Enhance Your Learning Speed & Health Using Neuroscience Based Protocols | Dr. Poppy Crum

In this episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman hosts Dr. Poppyrum, a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford, to discuss the intersection of technology and neuroplasticity. Dr. Poppyrum explores how emerging technologies, such as wearables and hearables, can enhance neuroplasticity, learning, and empathy by adapting to individual brain states and environmental contexts. She highlights the potential of AI to optimize human performance by creating personalized digital twins, which provide insights into health and cognitive states. Dr. Poppyrum also shares her unique background in music and neuroscience, emphasizing the importance of understanding sensory inputs and their impact on the brain.

• The Huberman Lab podcast focuses on science and science-based tools for everyday life.
• Dr. Poppyrum, a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford, discusses her work on technology's role in enhancing neuroplasticity and learning.

"Welcome to the Huberman Lab podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life."

• The podcast aims to provide zero-cost consumer information about science to the public.

• Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change in response to experience.
• Dr. Poppyrum believes our brains are more plastic than commonly thought and that technology can enhance this plasticity.
• Technology, including robots, can shape our brains, influencing neuroplasticity.

"Everything we engage with in our daily lives, whether it's the statistics of our environments and our contexts or the technologies we use on a daily basis are shaping our brains in ways through neuroplasticity."

• The homunculus is a data representation of how many brain cells are dedicated to sensory information, which changes with experience and technology use.

• People's environments, such as the city they live in, can shape their hearing thresholds and brain sensitivities.
• The brain adapts to the sounds and experiences of its environment, which can influence neural processing and sensitivity.

"Cities have sonic imprints, types of noise, things that are very, you know, very loud cities, but also what's creating that noise, right? That's often unique."

• The adaptation to environmental sounds can lead to increased sensitivity or specific neural changes.

• Texting and smartphones have introduced new ways of communication, altering brain processes.
• The integration of writing with thumbs and hearing internal voices during texting represents a new brain function.

"Are we taking old brain areas and combining them in new ways or is it possible that we're actually changing the way that our brain works fundamentally in order to be able to carry out something as what seems to be nowadays trivial but as basic to everyday life as texting."

• The brain reallocates resources to adapt to new communication methods, enhancing specificity and speed in processing.

• Advances in compression algorithms have allowed for efficient data storage and transmission, paralleling how people communicate with acronyms and shorthand in texting.
• These communication methods represent a rich cognitive experience despite minimal data exchange.

"It's actually a lossy compression that's triggering a huge cognitive experience, right?"

• Lossy compression involves removing some information while maintaining the perceptual experience, similar to shorthand communication.

• Technology can be both beneficial and detrimental, depending on its use.
• The integration of technology should enhance human capabilities and decision-making without compromising cognitive functions.

"I am a huge advocate for technology improving us as humans, but also improving the data we have to make better decisions and the sort of insights that drive us."

• Over-reliance on technology can lead to cognitive decline and reduced learning capabilities.

• Video games provide a closed-loop environment for studying neuroplasticity and human performance.
• Gamers often exhibit enhanced contrast sensitivity and situational awareness due to training from video games.

"A typical gamer um actually has what we would call um more sensitive and this is your domain so you can counter me on this anytime but you know contrast sensitivity functions."

• Playing video games can lead to long-lasting changes in visual processing and cognitive functions.

• The discussion highlights the importance of understanding how technology and environment influence brain plasticity and cognitive functions.
• Embracing technology thoughtfully can lead to improved learning and performance through enhanced neuroplasticity.

• Discussion on how playing video games enhances probabilistic decision-making skills.
• Video game players can make faster decisions in probabilistic environments compared to non-players.
• Training environments can be created to enhance performance using data analytics and real-time feedback.

"Probabilistic inference goes up when I've, you know, played 40 hours of Call of Duty."

• Playing video games like Call of Duty enhances one's ability to make quick decisions in probabilistic scenarios.

"We build that kind of closed loop environment that helps build that, you know, create greater resolution in the brain and greater sensitivity to differentiation."

• Real-time feedback in training environments enhances neural resolution and sensitivity, aiding in performance improvement.

• Use of sensors and real-time data feedback to improve athletic performance.
• Building environments that provide auditory feedback to athletes based on their real-time performance data.
• Emphasis on creating a fun, yet data-driven training environment that enhances neurological training.

"We had sensors, you know, like on on their calves that were measuring acceleration velocity and give able to g give us um feedback in real time."

• Sensors provide real-time data on athletes' performance, allowing for immediate feedback and adjustments.

• Application of AI and computer vision to analyze and improve swimming techniques.
• Use of mobile phones to film and analyze swimming strokes for better performance insights.
• AI tools democratize access to high-level analytics traditionally reserved for elite athletes.

"You can build quickly build a computer vision app that is giving you data analytics on your strokes and in real time."

• AI applications can provide real-time analytics on swimming performance, offering insights into stroke efficiency and consistency.

• AI and technology allow for the democratization of data analytics, making it accessible to non-elite users.
• Digital twins use interoperable data to provide insights into physical systems and environments.
• AI accelerates tool-building for data analysis, enhancing performance and learning in various fields.

