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.Dr. Boyd is a leading stroke and neuroplasticity researcher whose TEDx talk “After watching this, your brain will not be the same” has reached millions worldwide.Subscribe for deep-dive conversations on neuroscience, behavior, and how to build the brain you actually want.VALUE BULLETS (what you’ll learn)–Why a French civil servant could live a normal life with a brain 50–90% smaller than average, and what that reveals about neuroplasticity.–Why “neurotypical” is mostly a statistical fiction, and why most of us are neurodivergent or “neuro-spicy” in some way.–How changing diagnostic criteria, not an autism “epidemic”, explains rising autism diagnoses, especially in girls and women.–How ADHD, autism, and anxiety may share overlapping genetic constellations rather than being completely separate categories.–What actually happens to your brain from childhood through your 20s and 30s, myelination, pruning, and why young men take more risks.–How genes work like dimmer switches, why environment and behavior tune them, and why APOE4 raises dementia risk without fully determining destiny.–The stroke study that changed Lara’s career: how forcing use of a “weak” limb rewires motor cortex and proves use-dependent recovery.–Why struggle, not ease, is the signal your brain is changing, and why deep sleep and REM are essential to lock in motor and cognitive learning.0:00 The French civil servant with “half a brain” and what neuroplasticity can do1:05 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 profiles4:35 Are we over-diagnosing or mis-grouping neurodivergent conditions?5:35 Evolutionary upsides of ADHD and autism: hyperfocus, sentry attention, solo hunting6:22 Why autism diagnoses are rising: broader criteria and better recognition in girls7:30 ADHD and autism as “differences,” not defects — and examples like Elon Musk and Bill Gates9:05 Lara’s winding path: English major → physical therapist → neuroscientist10:30 The 1990s shift: from “fixed brain” to lifelong neuroplasticity12:20 How the brain actually changes: myelin, pruning, and wiring into the mid-20s16:20 Why young men take more risks: late-maturing prefrontal cortex18:40 Genes vs environment, epigenetics, and why nature vs nurture isn’t a debate anymore21:10 APOE4 and dementia risk — and how exercise can change outcomes22:20 Big data, AI, and decoding brain–gene interactions24:00 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 recovery31:00 Redundancy, “silent” neurons, and spare real estate in the brain33:20 How dendrites, brain chemistry, and BDNF drive neuroplasticity — and why exercise helps38:20 Why consciousness and self are still “unsolved problems”39:40 The motor homunculus: why your hands, lips, and tongue dominate your cortex41:40 Why some people learn in 50 hours and others need 500 — and Lara’s quest to understand variability44:15 Biomarkers, stroke recovery, and who responds best to brain stimulation46:05 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 readiness49:30 Stuck in bad habits or a failing career? Why you’re not trapped — and why struggle is your brain changing52:00 Why we hate struggle even though it’s exactly when neuroplasticity happens52:55 Sleep as neuroplastic “glue”: deep sleep for motor, REM for cognitive learning54:05 Naps, aging, and how much sleep we really need55:10 Lara’s advice to her 20-year-old self: stay curious, practice hard, sleep wellRESOURCES / LINKSDr. Lara Boyd – UBC Faculty of Medicine profilehttps://www.med.ubc.ca/researchers/lara-boyd-physical-therapy/UBC Physical Therapy – Brain Behaviour Laboratoryhttps://physicaltherapy.med.ubc.ca/2022/10/11/lara-boyd/TEDx Talk – “After watching this, your brain will not be the same”Centre for Brain Health feature – Stroke rehab and neuroplasticityhttps://www.centreforbrainhealth.ca/news/from-stroke-rehabilitation-to-opera-dr-lara-boyds-innovative-research-on-neuroplasticityTeamChief Editor: Chloe BreheretChief Automation Officer: Jack McDuffJacob’s WorkPodcast blueprint (Skool): https://www.skool.com/remote-pro-podcast-blueprint-8385FREE Podcast Tips (2nd Channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/...
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