Most people assume becoming a parent is an emotional change, but a measurable part of it is hormonal, and it happens in fathers too. I sat down with Aldrich Chan, Psy.D., to talk about what changes in the brain, why the split we draw between mind and body does not hold up, and what decides whether stress reads as manageable or overwhelming when the hormones are identical either way.
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⏰Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: what a neuropsychologist measures
03:25 - Mild cognitive impairment and proactive interference
04:52 - The SAD theory: separation, alienation, discord
06:30 - The default mode network and 46.9% mind wandering
08:56 - Reframing ADHD as an evolutionary advantage
18:21 - Evolutionary mismatch and hunter-gatherer comparisons
21:03 - Neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and the 24-hour timeline
24:29 - Mind-body dualism and the gut-brain connection
31:31 - What fatherhood does to the brain and testosterone
36:47 - Choice overload and the four-bit working memory limit
39:54 - Temporal discounting and building immediate feedback
43:23 - Vital signals and how to identify a core value
49:49 - Intuition, somatic markers, and the vmPFC
55:00 - The 20-watt brain versus a 10-gigawatt supercomputer
01:02:58 - Only 35% of the brain is built at birth
01:06:13 - Creativity, nothingness, and the fear of uncertainty
01:16:31 - Process, flow states, and the jazz pianist studies
01:22:53 - Mirror neurons, group selection, and the rat experiments
01:34:20 - Eustress and the line between moderate and major stress
01:44:39 - Alloparenting and what the Hadza numbers show
‼️Disclaimer: The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.
This episode includes paid sponsorships.
