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Short Summary: The complexities of neurodegenerative disease, particularly Alzheimer's, environmental influences like glyphosate, and the crucial role of nutrients like choline, with actionable insights into brain health management.

About the guest: Dr. Ramon Valazquez is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, leading a research lab at the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center. His work focuses on environmental factors related to Alzheimer's and other dementias, alongside developing therapeutic strategies.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and to everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere. Full transcript and other information on Substack.

Episode Summary: Dr. Ramon Velazquez explores neurodegenerative disease, with a deep dive into Alzheimer's, its pathophysiology including amyloid beta plaques and tau pathology. It examines the controversy around these proteins' roles in disease progression, the influence of environmental toxins like glyphosate on brain health, and the preventive potential of nutritional interventions, particularly choline.

Key Takeaways:

• Neurodegenerative Disease Basics: Alzheimer's disease involves both amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles, with tau pathology more closely linked to clinical symptoms.
• Environmental Impact: Glyphosate, a common herbicide, can cross into the brain, potentially exacerbating neurodegenerative pathways through inflammation.
• Choline: Essential for brain function and fat metabolism, it’s often deficient in diets, particularly plant-based ones. Adequate intake might prevent or mitigate cognitive decline and related diseases.
• Preventive Measures: Early nutritional intervention, like maintaining choline levels, could be vital for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. However, once symptoms are present, such interventions might not reverse existing pathology.

Related episode:

• M&M #145: Epigenetics, Hormones

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Short Summary: The science of glycosylation, its impact on health, and potential treatments for congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs).

About the guest: Dr. Eva Morava is a pediatric geneticist originally from Hungary, who has specialized in inborn errors of metabolism, particularly CDGs. She has a background in pediatrics and genetics from training in Hungary and the U.S. and is director of the Inherited Metabolic Disorders Section at GGS.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and to everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

Episode Summary: Dr. Eva Morava discusses the critical role of glycosylation in biology, where sugars are not just used for energy but in modifying proteins to perform their functions. She explains how defects in this process lead to CDGs, a group of rare genetic disorders. The conversation covers the mechanics of glycosylation, clinical presentations of CDGs, current research on treatments including dietary interventions and gene therapy, and the broader implications of glycosylation in health, such as in liver disease and cancer.

Key Takeaways:

• Glycosylation Basics: Sugars are attached to proteins (glycosylation) to modify their structure and function, influencing everything from clotting to immune response.
• CDGs: These disorders are caused by genetic defects in the glycosylation process, leading to a wide array of symptoms because many proteins require glycosylation to function correctly.
• Clinical Variability: CDGs can range from severe, multi-systemic presentations to relatively mild cases, affecting life expectancy and quality of life variably.
• Therapeutic Approaches: Current research includes drug repurposing for enzyme activity enhancement, dietary interventions with special sugars like mannose, and gene therapy, with some trials underway.
• Liver Connection: A significant portion of glycosylation occurs in the liver; thus, liver diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can impact glycosylation.

*Not medical advice.

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Short Summary: How human culture and psychology have evolved, particularly exploring the unique psychological traits of "WEIRD" (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) societies, providing insights into why our minds and societies are the way they are today.

About the Guest: Joe Henrich, PhD is a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. His research focuses on applying evolutionary theory to understand the human mind and culture, particularly how cultural evolution has led to the emergence of WEIRD psychology.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and to everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

Key Takeaways:

• WEIRD Psychology: WEIRD stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic, highlighting unique psychological traits like individualism and analytic thinking which are not universal but specific to Western societies.
• Marriage & Kinship: The Western Church's marriage policies, promoting monogamy and the nuclear family, contributed to the dissolution of extended kinship networks, fostering individualism in Western societies.
• Institutional Influence: Institutions in WEIRD societies, like universities and legal systems, focus on individual rights and mental states, contrasting with other cultures emphasizing group or kin loyalty.
• Modern Challenges: Henrich touches on current issues like the impact of dating apps on mating markets, potentially leading to social instability due to increased male-female inequality in mating success.
• Future of Religion and Culture: The conversation speculates on the future evolution of religion and cultural practices, suggesting that religions fostering high fertility and communal support might gain prominence.

