Lecture Recordings
How to order
2011 Brain Awareness Lectures
Each DVD is $10
- $10 February 7
A Window into the Brain: A New Approach to Depression
Helen Mayberg, M.D., Emory University
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a revolutionary technology—electrodes implanted in the brain so that low-voltage electrical currents stimulate regions to counteract disease. This relatively new medical technique, already benefitting thousands of Parkinson's disease patients, may one day be employed to treat a wider range of diseases including: depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette's syndrome, dystonia, chronic pain and depression.
"DBS opens a new horizon of therapies for many of the chronic brain ailments that trouble humanity."
–Dr. Mehmet Oz, Vice chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University and author of YOU: The Owner's manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger.
- $10 February 14
From Genes to Brains: A New Understanding of Autism
Daniel Geschwind, M.D., Ph.D., UCLA
Autism is a tragic disease, for the patient and for the family. It is a poorly understood disorder. Nevertheless, the frequency among U.S. children is greater than that of pediatric cancers, diabetes and AIDS combined. Even more concerning: the prevalence of autism is increasing—one of every 110 children is diagnosed with the disease. In recent years, few medical conditions of childhood have stoked deeper concern—and ignited greater controversy. What is happening? Where does it come from? What can be done?
- $10 February 21
Pain and the Brain: Perception and the Pathways to Relief
Howard Fields, M.D., Ph.D., UCSF
Pain is both a sensation and a motivation. Our expectations, mood and perspective on pain powerfully influence how much something actually hurts—and the decisions we make every day. The relief of pain and production of pleasure are closely related functions in the brain. Both have strong influences upon and are influenced by learning. Most people think of pain as a result of physical injury or disease, but psychological factors also play a huge role in pain perception. Pain is intimately tied to brain functions that govern behavior and decision making, including expectation, attention and learning. Pain competes for our attention and reaches far into our psyches. Neuropathic pain is especially difficult to live with and to treat. It is the result of damage to the body's nervous system and can cause excruciating pain.
- $10 March 15
The Brain and the Immune System: How the Body Can Turn on Itself and Cause Such Problems as M.S., Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Stroke and other Disorders
Stephen Hauser, M.D., UCSF
Sometimes our bodies turn on us. The immune system becomes our own worst enemy. This can especially happen with the brain and nervous system causing a neuro-inflammatory response that can lead to such diseases as MS, Alzheimer's, Stroke, and Parkinson's. Neuroinflammation is a new and rapidly expanding field that has revolutionized our understanding of chronic neurological diseases. This field has grown to encompass researchers with backgrounds in many diverse fields, including pathology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, clinical medicine, and epidemiology. Important contributions to this field have come from work with populations, with patients, with postmortem tissues, with animal models, and with in vitro systems.
- $10 Marquam Hill Lecture
Joel Nigg, Ph.D.
2010 Brain Awareness Lectures
Each DVD is $10
- $10 February 1
How We Decide: From Brains to Behavior
Jonah Lehrer
At times, man is faced with life or death decisions or forced to make choices that have lifelong impacts. But how exactly does the brain make decisions when faced with complex problems? Are our brains efficient and well equipped to make choices? At what age do we develop good decision making abilities and why are some of us better equipped to make tough choices? Does reason or emotion rule?
Get some answers from author Jonah Lehrer, author of "How We Decide," and a contributor to Wired Magazine, The New Yorker, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. Mr. Leher is a graduate of Columbia University and a Rhodes Scholar; he has worked in Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Erik Kandel's laboratory, edits the Mind Matters blog for Scientific American and writes his own highly regarded blog, The Frontal Cortex. - $10 February 15
Battling Brain Disorders: The Critical Importance of Mental Health AdvocacyFor the Individual and For Society
Congressman Patrick Kennedy, Rhode Island
Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon, filled in when Congressman Patrick Kennedy was not able to attend
A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service. He gave an inspiring and committed talk about his belief in the critical importance of neuroscience research... to help families coping with neurological and psychiatric problems as well as to better understand of the nature of decision-making in policy development. - $10 February 22
The Mercurial Mind: Bipolar Disorder and Creativity
Kay Redfield Jamison
How can one survive if their brain is constantly riding an emotional rollercoaster? That is a question faced by those who suffer from bipolar disease, otherwise known as manic-depressive illness.This relatively common mental disorder can cause unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and even influence one's ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. It can also lead to unbridled exuberance and creativity. What does make the artistic temperament so unique and so volatile?
