinking about applying to graduate school? Did you already get accepted and you’re wondering what to expect of MSc or PhD life? Or are you already a grad student and you want to know how your experience measures up to others? This episode is for all of the above! Eve, Elena, Cassandra and Honey joined in for this relaxed and informal conversation. Consider it your grad school survival guide!

Authors: Elena Koning, Cassandra Sgarbossa, Honey Bryant, Eve Racette

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

What happens when we die? Do we see our loved ones and a warm, bright light guiding us? Or we feel pain, discomfort or distress? In this episode, we explore the current science on near-death experiences to better understand the phenomenon of dying and death. We take a deep dive into the neuroscience of why and how near-death experiences occur.

Authors: Dure Khan, Eve Racette

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

What if I told you that music can heal your brain? That those road trips with your friends blaring music were actually good for your mental health? In this episode, we discuss music and music therapy. We go over controversies in the field, conflicting science and take a dive into the history and future of music therapy in Canada and around the world.

Authors: Honey Bryant, Eve Racette

Ask us about grad school: https://notionforms.io/forms/graduate-school-qa-survey

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

What if I told you that most of the information on TikTok is, not only false, but also potentially harmful to your well-being? In this episode, we explore how social media impacts the brain and the sea of mental health misinformation on platforms such as TikTok. We also discuss the future of social media as a platform for legitimate science communication. Is it even possible? Listen to find out.

Authors: Elena Koning, Eve Racette

What would you like to know about grad school?

Click this link to ask:

https://notionforms.io/forms/graduate-school-qa-survey

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Imagine feeling like you've been hit by a train or stabbed repeatedly in the back. OUCH, right? Now what if this feeling was chronic but no one believed you? Similarly, fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition which has long been considered a controversial diagnosis. In this episode, we'll discuss what it is, why it's often dismissed or misdiagnosed and how cutting-edge research is contributing to improved clinical care for this debilitating condition.

Authors: Shima Hassanpour, Elena Koning, Eve Racette

Don't forget to let us know what you think about the brain in our anonymous form below. Brain Awareness Survey: forms.gle/nzEa4UXZgGz6sTXF6

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.