858: Studying New Cellular Mechanisms of Memory Involving Myelin - Dr. Douglas Fields

About this episode

Dr. R. Douglas Fields discusses new cellular mechanisms of memory and brain plasticity.

Dr. R. Douglas Fields is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Adjunct Professor in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, Doug is the author of numerous books and magazine articles about the brain, including the recently released book Electric Brain: How the New Science of Brainwaves Reads Minds, Tells Us How We Learn, and Helps Us Change for the Better. Doug studies how the brain develops and the mechanisms involved in changes to the brain's structure and function (plasticity). He is particularly interested in how experience regulates development and plasticity in the brain, as well as the mechanisms at a cellular level that are involved in learning. When he's not doing research or writing about science, Doug enjoys rock climbing, mountain climbing, building acoustic guitars, and making his own beer and wine. He received his B.A. in biology from the University of California, Berkeley, his M.A. degree in marine biology from San Jose State University, and his Ph.D. degree in marine biology from the University of California, San Diego, working…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Marie McNeely

Guest: Dr. R. Douglas Fields

Topics covered

• cellular mechanisms
• memory
• brain development
• plasticity
• learning
• neuroscience

Keywords

• memory
• myelin
• neuroscience
• brain development
• plasticity
• learning mechanisms
• Dr. Douglas Fields

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Institutes of Health, University of Maryland, University of California, Berkeley, San Jose State University, University of California, San Diego, Stanford University, Yale University

Books & works: Electric Brain: How the New Science of Brainwaves Reads Minds, Tells Us How We Learn, and Helps Us Change for the Better

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