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Well, it's no surprise. Since last season, our brains haven't gotten any less complex!

But that just means there are even more stories to share about the mysteries, myths and science behind how our brains work, and what keeps our brains healthy and fit.

On Season 2 of our podcast Your Complex Brain, we'll highlight the latest research, technology and innovations in brain science by speaking with thought leaders & experts, as well as patients, their families and the dedicated care teams on the front lines of keeping our brains healthy – and fixing them when illnesses arise.

This season, we'll be looking for answers to some pretty big questions – such as, 'Is stress contagious?' 'Why are many women living with brain disease experiencing a delay in diagnosis?' And, 'How could advances in technology improve outcomes for patients who undergo deep brain stimulation?'

And those are just the first three episodes!

There are a million amazing things to know about your complex brain – and we couldn't be more excited to explore them with you.

The Your Complex Brain production team: Carley McPherson, Heather Sherman, Dr. Amy Ma, Twayne Pereira, Meagan Anderi, Sara Yuan, Suzanne Wice and Jessica Schmidt.


 

Season Two: Your Complex Brain Trailer

Release Date: March 13, 2023 |  Run Time: 02:05 |  Download the transcript


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Season 2 Episode 10 - Top 5 Science-Based Tips to Keep Your Brain Fit & Healthy

Release Date: July 25, 2023 |  Run Time: 59:07 |  Download Episode 10 transcript

From new Alzheimer's drugs to novel treatments for brain cancer and chronic pain, many of us feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of health news in the media, and confused about what to believe, or how it applies to our own health.

In this special episode of Your Complex Brain - our last of the season - we bring back five of our featured UHN brain experts to weigh in on the top, science-based, evidence-backed tips for keeping your brain fit & healthy, as you age (and some of their answers may surprise you!).

YCB Production Team

Host Heather Sherman also introduces the Your Complex Brain production team and asks what they each do, to keep their brains happy and healthy.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and everywhere else you get your podcasts.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and everywhere else you get your podcasts.


Dr. Andrea Furlan

Dr. Andrea Furlan is a senior scientist at the KITE Research Institute and a physician with the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, at UHN. She is the author of the book, '8 STEPS to Conquer Chronic Pain. A Doctor's Guide to Lifelong Relief.' She also has a YouTube channel for people with chronic pain that has more than 500K subscribers.

Dr. Jaideep Bains

Dr. Jaideep Bains is the Director of the Krembil Research Institute and a senior scientist with the Krembil Brain Institute, at UHN. For the past two decades, Dr. Bains has led a successful research team at the University of Calgary, making many important discoveries that have provided insights into how the brain adapts to stress.

Dr. Mary Pat McAndrews

Dr. Mary Pat McAndrews is a clinical neuropsychologist and senior scientist at the Krembil Brain Institute. She is also Division Head of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, at UHN. Dr. McAndrews' work focuses on investigating memory and language in patients with memory disorders, including epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Donald Weaver

Dr. Donald Weaver is a neurologist, a medicinal chemist & a senior scientist with the Krembil Brain Institute, at UHN. Dr. Weaver has received numerous awards for his pioneering work in Alzheimer's research, including the 2020 Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award and the 2022 Oskar Fischer Prize.

Dr. Aleksandra Pikula

Dr. Aleksandra Pikula is a neurologist and a clinician investigator with Krembil Brain Institute, as well as Director of Stroke Research, at UHN. She is also co-Director of the Women's Neurology Fellowship at the University of Toronto, and Founder and Director of the largest Stroke in Young Adults (SiYA) Program in Canada.



Past Episodes

Explore the myths, mysteries, and medical breakthroughs of the most complex and powerful organ in your body – your brain. Weaving together expert interviews with heartfelt, inspiring snapshots of the patients and family members in the middle of it all, Heather Sherman dives into the latest science on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, stroke, concussion, spinal cord injury, brain cancer, chronic pain and other brain diseases and disorders. Along the way she uncovers surprising insights, sheds light on the latest research and shares heroic, real-life stories from the people on the front lines.