"It's on sort of democratizing data, analytics and information that would normally be reserved for the elite to everyone."

• AI democratizes access to data analytics, enabling broader access to performance-enhancing information.

• Use of AI for self-testing and enhancing learning through the creation of personalized tests.
• AI can identify weak areas in knowledge and help reinforce learning through targeted questioning.
• Importance of engaging cognitive load in learning and the impact of AI on cognitive engagement.

"I've been using AI to design tests for me of what's in those papers because I learned uh you know about eight eight months ago when researching a podcast on how to study and learn best."

• AI can create personalized tests to reinforce learning and identify knowledge gaps.

"It's learning where I'm weak and where I'm strong at remembering things because I'm asking it where am I weak and where am I strong."

• AI helps identify strengths and weaknesses in knowledge, allowing for targeted learning.

• Discussion on cognitive load theory, detailing intrinsic, extraneous, and germaine cognitive load.
• AI tools can reduce cognitive load, impacting the depth of learning and schema development.
• Importance of engaging germaine cognitive load for effective learning and information retention.

"The germaine cognitive load is what gets impacted most by using LLMs."

• AI tools can reduce the mental effort required to build cognitive schemas, affecting deep learning.

• Exploration of how AI can enhance cognitive abilities or replace cognitive tasks for efficiency.
• Use of AI to optimize cognitive and physical performance, while being mindful of its impact on cognitive development.
• The potential of AI to enhance human cognition and performance through data-driven insights.

"Am I using the tool am I using the technology in a way to make me smarter about in a and and let me have more information and make me more effective?"

• AI can be used to enhance cognitive abilities by providing more information and insights.

• Discussion on the lack of understanding and terminology for different awake states compared to sleep states.
• Potential for AI to help define and optimize various states of wakefulness based on personal and environmental data.
• AI could provide insights into optimizing daily activities based on individual cognitive and physical states.

"We have very little understanding or even names for different awake states."

• There is a need for better understanding and terminology for different states of wakefulness.

"AI is part of the story. But before we get AI, we need better more data."

• AI can play a role in understanding awake states, but comprehensive data is needed first.

• The use of sensors in smart environments can measure various factors like sound, carbon dioxide, and other compounds to infer emotional states.
• These sensors can provide insights into our physiological and emotional states without needing wearable devices.

"I like to say we broadcast how we're feeling, right? And we do that wherever we are."

• This quote emphasizes the idea that our environment can reflect and broadcast our emotional states through measurable factors.

• Pupil size can indicate levels of arousal and cognitive load, offering insights into emotional and mental states.
• Advances in technology have made it easier to track pupil size and correlate it with cognitive states using everyday devices.

"Bigger pupil means more arousal, higher levels of alertness."

• This quote highlights the relationship between pupil size and cognitive states, which can be used to gauge engagement and stress levels.

• There is potential for integrating various sensors to provide comprehensive insights into physical and mental states without excessive wearables.
• AI can play a crucial role in interpreting data from different sources to provide meaningful insights.

"You don't we aren't anywhere until we have integration of those systems between the body, the local environment, and the external environment."

• This quote underscores the importance of integrating data from various sources to gain a holistic understanding of an individual's state.

• Regulatory processes are a significant barrier to the rapid implementation of advanced health-monitoring technologies.
• Consumer-grade devices often match or surpass medical-grade devices but face regulatory hurdles.

"The regulatory process is antiquated and not up to keeping up with the acceleration of innovation that's happening."

• This quote points out the challenges posed by outdated regulatory systems that slow down the adoption of new technologies.

• There is a trend towards minimizing wearables and instead using environmental sensors and AI to monitor health and performance.
• The integration of data from various sources is crucial for effective health monitoring.

"I'm an advocate for fewer things on, you know, not having all this stuff on our bodies."

• This quote reflects the preference for minimalism in health monitoring, leveraging environmental sensors instead of multiple wearables.

• Digital twins are digital representations of systems that provide insights into the functioning and potential issues of physical systems.
• They are used in various fields, from air traffic control to personal health monitoring.

"When an air traffic controller sits down and looks at, you know, a screen, they're not looking at a spreadsheet. They're looking at a digitization of information about physical objects."

• This quote illustrates the concept of digital twins as tools for situational awareness and decision-making.

• Gamification can motivate individuals to improve health and performance by setting aspirational targets.
• It provides a framework for individuals to measure and improve their performance in various areas.

"I think quantification of performance creates this aspirational state."

• This quote highlights the motivational aspect of gamification, encouraging individuals to strive for better performance.

• AI can help create customized digital representatives that provide insights into personal health and performance.
• These digital tools can identify patterns and suggest improvements that individuals may not be aware of.

"I think being able to customize them for our unique challenges and our unique goals is really what's most exciting to me."

• This quote emphasizes the potential of AI to provide personalized insights and recommendations based on individual data.

• AI has the potential to revolutionize health monitoring by providing real-time insights and recommendations.
• The integration of AI with digital twins and environmental sensors can lead to more proactive health management.