Related episode:

• M&M #129: Biological Sex, Sexual Selection, Sex Behavior, Mating Strategies, Sexual Orientation, Monogamy & Polygyny | David Puts

*Not medical advice.

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Short Summary: Deep dive into systems biology and personalized medicine, exploring how technology and data can revolutionize health care, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the future of medicine.

About the Guest: Dr. Lee Hood is a pioneering scientist with a 60-year career in biology, notably at Caltech and the University of Washington. He co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology and has significantly contributed to molecular immunology and the Human Genome Project, holding a PhD in biology.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and to everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

Key Takeaways:

• Systems Biology: Understanding complex biological systems by analyzing how individual components interact.
• Data-Driven Health: Use of genomic and phenomic data can lead to personalized health strategies, enhancing wellness and preventing chronic diseases before they manifest.
• AI in Medicine: AI can augment human capabilities in medicine, acting as a vast knowledge base to assist physicians in diagnosis and treatment, potentially leading to a partnership model between AI and human doctors.
• Chronic Disease: Much of the chronic disease burden could potentially be mitigated through lifestyle changes rather than solely through pharmaceutical interventions.
• Future Drug Development: The traditional focus on single-target drugs might shift towards multi-modal strategies, recognizing diseases like Alzheimer's might be a metabolic disorder.
• Peptides and New Therapies: Small peptide drugs are emerging as potential new treatments due to their ability to interact with a range of biological molecules, offering new possibilities beyond traditional small molecule drugs.
• Environmental Impact on Health: While personal behavior significantly influences health outcomes, environmental factors like exposure to toxins can also play critical roles in disease development.

Related episodes:

• M&M #204

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Short Summary: Deep dive into preventive medicine, personalized nutrition, and systems biology, providing listeners with actionable insights on optimizing health through diet & microbiome management.

About the guest: Momo Vuyisich is a biologist with a background in government science, focusing on drug development before shifting to preventive medicine. He holds a PhD in biochemistry and is currently Chief Science Officer of Viome, a startup company dedicated to personalized health through microbiome analysis.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and for free on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

Episode Summary: Dr. Vuyisich discusses the transformative potential of preventive medicine by drawing parallels between human health and systems biology, particularly through the lens of the gut microbiome. He explains how Viome uses comprehensive testing (stool, blood, saliva), providing personalized dietary and supplement recommendations based on individual physiological data. Covers the complexity of diseases like IBD, the impact of modern lifestyle on our microbiome, and more.

Key Takeaways:

• Disconnection from Nature: Modern lifestyles have disrupted our symbiotic relationship with nature, leading to microbiome degradation through factors like antibiotics, preservatives, and hygiene practices.
• Personalized Nutrition: Viome's approach involves tailoring food recommendations & supplements to an individual's unique microbiome and physiological needs, highlighting that food impacts can vary greatly between individuals.
• Testing for Prevention: Regular testing with tools like Viome's full body intelligence test can help in making informed dietary changes to prevent diseases before they manifest.
• Lifestyle Over Medication: Many chronic conditions can potentially be managed or prevented through lifestyle adjustments rather than lifelong medication, emphasizing the need for a preventive rather than reactive strategy.

Related episodes:

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Short Summary: A deep dive into the enigmatic world of sleep, exploring its biological functions, evolutionary origins, and diverse manifestations across different species.

About the Guest: Nicola Segata, PhD is a professor at the University of Trento in Italy.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

Episode Summary: Dr. Segata explains metagenomics, the study of genetic material from multiple species, and how it has revolutionized microbiome research; microbiome transmission from mother to child; stability and plasticity of the microbiome throughout life stages; obesity and cancer; influence of diet, lifestyle, and medications like antibiotics on microbiome composition.

