Episode
#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
2:36:20
Published: Mon Nov 16 2020
Description
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist at Stanford. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex and use code LEX to get $200 off - SEMrush: https://www.semrush.com/partner/lex/ to get a free month of Guru - Cash App: https://cash.app/ and use code LexPodcast to get $10 EPISODE LINKS: Andrew's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Andrew's Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_D._Huberman Andrew's Website: http://www.hubermanlab.com/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (06:24) - Fear (14:36) - Virtual reality (18:20) - Claustrophobia (20:08) - Skydiving (21:43) - Overcoming fears (26:43) - Optimal performance (29:57) - Deep work (45:22) - Psychedelics (49:08) - Deep work (1:02:48) - Everything in the brain is an abstraction (1:10:06) - Human vision system (1:21:42) - Neuralink (1:49:12) - Science of consciousness (2:04:00) - David Goggins (2:21:04) - Science communication (2:28:36) - Man's Search for Meaning
Chapters
In this podcast, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman from Stanford University explains his work in understanding the brain, how it can change through experience, and how to repair brain circuits damaged by injury or disease.
00:00 - 02:23 (02:23)
Summary
In this podcast, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman from Stanford University explains his work in understanding the brain, how it can change through experience, and how to repair brain circuits damaged by injury or disease.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The use of virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders has proven to be beneficial in tipping patients with generalized anxiety disorders into a state of higher arousal, with a lot of people reporting a decrease in symptoms after the treatment.
02:23 - 13:45 (11:22)
Summary
The use of virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders has proven to be beneficial in tipping patients with generalized anxiety disorders into a state of higher arousal, with a lot of people reporting a decrease in symptoms after the treatment.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The ability to manipulate reality in 360 videos can evoke a wide range of emotions, including fear and stress, as demonstrated through an experiment in mice.
13:45 - 22:29 (08:43)
Summary
The ability to manipulate reality in 360 videos can evoke a wide range of emotions, including fear and stress, as demonstrated through an experiment in mice. This could have implications for virtual reality therapy and entertainment.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The stress response is not just about freezing and locking up.
22:29 - 29:58 (07:29)
Summary
The stress response is not just about freezing and locking up. There is a sweet spot where the internal arousal level is matched to the external challenge, allowing for optimal performance under stress.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
There's a reliance on working memory but also on deep memory stores when it comes to focused operations.
29:58 - 41:15 (11:17)
Summary
There's a reliance on working memory but also on deep memory stores when it comes to focused operations. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for keeping reflexive circuitry at bay while running important loops for working memory.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The activation of serotonin receptors in the thalamic reticular nucleus causes inhibitory shells to lose their ability to work, leading to an increase in lateral connectivity in layer five of the cortex, which helps explain the effects of psychedelics.
41:15 - 49:19 (08:03)
Summary
The activation of serotonin receptors in the thalamic reticular nucleus causes inhibitory shells to lose their ability to work, leading to an increase in lateral connectivity in layer five of the cortex, which helps explain the effects of psychedelics. Such drugs can cause new algorithms to form and reveal unusual solutions that couldn't be reached through normal cognitive thought processes.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Sleep plays a vital role in problem solving as it allows the brain to expunge meaningless information, run algorithms, and arrive at solutions for the previous day and even for long term problems to be solved.
49:19 - 59:00 (09:41)
Summary
Sleep plays a vital role in problem solving as it allows the brain to expunge meaningless information, run algorithms, and arrive at solutions for the previous day and even for long term problems to be solved. To build up resilience, one needs to allow limbic friction by avoiding external input such as music, news, social media, and focusing on interoceptive activities that require deep thinking without distractions.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Neuroscientist John Murray explains how adjusting our internal and external perception can lead to the optimal relationship with a task or pressure.
59:00 - 1:04:25 (05:25)
Summary
Neuroscientist John Murray explains how adjusting our internal and external perception can lead to the optimal relationship with a task or pressure. There are only three things that neurons do in the brain, and he goes on to explain this in more depth.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The complexity of the vision system can be attributed to the structure and circuitry of neurons, allowing for different neurons to fire in unique sequences and intensities.
