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THRIVING MINDS PODCASTAuthor: Professor Selena Bartlett, Neuroscientist, Brain Health is Everyone's Business
Do you want to learn how to build resilience, boost your cognitive performance, and achieve mental agility? Then it's time to discover the exciting world of brain health and fitness with Thriving Minds. Hosted by renowned neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett, Thriving Minds is a podcast dedicated to exploring the latest advances in brain science education. With decades of experience studying addiction, stress, and mental health, Professor Bartlett is a true expert in her field. And she's on a mission to empower people to take control of their mental and physical well-being. So what makes Thriving Minds so unique? It's not just about theory it's about practical tips and simple tools that you can use to improve your brain health and fitness right now. From understanding how stress wires the brain, the power of cold exposure, nutrition and exercise and connection. Thriving Minds is also a deep dive into cutting-edge brain science and digital technology. From neuroplasticity to brain imaging, Professor Bartlett and her team are at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. They're exploring the latest research and innovations and sharing their insights with listeners around the world.And the best part? Let's make brain health everyone's business. They're inspiring people to take action and create a culture of mental fitness, where people prioritise their brain health as much as their physical health. Tune in to the podcast and discover the secrets of brain health and fitness. Whether you're looking to boost your cognitive performance, reduce stress, or improve your overall well-being, Selena and her team are here to help you thrive. The opinions expressed in the podcast are Selena Bartlett's personal opinion and her guests. They are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, psychology or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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#197: Stress in Sight: Why the Eye Is a Window Into the Brain—and Why It Could Transform How We Treat People, UC Berkeley talk.
Tuesday, 27 May, 2025
When we visit the doctor, we routinely measure blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, weight, and heart rate. For years, we’ve known that early life experiences—especially stress and adversity—leave long-lasting marks on the nervous system. But we rarely stop to ask: How can we see those marks?That’s where the eye comes in. Why the Eye Reveals the BrainThe corneal nerve plexus is a dense network of sensory nerves at the front of the eye. It’s part of the peripheral nervous system, which connects directly to the brain.Emerging research shows that these corneal nerves reflect the state of the broader nervous system, including:Stress loadInflammatory markersNeurodegenerative changesIn other words: When we look at the eye, we’re not just seeing vision structures—we’re seeing a living map of how the brain and body have been shaped over time. I had the fortunate opportunity to do study leave at UC Berkeley in the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, a research project with Drs Katie Edwards and Luisa Holguin Colorado and Kerri Gillepie at QUT and Dr Suzanne Fleiszig and Dr David Evans at UC Berkeley.Why Isn’t Nervous System Analysis Routine?Here’s the bigger question.When we visit the doctor, we routinely measure blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, weight, and heart rate. But the nervous system—the control center of our entire body—is rarely assessed in standard care.Why?We know that chronic stress increases risk for mental illness, metabolic disease, cardiovascular conditions, and cognitive decline. We know that early life stress reshapes neural pathways and immune responses. Yet we lack accessible, affordable, and scalable tools to routinely check the health of the nervous system.That’s what makes the eye so exciting. It offers a non-invasive, real-time window into nervous system health—and a chance to shift medicine toward prevention and early detection, rather than just reacting to crisis.In this episode we discuss:How the eye reveals hidden stressWhat we’re learning about the links between early life adversity and neural healthWhy public engagement is critical as we develop these new toolsThis is a conversation not just for scientists, but for everyone who cares about mental health, brain health, and the future of healthcare. I’d love to hear what excites or concerns you about this emerging field. When we truly see how early life shapes the brain, we can no longer treat people as just symptoms or diagnoses.It opens a new kind of care: Asking what happened to you? not just what’s wrong? Making nervous system health part of routine care Prioritising prevention, resilience, and healingBy measuring the hidden imprints of experience, we can design treatments that help rewire the brain, not just manage symptoms.This isn’t just science. It’s a transformation in how we care for people.Let’s build that future, together. Support the showSubscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/newLearn more at www.profselenabartlett.com