Key Takeaways:

• Microbiome Variability: The human microbiome varies significantly between individuals and is influenced by genetics, environment, diet, and lifestyle. Thus, personalized approaches to microbiome health may be necessary.
• Transmission and Acquisition: Microbes are transmitted vertically from mother to child at birth and horizontally through personal interactions. This transmission can influence health outcomes over one's lifetime.
• Impact of Diet and Drugs: Diet, particularly coffee consumption, can significantly shape the microbiome, with some bacteria growing in response to specific dietary components. Medications like antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors can also markedly alter microbial communities.
• Health Implications: The microbiome is linked to various health conditions, from metabolic diseases to cancer, with some treatments like fecal microbiota transplantation showing promise in altering microbiome composition for health benefits.
• Ancient vs. Modern Microbiomes: Studies on ancient microbiomes, like the Iceman's, suggest that modern urban microbiomes differ from those of our ancestors, potentially impacting modern health issues.

Related episodes:

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Short Summary: A deep dive into the enigmatic world of sleep, exploring its biological functions, evolutionary origins, and the diverse manifestations across different species.

Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

About the Guest: Vlad Vyazovskiy, PhD is a Professor of Sleep Physiology at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics at Oxford University.

Key Takeaways:

• Sleep as a Mystery: Despite extensive research, the fundamental reason why animals sleep remains elusive, with no comprehensive theory yet agreed upon.
• Local Sleep Phenomenon: Sleep might not be a whole-brain event; even within a sleeping brain, different areas can be in different states of activity or rest.
• Sleep in Animals: Sleep varies widely among species, from micro-sleeps in penguins to unihemispheric sleep in dolphins, suggesting sleep could serve multiple, context-dependent functions.
• Synaptic Homeostasis: The hypothesis suggests that sleep could be crucial for renormalizing synaptic connections formed during wakefulness, although this idea is still under scrutiny.
• Hibernation & Torpor: These states relate to sleep but involve significant metabolic changes, possibly acting as survival mechanisms by conserving energy and reducing detectability by predators.
• Psychedelics & Sleep: Research shows psychedelics like 5-MeO-DMT can induce states where animals show signs of sleep in their brain activity while physically active, hinting at complex interactions between brain states and consciousness.

Related episodes:

• M&M #43: Sleep, Dreaming, Deep Neural Networks, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, Overfitted Brain Hypothesis, Evolution of Fiction & Art | Erik Hoel
• M&M #16: Sleep, Dreams, Memory & the Brain | Bob Stickgold

*Not medica

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Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere.

About the Guest: Alex Wiltschko holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard, focusing on olfaction. He transitioned from academic research to AI at Google before founding Osmo, where he applies his expertise in digitizing scents. He aims to innovate in areas like fragrance design and health applications.

Episode Summary: Dr. Wiltschko explores the science of smell, discussing the divide between aroma and olfaction studies and how biological metabolism influences scent. He explains how only a tiny fraction of molecules emitted by strawberries are responsible for their smell, illustrating the precision of olfactory perception. The conversation also covers how Osmo is working to digitize scent, creating technology for safer, custom fragrances and potential future applications like non-invasive disease detection through scent.

Key Takeaways:

• Aroma vs. Olfaction: There's a significant distinction in how the chemistry of scent creation (aroma) and brain processing of scents (olfaction) are studied, with little crossover between these fields.
• Biological Metabolism and Scent: Scent molecules are often byproducts of biological processes, with a complex relationship to nutrition and survival cues.
• Digitizing Scent: Osmo is pioneering the use of AI to digitize and manipulate scents, potentially revolutionizing fragrance design and detection technologies.
• Fragrance Innovation: The company focuses on creating unique, safe, and affordable fragrances for smaller brands, leveraging AI for quick design and production.

Related episodes:

• M&M #114: Marijuana, Plant Chemistry, Terpenes, Volatile Sulfur Compounds, Cannabis Industry, What Pungent Weed Smells Like & Why | Iain Oswald
• M&M #22: Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Animal Beh

Support the show

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