1:04:25 - 1:10:08 (05:42)
Summary
The complexity of the vision system can be attributed to the structure and circuitry of neurons, allowing for different neurons to fire in unique sequences and intensities. Vision is one of the most beautiful and fascinating aspects of human beings.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Lowering an electrode into the cortex can result in beautiful experiences such as hearing the hash or few syllables being shouted down the optic nerve and converted into a different language in the brain, or finding single neurons that respond only to specific faces.
1:10:08 - 1:22:40 (12:32)
Summary
Lowering an electrode into the cortex can result in beautiful experiences such as hearing the hash or few syllables being shouted down the optic nerve and converted into a different language in the brain, or finding single neurons that respond only to specific faces.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The conversation dives into the power of the brain and its circuitry, questioning whether the brain's strength lies in the formation of abstractions or the majority of noncomplex circuitry.
1:22:40 - 1:29:41 (07:00)
Summary
The conversation dives into the power of the brain and its circuitry, questioning whether the brain's strength lies in the formation of abstractions or the majority of noncomplex circuitry. It emphasizes the importance of considering the implications of writing to the brain, given the tools available in the modern age.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The brain codes stimuli through the internal firing of neurons, allowing for the transformation of external events into an internal experience.
1:29:41 - 1:37:09 (07:28)
Summary
The brain codes stimuli through the internal firing of neurons, allowing for the transformation of external events into an internal experience. This understanding can lead to the development of machines that mimic the brain's processes.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The perception of external reality is a neuronal abstraction and the neural responses become more complex as you move to the higher order areas like infra parietal cortex.
1:37:08 - 1:42:52 (05:43)
Summary
The perception of external reality is a neuronal abstraction and the neural responses become more complex as you move to the higher order areas like infra parietal cortex.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Donald Hoffman presents a scientific case for our lack of understanding about reality, discussing the boundaries of human perception and how it may be possible to construct an illusion and control certain layers of reality through means such as neuralink, psychedelics, and dream states.
1:42:53 - 1:48:36 (05:42)
Summary
Donald Hoffman presents a scientific case for our lack of understanding about reality, discussing the boundaries of human perception and how it may be possible to construct an illusion and control certain layers of reality through means such as neuralink, psychedelics, and dream states.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the guest speaker discusses the challenges of understanding consciousness with the current available technology, analyzes the importance of operational definitions and describes the team assembled by Neuralink.
1:48:36 - 1:55:18 (06:41)
Summary
In this podcast, the guest speaker discusses the challenges of understanding consciousness with the current available technology, analyzes the importance of operational definitions and describes the team assembled by Neuralink.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the low level synapses and instead thinking about consciousness, which may be uncomfortable for some, but can lead to concrete insights.
1:55:18 - 2:03:56 (08:38)
Summary
The speaker emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the low level synapses and instead thinking about consciousness, which may be uncomfortable for some, but can lead to concrete insights. The discussion includes the topic of the Turing test and intelligence.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The brain is constantly analyzing duration, path, and outcome, which can be a lot of work.
2:03:56 - 2:10:13 (06:17)
Summary
The brain is constantly analyzing duration, path, and outcome, which can be a lot of work. In order to harness the power of neuroplasticity, creating non-negotiable contracts can help to rewire the brain's pathways more efficiently.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the speaker discusses the physical limitations that come with injuries and illnesses and explores the power of neural circuits in overcoming limbic friction in any challenge.
2:10:13 - 2:21:11 (10:57)
Summary
In this podcast, the speaker discusses the physical limitations that come with injuries and illnesses and explores the power of neural circuits in overcoming limbic friction in any challenge.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker expresses their belief in prestigious universities such as Stanford and MIT as institutions that inspire people to dream and build the future.
2:21:11 - 2:28:57 (07:46)
Summary
The speaker expresses their belief in prestigious universities such as Stanford and MIT as institutions that inspire people to dream and build the future. They also highlight the universities' emphasis on offering useful knowledge to the world and not keeping it in an ivory tower.
Episode#139 – Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience of Optimal Performance
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Our sense of meaning is flexible over time and space, and we can find beauty and power even in a small and unpleasant space.
2:28:57 - 2:35:56 (06:59)
Summary
Our sense of meaning is flexible over time and space, and we can find beauty and power even in a small and unpleasant space. However, we can get fixated on the things that hold meaning for us, and it only counts for as long as we are in that particular space-time regime.