"AI can see things that we can't see."

• This quote captures the essence of AI's potential to uncover insights that are beyond human perception, enhancing health monitoring and decision-making.

• AI has advanced significantly in identifying various pathologies through speech analysis, focusing not on what is said but on how it is said.
• Algorithms can analyze speech patterns to predict mental health issues, such as suicidality and cycles of depression or mania.
• AI can detect neural degeneration and diseases like Alzheimer's earlier than traditional clinical symptoms through speech analysis.

"AI is, you know, huge for identifying a lot of different pathologies out of data that as humans we're just not that good at discerning."

• AI's capability in speech analysis surpasses human ability in detecting subtle pathologies.

"There's a lab up in University of Washington... working on some really impressive algorithms to analyze speech patterns as a way to predict suicidality."

• AI algorithms can successfully predict mental health issues by analyzing speech patterns.

• Speech analysis can reveal potential indicators of diseases like diabetes and heart disease by detecting changes in voice due to dehydration and cardiovascular issues.
• Neural degeneration is detectable in speech patterns, often years before clinical symptoms appear, through linguistic cues and syntactic completion.

"Neural degeneration shows up in short assessment of how people speak... linguistic cues can show up sometimes 10 years before typical clinical symptoms would."

• Early detection of neural degeneration is possible through speech analysis, allowing for proactive intervention.

"Diabetes shows up because you can pick up on dehydration in the voice."

• Changes in voice can indicate underlying health conditions such as diabetes.

• The intersection of human perception and technology is crucial for optimizing human performance and understanding neuroplasticity.
• Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt, influenced by technology and individual experiences.
• The study of neuroplasticity involves understanding how different species, including humans, adapt to changes in their environment.

"Human technology intersection and perception is my core... how our brains take in the data that we consume to optimize how we experience the world."

• The integration of technology and human perception is essential for enhancing human performance.

"Neuroplasticity is always in reach. If the incentives are high enough, we can do it."

• Neuroplasticity can be accelerated by strong incentives or critical needs, highlighting its potential for rapid adaptation.

• Absolute pitch is the ability to identify musical notes without reference, akin to seeing colors.
• Neuroplasticity allows individuals to develop new cognitive maps, such as adapting to different musical tuning systems.
• The study of absolute pitch and neuroplasticity provides insights into how the brain processes and adapts to auditory information.

"I have absolute pitch... I hear sound like people see color."

• Absolute pitch is a unique auditory perception akin to visual color perception.

"I developed absolute pitch at A415... I had developed a secondary absolute pitch map."

• Neuroplasticity enabled the development of a secondary absolute pitch map, demonstrating the brain's adaptability.

• Studies on owls and other animals reveal the brain's ability to adapt to changes in sensory input.
• Animals like bats and moths have evolved sophisticated mechanisms for survival, showcasing neuroplasticity in action.
• The adaptation of sensory systems in animals provides insights into the potential for human neuroplasticity.

"Owls have a very hardwired map of auditory visual space... they developed a secondary map that was now aligned with the 15 degree shift."

• Animal studies demonstrate the brain's ability to form new sensory maps under environmental changes.

"Bats echolocate... they're shaping the sounds they send out so that whatever comes back is in their optimal neural range."

• Bats' echolocation abilities highlight the sophisticated adaptations of sensory systems in animals.

• The rapid development of technology, including AI, influences human neuroplasticity and adaptation.
• Understanding how technology affects neural processes is crucial for optimizing human interaction with new tools.
• The integration of AI and technology in daily life requires careful consideration of its impact on neural structures.

"With AI it's going to be very interesting... we will adapt for sure. We'll form the necessary maps."

• The integration of AI into daily life will necessitate the formation of new cognitive maps.

"Being very conscious of which maps we're changing is so key... we're going so fast with technology because maps can change really, really fast."

• Awareness of the changes in neural maps due to technology is essential to manage its rapid advancement.

• Acoustic communication plays a vital role in species' survival, with specific adaptations to detect and respond to sound.
• Different species, such as crickets and marmicetses, use sound for communication and survival, demonstrating diverse evolutionary adaptations.
• The study of acoustic communication in animals provides insights into the complexities of sensory processing.

"Crickets have biodal neurons... each frequency range will elicit a completely different behavior."

• Crickets' auditory systems demonstrate the specificity of acoustic communication in eliciting behavioral responses.

"Marmicetses are very social... their vocalizations are almost like bird song."

• Marmicetses use complex vocalizations for social communication, highlighting the role of sound in their social structure.

• Spiders use their webs as instruments to detect specific sound frequencies, aiding in survival and predation.
• The study of spiders' acoustic detection reveals the multifunctional use of webs beyond prey capture.
• Understanding spiders' acoustic detection can inform the development of new technologies and materials.

"Orb spiders use their web... they tune their webs to resonate like a violin."

• Orb spiders utilize their webs to detect specific sound frequencies, enhancing their survival capabilities.

"The spiderweb is a functional thing not just for catching prey. It's a detection device also."

• Spiderwebs serve as acoustic detection devices, demonstrating the multifunctionality of natural structures.