Brain Myths Exploded

Lessons from Neuroscience

By: The Great Courses, Indre Viskontas

Narrated by: Indre Viskontas

Much of the layperson's knowledge of the brain is predicated on a lack of understanding about this mysterious organ. To start building a more straightforward, accurate understanding of current breakthroughs in neuroscience, you have to start by shattering popular brain myths.

Each of these 24 lectures takes as its focus a single powerful, prevalent brain myth, and uses it as a launch pad from which to explore myriad topics in neuroscience: decision making, memory, dreams, emotions, neuroplasticity, consciousness, mental illness, and much more.

Our memory is an accurate, objective record of the past. Our senses reflect the world as it really exists. Our dreams have hidden meanings. We are only using 10% of our total brain power. Modern technology (including social media) is making us less intelligent. Dr. Viskontas doesn't just settle for obliterating these and other myths. Instead, she replaces them with scientific facts gathered from experiments, research, and case studies. The result is an eye-opening adventure into the latest understanding of why the brain works the way it does.

Whatever order you enjoy these lectures in, you'll be left with insights that will help you better determine the hard scientific truths behind the breaking news (and myths) of tomorrow.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2017 The Great Courses

I like it

I followed right along with the narrator. Also, the points of how not all subjects are the same. I'm intrigued by the way our bodies work. I would recommend this.

Excellent material and narration

This course does a great job of staying interesting and informative without relying on citing studies that everyone is tired of hearing about in popular science, with a few exceptions where they are examined critically (to my great enjoyment).

Indre is a great narrator and I enjoyed listening

great content

i really liked the content. some chapters were more interesting than others, due to technical language. it got a little hard to understand at parts (due to fact I'm not in neuro program), but I'm sure I'll take another shot at it at some point

Fascinating, engaging

I’m a lecture junkie, will listen to almost any of the Great Courses. This is one of my favorites. Indra Viskontas,, neuroscientist and opera singer (yes, really!) , separates truth from fake news (no, technology isn’t making us dumber) with professional knowledge and charming personality.

great book

loved it very informative I have listened to this book twice and still learning new things