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The Secret Life of the Brain
With Dr. Richard Restak
Author, "The Secret Life of the Brain"
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002; 1 p.m. EST
In the past decade, science has deciphered more of the secrets of the human brain than in the previous 90 years combined. Our new understanding of the relatively small organ that allows us to ask questions, smell flowers, and compose music challenges many fundamental assumptions about who we are, how we grow, and how we age.
The five-part series, The Secret Life of the Brain, currently airing on PBS, explores the startling new map of the brain that has emerged from the past decade of neuroscience —- a revolutionary new perspective that holds out hope for dramatic advances in the areas of addiction, depression, learning disorders, Alzheimer’s Disease, and even schizophrenia.
Dr. Richard Restak, author of the companion book to the PBS series, was online Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. EST, to discuss the series, the book and the brain.
Dr. Restak, a neurologist and neuropsychiatrist, has authored dozens of
articles and more than 15 books on the brain, including "The Brain,"
"Mysteries of the Mind," and "The Longevity Strategy." "The Brain," also a
companion book to a PBS series, was a national bestseller. Restak has appeared on NPR's
Morning Edition and All Things Considered, PBS’s McNeil-Lehrer Report,
NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Discovery Channel.
Restak has served on various national advisory councils for brain research
and has been a consultant to PBS and to NBC’s Today Show. Dr. Restak is a
graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine. He lives and
practices in Washington, D.C.
The transcript follows.
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over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Dr. Richard Restak: I'm happy to be here to answer questions. I'm going to be having a reading appearance tonight at Politics & Prose.
Baltimore, Md.:
What is the most surprising thing to you about the human brain? What surprises you the most?
Dr. Richard Restak: The most surprising thing to me is the elasticity of it -- to change over time and to remain receptive to new experiences. From the brain of the adolescent, the adult and the older person -- it shows the ability to change throughout all.
The other thing is the fact that the brain is structured so that it continues to function (better) as we get older. Even though we lose brain cells, it continues to function at a high level.
Laurel, Md.:
Are caffeine or soft drinks harmful to memory?
Dr. Richard Restak: Caffeine and soft drinks with caffeine aren't harmful to the memory. If we don't abuse caffeine it can be used as a stimulant -- to enhance short term memory.
The problem is that once people recognize this, they use it more frequently. In moderation, it can be helpful.
Mt. Lebanon, Pa.:
Is there any strong correlation between human brain mass and mental acuity or outright thinking ability? After all, there has to be some threshold size for brain mass otherwise basic functions just aren't there -- no place to put them. Thanks much.
Dr. Richard Restak: There is a threshhold for brain mass, in relation to body mass. The brain of a big person is bigger than that of a small person -- like all other organs. That does not imply more intelligence. If that were so, the biggest people in the world would be the smartest.
There isn't any correlation between brain size and intelligence.
Connecticut:
First, we commend you on your work. Do you have a list of doctors who are specializing in Alzheimers around Connecticut, Boston or Yale to go to for treatment?
Thank you.
Dr. Richard Restak: I don't have any specific people in mind, I think the only thing to do is contact the place itself and see if they have people who are specialized in it. The Alzheimer's Association could also be contacted. There are specialized clinics for it -- at UCLA. So there are other medical centers that have these.
Harrisburg, Pa.:
What are the prospects that science and medicine will find ways to prevent Alzheimer's Disease?
Dr. Richard Restak: First of all, we don't know what the cause is. That's the biggest problem. That's why the medications are just symptomatic agents. That's always going to be a problem until we figure out the cause and can try to craft a cure. But that's unusual.
When you do that you're just depending on blind luck. The most important thing is to understand what causes the illness.
Englewood, N.J.:
Can you please clear up the idea that humans only use 10 percent of their brain capacity?
Recently I've been hearing that this is a myth.
Dr. Richard Restak: This was based on early research that was done early in the last century when various stains were used to highlight neurons. More were actually there than turned up on the stain. When you look at some modern scans, a good bit of the brain is operative. We don't really know and it's really not all that important. The brain will use what it needs to get the job done.
Also the basic concept of intelligence may be that people who are smarter don't need to use as much of the brain. Some hints of that when you do scans on people during intelligence tests. The highest scorers have less brain processing going on. So there's that element as well.