Season One Episodes

Season 2 Episode 1 – Is Stress Contagious?
Dr. Jaideep Bains

We often talk about the physiology of stress, how it affects us physically and mentally, but in this episode of Your Complex Brain, we delve much deeper to talk about the science of stress. What is actually happening in our brain and our body when activates the stress response and how these insights could lead to new approaches and therapies for treating disease.



Season 2 Episode 2 – A New Era in Women's Brain ​Health
Dr. Esther Bui

Though women make up nearly half of the world's population and have higher rates of neurological disorders, there is still a gap when it comes to better understanding and treating women living with brain-related illnesses. We speak with Dr. Mary Angela O'Neal and Dr. Esther Bui about how various neurological conditions affect women differently at various stages of their lives.


 
Season 2 Episode 3 – The Future of DBS
Harry Forestell Family

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is complex brain surgery in which electrodes are placed at strategic, predetermined targets within a patient's brain. DBS was introduced as a treatment option for people living with Parkinson's disease more than 20 years ago, it was a game changer. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Suneil Kalia and Dr. Alfonso Fasano about the future of DBS.


 

Season 2 Episode 4 –
A New Theory of Alzheimer's
Lindsay Bongard-Batori and her mom Barbara

Whether as a patient, a caregiver, a neighbour or a friend, chances are, one day, we will all be touched by Alzheimer's or dementia. This disease steals our memories and cruelly robs us of our loved ones, often when we need them the most. We speak with Dr. Donald Weaver and Dr. Saskia Sivananthan about the momentum in the world of Alzheimer's research.



Season 2 Episode 5 – Using Virtual Reality to Restore Vision
Drs. Bouffet and Reber

What happens when a vision researcher has a chance meeting with a pediatric oncologist and that collaboration leads to unexpected and promising results? In Episode 5 of Your Complex Brain, we are talking about a homegrown vision rehabilitation program helping young brain cancer survivors, whose sight has been impacted by their tumours, improve their vision.


 
Season 2 Episode 6 – The Mystery of our Memory
Dr. Mary Pat McAndrews

When you think about your favourite memories, what comes to mind? Is it the championship win at your high school football game? Your child's first words? Or the lyrics to a song you loved? In Episode 6 of Your Complex Brain, our experts tackle the big & thought-provoking questions, such as: How does our brain log & store memories? Where do memories go as we age? And why do we remember some things and not others?


 

Season 2 Episode 7 –
The Truth About Concussion
Dr. Charles Tator

Every year, 40 million people worldwide sustain a concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a hit or jolt to the head. While the vast majority of those who suffer a concussion recover in time, there are many who experience lasting symptoms, and researchers and clinicians want to know why, including Dr. Charles Tator, who's made it his l​ife's mission to educate the public and the healthcare community about the impact of concussion.


 
Season 2 Episode 8 –
Unraveling the Genetics of a Rare Disease
Dr. Jim Eubanks

When Brynn Ladley was born, she was a smiling, happy and healthy baby, hitting all of her developmental milestones. Then, at six weeks old, she began having seizures and eventually was diagnosed with CDKL5, a rare and debilitating genetic disorder that has no cure. We'll hear from Dr. James Eubanks, Brynn's mother Natalie and from Richard Logan, Dr. Eubanks' long-time lab manager, who are optimistic about advances in this research, in the years ​to come.


 
Season 2 Episode 9 –
Chronic Pain and The Brain
Lara Pingue

More than eight million Canadians, like Lara, are currently living with the effects of debilitating chronic pain. But there is hope… In Episode 9 of KBI's podcast, 'Your Complex Brain,' we delve into the connection between chronic pain and the brain, including the latest & most effective treatments, the stigma - how do you study and treat something that you often can't see? And, is there a way to build 'pain resilience'?




Season 2 Episode 10 – Top 5 Science-Based Tips to Keep Your Brain Fit & Healthy
Dr. Andrea Furlan

From new Alzheimer's drugs to novel treatments for brain cancer and chronic pain, many of us feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of health news in the media, and confused about what to believe, or how it applies to our own health. In this episode of Your Complex Brain, we bring back five of our featured UHN brain experts to weigh in on the top, science-based, evidence-backed tips for keeping your brain fit & healthy, as you age.





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