Mind & Matter
Mind & Matter
Social Cognition & Learning, Critical Periods, MDMA, Oxytocin, Metaplasticity, Autism & Octopus Neurobiology | Gül Dölen | #62
0:00
-1:53:06

Social Cognition & Learning, Critical Periods, MDMA, Oxytocin, Metaplasticity, Autism & Octopus Neurobiology | Gül Dölen | #62

Download, watch, or listen to M&M episode #62

Nick talks to Dr. Gül Dölen, a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Her lab studies the circuit and synaptic mechanisms of social cognition in health and disease.

Nick and Dr. Dölen discussed her research on critical periods for social reward learning in rodents, the role of oxytocin in social behavior and learning, and how MDMA ("ecstasy") promotes prosocial behavior in animals as diverse as humans, rodents, and octopuses. They also talked about how drugs like MDMA and psychedelics influence "metaplasticity," enabling environmental factors to trigger plasticity (physical changes in the brain) in a context-specific manner. Dr. Dölen also described how her research relates to developing treatments for autism, as well as her thoughts on whether the subjective effects of psychedelics and other drugs are necessary for some of their therapeutic effects.


  • Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.

  • If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this.

  • Check out my later discussion with Gül Dölen for the latest from her lab.

Share

Discussion about this podcast

Mind & Matter
Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers about how your body & mind react to what they're fed. New episodes weekly. Not medical advice.