Caracas, Venezuela:
Are there any new findings on dyslexia?
Is there a link between premature children and this disabilty?
Is depression hereditary? If I am deppresive, on treatment, should I medicate my deppresive/dyslexic child?
What abourt drugs as Ritalin and Soloft?
Thank you.
Dr. Richard Restak: The dyslexia -- we have a whole section in the book and show. Showing the brain areas involved. It's a variation in reading that people have that leave them at a disadvantage. They use different parts of the brain. Dyslexia is looked upon as a brain functional disorder.
There is also hyperlexia -- where kids learn to read early. For instance, Alex Rosen, who was two years old and able to read, but not speak.
Some depressions are hereditary. You never medicate anyone if they don't have the illness. Bear in mind, that everyone goes through normal ups and downs. They could just be having a bad day.
Richmond, Va.:
Dr. Restak. Do you have children? If so, has your understanding and knowledge of the teenage brain helped you raise your children with more patience and understanding?
Dr. Richard Restak: Good question. I have three grown children. To be truthful, the things we've learned are just in the past 5 years, so I don't think this particular insight had a powerful influence on how I raised my children.
There are these immaturities in the adolescent brain that make it hard for them to be as sensible as we'd like.
Fredericksburg, Va.:
Dr. Restak,
My 86-year-old grandmother suffers from dementia. Sometimes she is very lucid but other times doesn't seem to know where she is. Is there anything at this stage that can be done to promote memory or brain development? She was always very active, read a great deal, played crossword puzzles and took classes doing everything one would think would keep the brain active. Is this just a case of heredity? What can/should I do differently?
Dr. Richard Restak: She's describing dementia -- which is a loss of brain power as a person gets older. She probably suffers from Alzheimer's. At the moment, we don't have any drugs that will reverse these changes. Treatment of this is really fairly primitive, because we don't understand the basic cause of the illness and until we do the treatments are going to be symptomatic.
She should be evaluated and maybe try some of the new drugs. As well as high doses of Vitamins E and C. Of course, the drugs are prescription drugs and could cause side effects.
La Crosse, Wis.:
I am a stroke survivor of two years and have been in a physical therapy routine this entire time. Could you recommend any vitamins or minerals that would assist the brain in recovering?
Dr. Richard Restak: Not so much vitamins. Just different approaches. We mention in "The Secret Life of the Brain" treatments for arm and hand weakness called constraint induced movement therapy. The good arm is constrained so the person is forced to use their other arm. That is a recent and encouraging approach to stroke.
A good diet and vitamins are important. Do the rehab and address the cause of what caused the stroke -- hypertension etc.
Goleta, Calif.:
Hello --
I suffered a contra-coup concussion last May,
and am healing slowly. There are still mental connections I have difficulty with,
(i.e. being able to understand something I've written; it is clear to other readers).
How likely is this to continue before healing?
Thank you.
Dr. Richard Restak: Well, it depends on your age, degree of trauma, how long your were unconcious. What Catscans and MRIs show. If those are relatively normal and below 60 years of age, your recovery should be reasonably good, but I'm just talking in general terms.
Washington, D.C.:
Based on your knowlegde, what is the best way to keep the brain in good working order?
Dr. Richard Restak: I think challenging it with things of interest to you. Keeping it well-challenged. I wrote a book called "Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot," in which I give exercises. Be involved in as many things as possible, socialize, activities involving eye/hand coordination -- all of these things are important.
New York, N.Y.:
Dr. Restak,
What advice could you give to a person already in their 20's who is contemplating going back to school to study neurology. What steps would would you take (BS, Masters, Phd) and how would each benefit you in the job market.
Thank you.
Dr. Richard Restak: That's an interesting question. You have to have certain science requirements to get into med school, then do a residency in neurology and that will enable you to become one and than you can specialize in your areas of interest to help people. Because that's really the most important thing.
Provo, Utah:
I was wondering about the physiological analogs of Noam Chomsky's "deep structures of the mind." Does the structure of the brain help us to learn as we currently understand learning?