Psychiatrist and author Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., is one of the nation's foremost experts on bipolar disorder. She has suffered from the disease her entire adult life. She is the author of several national bestsellers including An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide, and Touch with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. She is co-author of the standard medical text on manic-depressive illness and the recipient of national and international scientific awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship. Dr. Jamison will share her understanding, experiences and insights and discuss the heights and depths the mind can achieve. - $10 March 1
The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life
Joseph LeDoux
We know our emotions by their intrusions (welcome or otherwise) into our conscious minds. Understanding emotion in the human brain is clearly an important quest, as most mental disorders are emotional disorders. Emotions become powerful motivators of future behaviors. Mental health is maintained by emotional hygiene and mental problems, and to a large extent reflect a breakdown of emotional order.
Joseph LeDoux , Ph.D., is one of the top world experts on emotional memory. His work, especially on fear, has given us insight into the biological mechanisms of learning about and storing information about danger. This understanding of the role of the amygdala in conscious and subconscious memory and the role of cognition in regulating the fear reaction is both complex and exciting. Dr. LeDoux is the Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science and Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at New York University. He is also the director of the Center for the Neuroscience of Fear and Anxiety … and a singer and guitarist in the science-themed rock band; The Amygdaloids! - $10 March 8
The Executive Brain: The Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind
Jordan Grafman
Can the characteristics of leadership be defined and mapped in the brain? Can we change our own brains to resemble those of outstanding leaders? Are there training programs for more "leader-like' brains? Is there such a thing as "executive intelligence"?
When we stimulate our brain by actively thinking, we are sculpting our own neural architecture," says Jordan Grafman, Ph.D., Chief of the Cognitive Neuroscience Section in the NINDS. How mental activity improves cognition (and reduces dementia risk in later life by setting up a cognitive reserve in the brain) is a central area of his research; denser synaptic connections equals more flexibility , adaptability and neuroprotection. When you put your brain to work, you make the science of cognitive fitness work for you.Putting it all together means enriching your brain… and your life… and increasing your chances of maintaining your mental edge and functional independence.Cognitive fitness is the next big thing; use it or lose it!
2009 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURES
The Power and Potential of the Brain- Oregon’s Most Natural Resource!
Neuroplasticity: The Amazing Adaptability of the Brain, DVD
January 26th, 2009$10
Mike Merzenich, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
The Arts and Cognition Panel, DVD
February 2nd, 2009$10
Panel featuring: Helen Neville, PhD (University of Oregon), Chris Coleman (Portland Center Stage), Dan Wieden (Wieden + Kennedy), Mike Posner, PhD, (University of Oregon)
Aging Brain Plasticity: It’s Never too Late to Learn or Improve, DVD
February 9th, 2009$10
Carl Cotman, PhD, University of California, Irvine
10th Anniversary Celebration of OHSU Brain Awareness, DVD
February 16th, 2009$10
Featuring: Valerie Day, Darrell Grant, Larry Sherman, PhD, Portland Chamber Orchestra
Original performance, Brain Chemistry for Lovers by well known Portland pop and jazz artist Valerie Day, with Portland Chamber Orchestra, Pianist Darrell Grant and Larry Sherman, PhD, OHSU neuroscientist.
2008 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURES
In Search of Memory, DVD
$10Eric Kandel, M.D.
Many adults can easily recall their childhood phone number or school locker combination. Where are these memories stored in the mind and how can we hold on to them for so many years? Answering questions like these earned neuroscientist Dr. Eric Kandel the Nobel Prize. Hear how his memory research helped form the basis of modern neuroscience. You may also learn why you always forget where you left your car keys.
50 minutes, February 11, 8
The Developing Human Brain, DVD
February 19, 2008$10
Pat Levitt, PhD, Vanderbilt University
Do our childhood experiences affect the development our brains? Is it possible to prevent depression or disability by addressing these problems early in life? Dr. Pat Levitt is an expert in diagnosing and disrupting abnormal brain development. As a parent, learn what you can do to spot early warning signs and attack brain disorders head on.
55 minutes
Gender and the Brain, DVD
$10
Larry Cahill, Ph.D.
