Improving our neuroplasticity | Dr. Kelly Lambert | TEDxBermuda

Summary

In this enlightening talk, a neuroscientist explores the paradox of rising depression rates amidst a booming antidepressant industry. She suggests that our sedentary lifestyles and disconnect from nature might be contributing factors and introduces the concept of 'behaviorceuticals'—strategic behaviors that can positively alter our neurochemistry. Drawing on research involving rats, she demonstrates how effort-based rewards and enriched environments can foster resilience and mental health, advocating for a return to our evolutionary roots in our modern world.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker expresses appreciation for being in Bermuda and highlights the human brain's innate ability to solve mysteries, such as the increasing rates of depression despite the multibillion-dollar antidepressant industry.
• 🧬 The script discusses the importance of neurochemistry in understanding depression, mentioning neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and glutamate, and the challenges of replicating natural neurochemical balances with medication.
• 🏃‍♂️ The speaker, a neuroscientist, emphasizes the evolutionary significance of movement and its impact on brain health, pointing out the brain's design for coordinating movement and the cerebellum's role in motor coordination.
• 🛋️ The script raises the question of how modern sedentary lifestyles, with increased screen time, might affect brain health and contribute to depression rates.
• 📺 It reflects on the drastic changes in lifestyle over the past century, from active household chores to passive entertainment consumption, and ponders the mental health implications of these shifts.
• 👵 The speaker shares personal anecdotes about her grandmother's active lifestyle and the sense of accomplishment and pride it brought, contrasting it with contemporary living.
• 🧬 The concept of 'behaviorceuticals' is introduced, suggesting that engaging in behaviors that positively influence neurochemistry might be as effective as medication in addressing mental health.
• 🧶 The script provides historical and scientific examples of how repetitive behaviors like knitting can have calming effects and influence neurochemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
• 🍰 The speaker discusses the psychological benefits of engaging in activities that require effort and result in tangible outcomes, such as baking a cake, and how they can impact mental health.
• 🧠 The script delves into the neuroscience behind the brain's reward system, the nucleus accumbens, and how effort-based rewards can stimulate neuroplasticity and emotional resilience.
• 🐀 The speaker shares research findings from rat studies, illustrating how effort-based rewards and enriched environments can lead to healthier brain development and behaviors.
• 🚗 A humorous anecdote about teaching a rat to drive a car serves to emphasize the benefits of an enriched environment on learning and brain health.

Q & A

What is the main mystery the speaker is addressing in the script?

The main mystery the speaker addresses is the paradoxical increase in depression rates despite the existence of a multibillion-dollar antidepressant industry.

Why does the speaker believe our brains are uniquely designed to solve mysteries?

The speaker believes our brains are uniquely designed to solve mysteries because of their complex circuits that allow us to put pieces of the puzzle together.

What is the speaker's profession and how does it relate to the topic of the script?

The speaker is a neuroscientist, which is directly related to the topic of the script as it discusses the brain, its functions, and the impact of behavior on mental health.

What role does the cerebellum play in the brain according to the speaker?

The cerebellum, which contains about 80% of the brain's neurons, is noted for its role in controlling motor coordination.

Why does the speaker suggest that movement is important for our brains?

The speaker suggests that movement is important because the brain has evolved to move our bodies around, and many of its areas, like the cerebellum and striatum, are involved in coordinating and facilitating movement.

What is the speaker's hypothesis regarding the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on our brains?

The speaker hypothesizes that a sedentary lifestyle, such as spending a lot of time sitting in front of screens, might negatively impact our brains and potentially contribute to depression.

What term did the speaker coin to describe the concept of changing neurochemistry through behavior?

The speaker coined the term 'Behaviorceuticals' to describe the concept of changing neurochemistry through strategic behaviors.

What historical example did the speaker provide to illustrate the significant lifestyle changes over the past century?

The speaker provided the example of the introduction of television at the 1939 World's Fair and the New York Times' initial skepticism about its popularity, illustrating how much our lifestyle has changed.

How does the speaker relate the activity of knitting to neurochemistry and mental health?

The speaker relates knitting to neurochemistry and mental health by explaining that repetitive behavior like knitting increases serotonin levels, which can reduce stress and anxiety.

What does the speaker suggest is the role of the motor cortex in the brain?

The speaker suggests that the motor cortex is involved in moving specific muscles and is proportionally large for controlling the hand, indicating the importance of movement in our brains.

What experiment did the speaker conduct with rats to understand the impact of effort-based rewards on their brains?

The speaker conducted an experiment where rats were trained to 'harvest' Froot Loops by digging through mounds of bedding, creating an effort-based reward system, and compared them to a control group that received rewards without effort.

What was the outcome of the rat experiment regarding the enriched environment and learning to drive a car?

The rats in the enriched environment learned to drive a car in 22 trials, while the rats in the standard environment did not learn to drive effectively, suggesting that an enriched environment enhances learning capabilities.

What conclusion does the speaker draw about the importance of behavior in relation to mental health?

The speaker concludes that behavior plays a crucial role in shaping our neurochemistry and neuroanatomy in healthy ways, suggesting that 'behaviorceuticals' may be key to addressing mental health issues like depression.