Dr. Richard Restak: Chomsky's idea that natural grammer is very consistent with our views about the brain. For instance, we don't have to learn language how we learn mathematics or physics. Therefor a Chomskian view would be that brain science supports the ability to speak and use language.
Colorado Springs, Colo.:
Dr. Restak,
Do you see any reasons to stimulate a normal brain in order to enhance its ability to work more effectively? And if yes, are there any safe drugs to do this?
Thanks.
Dr. Richard Restak: Interesting question. Well, there are occassions when you do need to stimulate your brain. For instance, caffeine, which is reasonably safe and legal method. I don't recommend nicotine at all, although it will enhance shortterm mental performance. That's why its hard to get off cigarettes sometimes.
We're working now towards getting what we call "cognitive enhancers." We have them available for people with impairments. For instance, people with ADD use certain drugs to enhance them. So we're sort of circling this question of whether cognitive enhancement something that should be chemically generated or by teaching people to use their brain better. Every time you take a drug, there can be side effects.
Waxhaw, N.C.:
do you see children with ADHD grow out of this condition? Are there any new medications that focus on the impulsivity that accompanies this condition? What effects does adolesence have on ADHD?
Dr. Richard Restak: First of all, you don't grow out of ADHD. I'm giong to chair a panel next month on adult ADD. What usually happens is a child will still tend to move into adulthood with some of the elements of the disorder. You can use that particular cognitive organization by choosing certain work over others and help with medication.
It doesn't go away and in adolescence it can lead to rebellion. Many ADHDs use drugs to try to self-medicate. They're of course using the wrong types of drugs.
Annandale, Va.:
Dr. Restak. The series "The Secret Life of the Brain" has been just amazing. As the parent of a four year-old, I'm fascinated by the development of the human brain and the developmental stages I've been witnessing in my own child. I am now so interested in reading your book and delving deeper into the brains development. Thank you!
Dr. Richard Restak: Well thank you for sending that message. It makes me feel it is worthwhile doing this writing. Thank you.
Cumberland, Md.:
What do you think is the most important parents of teenagers should know concerning how brain development during adolescence affects behavior?
Dr. Richard Restak: Mostly that there are problems with managing impulses with impatience, foreseeing consequences, foreseeing what resolves from doing certain actions. That's the big thing. This immaturity in terms of self-management, if you will.
Round Hill, Va.:
I recently read a study about two twins in their mid-eighties. The one twin loved reading all of her life and read into old age. The other twin barely picked up a book. The non-reading twin developed alzheimers, while the mind of the reading twin remains sharp. Have you seen a corralation between keeping the mind active and stopping the progression of alzheimers?
Dr. Richard Restak: Well, alzheimer's is a disease and reading and keeping the mind sharp makes you less likely to get it. What you say is what you'd expect. Just keep reading and an interest in things decreases the chance. But once it starts, by definition they're not interest in intellectual curiosity, so you're not going to be able to turn it back.
Washington, D.C.:
To what extent will the brain recover from damage caused by moderate to heavy alcohol consumption over a 20 year period?
Dr. Richard Restak: It depends on what the diet is, the rest of the person's general health practices, if their eating properly, exercising and checking into liver functions. The real damage comes from the calories and people who drink heavily don't eat and don't get vitamins.
It's fine in moderation as we know from recent studies into wine. But heavy drinking is not good for the brain.
Alexandria, Va.:
Do you place any stock in introducing babies to classical music, art museums, etc...?
Dr. Richard Restak: Of couse the problem is you can't ask them and you don't know for sure what's going on. No one's proven children will be smarter by being exposed to these things earlier. Maybe it's just the kids who were smart to begin with who were interested.
The other thing to remember is brains mature at different rates. Teachers and parents recognize this. One that matures later can be smarter than one who showed early promise.
Worcester, Mass.:
What is it, specifically, that CAUSES the brain to change, manifest thought, learn, etc.?
Dr. Richard Restak: Well, the actual basis is the brain neurons form circuits, so they are the embodiment of thoughts. That's how you learn. The more you learn, more circuits. They communicate with others. That's the physical basis.
New York, N.Y.:
Dr Restack,
What is your opinion on the wave of prescribed drug usage over the past 10 years or so. (Especially involving depression). Where do you think the line should be between prescribing drugs and talk therepy. It seems we are becoming more and more a pill popping society. Also, where do you think this will take us into the future?
