Enhance Your Learning Speed & Health Using Neuroscience Based Protocols | Dr. Poppy Crum

Overview

This episode explores the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and human performance with Dr. Poppy Crum. Topics include neuroplasticity, the impact of technology on our brains, the concept of digital twins, and how AI can enhance learning, health, and daily life. Dr. Crum also shares practical tools for leveraging technology to optimize cognitive and physical performance.

Notable Quotes

- Every time we engage with a technology, it's going to shape our brain. — Dr. Poppy Crum, on the neuroplastic impact of technology.

- Neuroplasticity is always in reach—if the incentives are high enough, we can do it. — Andrew Huberman, on the adaptability of the human brain.

- AI can see through our cognitive blind spots and help us optimize for things we don’t even know we need. — Dr. Poppy Crum, on the potential of AI in personalizing human performance.

🧠 Neuroplasticity & Technology

- Dr. Crum explains that our brains are far more adaptable than we realize, with neuroplasticity influenced by both active engagement and environmental factors.

- Technologies like video games and AI can accelerate neuroplasticity by creating closed-loop environments that provide real-time feedback for skill development.

- The homunculus, a brain map of sensory and motor areas, evolves with our habits—e.g., texting has reshaped how our brains allocate resources to our thumbs.

📱 Smartphones, Communication & Cognitive Load

- Smartphones have fundamentally altered how we communicate, combining writing, hearing, and emotional processing in new ways.

- Acronyms and shorthand in texting act as lossy compression, conveying rich meaning with minimal data, akin to MP3 audio compression.

- Dr. Crum warns that while technology can enhance efficiency, over-reliance on tools like AI for tasks (e.g., writing) can diminish germane cognitive load—the mental effort required for deep learning.

🎮 Video Games & Performance Training

- Video games like Call of Duty improve contrast sensitivity and probabilistic decision-making, with effects persisting long after gameplay.

- Dr. Crum teaches students to design tech tools that enhance specific neural circuits, such as auditory feedback systems for athletes to refine movement precision.

- Real-world applications include using AI to analyze swimming strokes or running gait, democratizing elite-level training tools for broader use.

🤖 Digital Twins & AI in Daily Life

- Digital twins are data-driven models of physical systems (e.g., your body, home, or even a fish tank) that provide actionable insights.

- Examples include AI tools that optimize home environments for focus or sleep, or predict health issues like diabetes through voice analysis.

- AI can help identify blind spots in our behavior, such as environmental factors disrupting focus, and suggest personalized adjustments.

🕸️ Nature-Inspired Insights: Moths, Bats & Spiders

- Moths evade echolocating bats through deterministic behaviors like erratic flight patterns and sound deflection—a testament to evolutionary neuroplasticity.

- Orb-weaving spiders tune their webs to resonate at specific frequencies, enabling them to detect threats or prey.

- Dr. Crum uses these examples to highlight how sensory systems adapt to environmental demands, drawing parallels to human technology use.