Men may be from Mars and women may be form Venus, but sometimes it feels like we’re from different solar systems entirely. Dr. Larry Cahill is an expert on gender and the brain. His research has identified the many differences and similarities between the male and female brains and has resulted in some mind-boggling findings. Hear how our brains can sometimes cause conflict but often compliment one another.
57 minutes, March 3, 8
The Sleeping Brain, DVD
February 25, 2008$10
Al Lewy, MD, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University
Can sleep improve your memory and your mood? What’s more important when it comes to sleep, quantity or quality? Distinguished sleep neuroscientist and body clock expert, Dr. Al Lewy reveals the silence of sleep in a lively lecture guaranteed not to make you drowsy.
50 minutes
2007 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURES
Gray Matters- the Brain and the Senses
Hearing & the Brain, DVD
February 6, 2007$10
Teresa Nicolson, PhD, OHSU
Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, McGill University
How composers exploit the way our brains make sense of the world? Why we are so emotionally
attached to the music we listened to as teenagers? Why 10,000 hours of practice, rather than talent, is
the key to musical expertise? How those insidious little jingles (called earworms) get stuck in our heads?
The Senses & Substances, DVD
February 13, 2007$10
Martin Paulus, MD, University of California, San Diego
Drugs heighten the senses for many, but at what costs. Learn how decision-making dysfunctions contribute to transition from causal use of drugs to drug dependence and how these dysfunctions contribute to relapse.
Vision & the Brain, DVD
February 20, 2007$10
David Wilson, MD; Casey Eye Institute, OHSU
The eyes are the window for the brain. Yet, there are many mysteries about how we see and how our brain makes sense of what we see. Why is our visual system 20/20? How do we perceive art? Why do woodpeckers not get headaches…or detached retinas? The visual system is an incredible and vulnerable asset to human existence. Learn about the complexity and potential of vision.
Pain & the Brain, DVD
February 27, 2007$10
Alan Basbaum, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Chronic pain adversely influences the daily lives of millions of people. This fascinating lecture will not only touch on the mechanisms that underlie the development of chronic pain but will explore the idea that chronic pain is a disease itself and not merely a symptom of another disease. The lecture will explain the differences between acute and chronic pain and discuss the nature of the changes that occur as the disease of pain develops. Most importantly, breakthroughs in our understanding of the molecular basis of the generation of pain have identified a host of novel therapeutic targets. These were discussed in the context of treating diverse pain conditions including those arising from tissue injury (arthritis, cancer) as well as the “neuropathic pains” that result from injury to the nervous system itself, such as occurs in complex regional pain syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis or after spinal cord injury.
Our Sense of Self, DVD
March 13, 2007$10
John Frohnmayer, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
We perceive our environment through our senses. The brain integrates and interprets these perceptions and, in turn, this helps shape our psyche and our intellect; who we are. We often communicate and translate these perceptions through the arts…and how the arts reflect our being is often strange and wondrous…and controversial. Art can reflect the real world or the surreal; how the artist senses and expresses the world is part of the human experience. John Frohnmayer has had extensive experience with the legal, the political, and the artistic worlds.
2006 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURES
Behavior and Addiction and the Brain, DVD
$10Bob Hitzemann, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University
John Crabbe, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University
Now more than ever, society and especially parents are concerned about the impacts of drugs and alcohol on the brain. A person's decision to take drugs or drink irresponsibly can impact their lives for years. In some cases, these decisions can result in physical changes to the brain.
Hitzemann and Crabbe of OHSU investigate the impacts of abuse.
2004 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURE
The Bard on the Brain: Understanding The Mind Through The Art Of Shakespeare And The Science Of Brain Imaging, DVD
February 4, 2004$10
Paul Matthews, MD, Oxford University
Neuroscientist and author Paul M Matthews, MD, illuminates the fascinating parallels between Shakespeare and the current quest of neuroscience to reveal the secrets of the brain. His lecture will feature live performances of some of the most compelling scenes of Shakespeare's plays with actors from Portland’s Artists Repertory Theatre.
96 minutes. Includes Q & A.
2003 BRAIN AWARENESS LECTURE
The Brain/Body Connection, VHS TAPE
Inside the Mind of Ira Flatow$10
Ira Flatow, award-winning host of NPR's "Talk of the Nation: Science Friday", shares his passion for all things scientific.