Thank you.
Dr. Richard Restak: That's a good question. Certain depressions when they become serious enough have an impact on the body in terms of weight loss, sleep loss. At that point they almost always need medication. They're chemical and need chemical approaches.
Less serious ones respond to therapy. That can be helpful.
I think the future though is going to be the use of additional chemicals to modify parts of cognition. People are going to demand drugs that will enhance their brain performance.
Mt Sinai, N.Y.:
Do You think the brain evolved to protect the body or did the body evolve to protect the brain?
Dr. Richard Restak: Of course the brain can't be separated out from the body. It's one of the organs of the body. All of which are important. You can only do without your spleen. Not liver, heart, lungs, brain. So the idea of a brain sitting inside a body like a watch sits inside a jewel box is incorrect. It is a part of the body.
So if someone gets cirrhosis of the liver, the build-up of toxins in the blood affects the brain. So we have to remember the brain is part of the grand orchestra composed of the orchestra of the body.
McLean, Va.:
Dr. Restak,
After watching "The Secret Life of The Brain," I found it interesting how baby learns different languages quickly. To my understanding, the baby whose parents speak Spanish use different part of her brain to "process" English words and Spanish words. This leads to the next question: I am planning to raise my children in multi language environment. English is our (my husband and I) second language. For the first time, we understand how important it is for the kids to introduce our native language (Chinese for me, and French for my husband) since they were babies. We have found many international babies who could understand their parents native languages but have problems on speaking them. Do you suggest on the most effective method? We're planning to talk to them in both languages and let them learn English from interactions with other people at school, daycare, etc. I really appreciate your insights.
Dr. Richard Restak: That's a good guess. The real question is do you and your husband understand French and Chinese well enough to communicate back and forth in it. The child can learn what it is exposed to. The usual situation is where parents just are bilingual in one language.
One option is where parents one evening at dinner speak one language, next night the other. In this situation, I'm not sure how that would work. If she or he speaks Chinese and the other person is skilled enough in it, its really a monologue. I have friends who the mother is Russian and speaks good English and the father speaks no Russian. The mother speaks to the child often in Russian. Whenever a Russian speaking man would speak to the child, it would get fretful because it was used to hearing it from a woman.
The brain is constantly trying to formulate rules. Hence, it saw women as speaking Russian. So it had to formulate a new rule.
Yes, proceed. The one caveat is to make sure the person who is going to speak these languages be the one for whom it is a natural first language for pronounciation, etc. If you learn it later in life, you're past the age of optimum learning of a language.
Wichita Falls, Tex.:
Is the memorizing of poetry and other writing a useful stimulant to the brain?
Dr. Richard Restak: Definitely. We have kind of a disuse atrophy in use of memorization. When I went to school it was considered worthwhile, then it was seen as parroting and denigrating. Now we realize it powers the brain, the muscles of thought processing.
Philadelphia, Pa.:
Do recent findings in brain research inform the literature regarding gender identity/dysphoria?
Dr. Richard Restak: Nothing that would have the strength of genetic findings. There are some small differences in the brains of men and women. There were some reports of changes in the brains of homosexuals. But there's been difficulty confirming that work and we don't have any reason to believe gender identity is brain based. It is interesting, though.
London, England:
Hi Dr. Restak
In evolutionary terms, how old is the 'modern brain'? Is it still evolving and we will get smarter -- or have we reached a plateau and this is as good as it gets?
Dr. Richard Restak: That's a good question. About 100,000 years is the figure we get for being able to see dramatic changes. Interestingly, the brain has gotten smaller. Of course we presume we're smarter now. We are more verbal and use language and do that with a smaller brain.
The brain is still evolving, but the mechanisms of making it evolve are now culture rather than environmental. So increased literacy, technology -- these are the things driving the brain's evolution right now -- for good and bad.
Dr. Richard Restak: It's been a pleasure to take the questions. I'm very impressed with the quality of questions. Very thought provoking.
I'll be at Politics and Prose this evening at 7 p.m. taking questions and speaking, if anyone wants to come down.
I appreciate the opportunity to tell you about "The Secret Life of the Brain."
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