Neuroscientist and physical therapist Dr. Lara Boyd explains why there is no such thing as a “normal brain,” how neuroplasticity reshapes us across life, and why struggle and sleep are the real drivers of change in our brains. In this episode, she and Jacob explore neurodivergence, learning, stroke recovery, genetics, and what it actually takes to rewire your brain on purpose.

0:00 The French civil servant with “half a brain” and what neuroplasticity can do

1:05 How many of us are actually neuro-atypical? Defining (and questioning) “normal”

2:15 Why there is no clear definition of “neurotypical”

3:05 UK Biobank genetics: ADHD, autism, anxiety and overlapping gene profiles

4:35 Are we over-diagnosing or mis-grouping neurodivergent conditions?

5:35 Evolutionary upsides of ADHD and autism: hyperfocus, sentry attention, solo hunting

6:22 Why autism diagnoses are rising: broader criteria and better recognition in girls

7:30 ADHD and autism as “differences,” not defects — and examples like Elon Musk and Bill Gates

9:05 Lara’s winding path: English major → physical therapist → neuroscientist

10:30 The 1990s shift: from “fixed brain” to lifelong neuroplasticity

12:20 How the brain actually changes: myelin, pruning, and wiring into the mid-20s

16:20 Why young men take more risks: late-maturing prefrontal cortex

18:40 Genes vs environment, epigenetics, and why nature vs nurture isn’t a debate anymore

21:10 APOE4 and dementia risk — and how exercise can change outcomes

22:20 Big data, AI, and decoding brain–gene interactions

24:00 The stroke patient that made Lara feel like a “car mechanic who didn’t understand the engine”

27:20 The landmark monkey stroke study: forced use, reorganization, and recovery

31:00 Redundancy, “silent” neurons, and spare real estate in the brain

33:20 How dendrites, brain chemistry, and BDNF drive neuroplasticity — and why exercise helps

38:20 Why consciousness and self are still “unsolved problems”

39:40 The motor homunculus: why your hands, lips, and tongue dominate your cortex

41:40 Why some people learn in 50 hours and others need 500 — and Lara’s quest to understand variability

44:15 Biomarkers, stroke recovery, and who responds best to brain stimulation

46:05 Could we one day time school topics to each child’s brain readiness?

47:40 Visual vs auditory learners and what brain scans reveal about reading and math readiness

49:30 Stuck in bad habits or a failing career? Why you’re not trapped — and why struggle is your brain changing

52:00 Why we hate struggle even though it’s exactly when neuroplasticity happens

52:55 Sleep as neuroplastic “glue”: deep sleep for motor, REM for cognitive learning

54:05 Naps, aging, and how much sleep we really need

55:10 Lara’s advice to her 20-year-old self: stay curious, practice hard, sleep well

RESOURCES / LINKS Dr. Lara Boyd – UBC Faculty of Medicine profile https://www.med.ubc.ca/researchers/lara-boyd-physical-therapy/

UBC Physical Therapy – Brain Behaviour Laboratory https://physicaltherapy.med.ubc.ca/2022/10/11/lara-boyd/

Website: ⁠https://www.jacobjwatsonhowland.com⁠