Brain Science Podcast discussion

Hi Ginger,

I’m new to BSP as of about 2 days and I absolutely love it. I really enjoy your intelligent and authentic voice on the program. I like the fact that you’re opinionated but not judgemental, and that you state your biases but remain open minded. I’ve always had a curiosity about the brain and NS but didn’t take the time to go into it with any consistency.

Last year my daughter (adopted at age 2, now 12) was diagnosed with attachment disorder and we started a behavioural treatment program that has had huge benefits for her (and our) behaviour; the quality of our family life; and her self esteem and success at school, socially and in sports. As we move into the next phase of her recovery I’ve started looking into what can be done to help her neurologically. Her psychologist, though great with the diagnosis and coaching, hasn’t been very helpful on the neuro side so I’ve been looking on the web and that’s what led me to your program. I’ve started participating in a Neurological Reorganization discussion group and have been reading all I can about neuroplasticity as I try to separate the wheat from the chaff as far as treatments go, and try to decide (guess, really) what might be best for her. So, I’ve been particularly interested in the ideas of early brain development and brain plasticity that I heard in episodes 4, 6 and 7 (the most recent one I’ve listened to). I’m sure that I will continue to enjoy all of your programs as I catch up. As you would probably expect, I would be especially interested to hear more discussion on particular modalities of recovery from childhood brain trauma. I would also be very interested to hear about research and opinions on something perhaps a little less scientific, craniosacral therapy, if that fits in with your interests.

I have studied and worked in microbiology and I have a Golden Retriever named Gromit, who is still a puppy at age 12.

Thanks and I wish you continued great success.

Don

Don wrote: "Hi Ginger,

I’m new to BSP as of about 2 days and I absolutely love it. I really enjoy your intelligent and authentic voice on the program. I like the fact that you’re opinionated but not judge..."

Dan,

I want to apologize for taking so long to respond to your first post.

I hope you are still listening!

The focus of the Brain Science Podcast is on sharing an overview of the incredibly diverse field of neuroscience and related disciplines. There are only isolated episodes devoted to specific diseases or disabilities. However, I do hope to eventually do an episode about brain traum.

By now you have probably heard BSP 10, which was the first episode about brain plasticity. You might want to skip forward to BSP 26 and BSP 28. The discoveries about brain plasticity offer new hope to people of all ages.

If you love dogs you my also enjoy Episode 33 of Books and Ideas, which is my other, more obscure podcast.

Hi Ginger,

Of course I'm still listening - I can't get enough. I did listen to #10 and I jumped ahead to the Norman Doidge and Daniel Siegel episodes and I've started reading Siegel's book. I hope your B&I link will give me some insight in to why my Golden is so stubborn.
Thanks again for your great podcast.

Don

Don wrote: "Hi Ginger,

Of course I'm still listening - I can't get enough. I did listen to #10 and I jumped ahead to the Norman Doidge and Daniel Siegel episodes and I've started reading Siegel's book. I h..."

You have a stubborn Golden? How old is Gromit?

Gromit's going on 12. She's very sweet and has always been very tolerant of the kids' attention but she has some bad habits: she eats and rolls in the nastiest stuff she can find and she loves to visit people whether or not they like dogs. So if she figures she's far enough from me to get away with it she'll tear off and enjoy herself. We got her as a puppy at the same time I was taking our Australian Shepherd rescue for obedience training (the Australian was a charm to train!). I asked the trainer at what age I could start training Gromit and he rolled his eyes and told me he'd rather not have any Goldens in his class, so I figured they were known as being hard headed. I'm guessing from your response that your Golden is more obedient?

Don wrote: "Gromit's going on 12. She's very sweet and has always been very tolerant of the kids' attention but she has some bad habits: she eats and rolls in the nastiest stuff she can find and she loves to ..."

It sounds like you were the unfortunate victim of one trainer's prejudices. Goldens may not be as smart as Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, and border collies, but their wonderful temperament actually make them very easy to train. They may not have the same drive to work, but they do generally want to please.

Right now I have a Golden and a rescued German Shepherd. I take them both to obedience every week. They both have their Canine Good Citizen award and my GSD Jake just completed his first obedience rally. (click here for video).

I have had 4 Goldens and 2 GSD, and my impression is that smarter dogs are more stubborn. It sounds to me like Gromit learned from an early age she can get away with a lot.

For a different take on Goldens I recommend Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog by Susannah Charleson.

hi don and ginger,
i practice craniosacral therapy. research is not so great on this modality as the skill of the therapist has a lot to do with effective treatment. however, what might be interesting is a show on fascia, as that is the primary tissue structure that is addressed in craniosacral therapy. the CSF rhythm is what is felt, but the fascia is essentially what a therapist contacts while working on a client. rolfing, manual osteopathy, visceral manipulation, acupuncture are just a few of the therapies that act on the fascial structure of the body. -sue

Sue wrote: "hi don and ginger,
i practice craniosacral therapy. research is not so great on this modality as the skill of the therapist has a lot to do with effective treatment. however, what might be inter..."

I actually did an interview with a German fascia researcher, Robert Scleip, PhD back in December, 2007. It is Books and Ideas #15.