179 - Adam Gazzaley: Neuroscience, Therapeutic Video Games, and the Cognition Crisis

Adam Gazzaley is David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Adam works on developing new approaches to both assess and optimize human cognition, with particular attention to underutilized but high-potential tools like video games. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the cognition crisis—why our brains seem to be under such duress in the modern age—and the structural features of the brain, as well as its plasticity, and how these things can be modified and optimized to deal with the current environment. Check out Adam’s book, The Distracted Mind (MIT, 2016). Adam’s Website: https://gazzaley.com The Distracted Mind: https://a.co/d/aZm8Reg OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:39 Introduction 03:09 Science and Medicine 07:29 What Is Brain Plasticity 11:17 What Is the Cognition Crisis? 31:48 Can Neuroscience Make Us Smarter? 43:17 Can Neuroscience Develop Technological Medicine? 54:45 On Medicinal Video Games 01:04:01 Why Doctors Might Prescribe Video Games For ADHD 01:23:49 Sleep Improvement 01:27:24 The Future of Medicinal Video Game Research 01:43:07 How We Can All Improve Cognitive Function Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.