The Science of Emotions & Relationships

Andrew Huberman, a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, welcomes listeners to the Huberman Lab Podcast. He emphasizes the podcast's aim to provide free, science-based information to the public. He thanks the sponsors, including InsideTracker, a personalized nutrition platform; ExpressVPN, a virtual private network for secure internet activity; and Magic Spoon, a keto-friendly cereal. Andrew shares his personal experiences with these products and offers discount codes for listeners.

The podcast delves into the science of emotions, discussing the importance of understanding emotional development from infancy to adulthood. Andrew announces new resources, such as captioned episodes in English and Spanish, and a new non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) script. He explores the complexity of emotions, comparing them to the perception of color, and discusses the role of emotions in forming bonds and making predictions about the world. The discussion also touches on the work of various psychologists and neuroscientists who have contributed to the understanding of emotions.

Andrew explains the process of emotional development in infants, focusing on the interplay between interoception (internal feelings) and exteroception (external stimuli). He describes how infants communicate their needs through anxiety and agitation, which caregivers respond to, thus beginning the child's emotional development. The importance of a caregiver's response in shaping a child's emotional experience is highlighted, along with the potential consequences of neglect.

Introducing the Mood Meter app, developed by researchers at Yale, Andrew discusses how the app can help individuals understand and predict their emotional states throughout the day. The app asks users to rate their current emotional state and activities, providing a nuanced understanding of emotions beyond basic labels like 'happy' or 'sad.' Andrew emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's internal state and how external events can impact it.

Continuing the discussion on emotional development, Andrew talks about how the balance between interoception and exteroception continues to evolve from infancy into adulthood. He explores how individuals learn to predict the reliability of external factors in meeting their internal needs, touching on the concepts of secure and insecure attachments. Andrew also mentions the 'strange situation task' experiments by Bowlby and Ainsworth, which identified different attachment styles in infants.

Andrew transitions into the biological aspects of emotional development, focusing on puberty. He explains that puberty is triggered by hormonal changes, including the role of leptin and kisspeptin. These hormones initiate the development of secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive maturity. Andrew also discusses the social and emotional changes that occur during puberty, emphasizing the shift from a generalist to a specialist mindset and the formation of social bonds.

Highlighting the research from a review article in the journal Nature, Andrew discusses the neural changes during puberty and adolescence. He explains that during this period, there is increased connectivity between brain areas related to emotions, reward, and decision-making. This leads to a heightened period of behavioral testing and exploration, as adolescents learn to navigate their new emotional and physical capabilities.

Dispelling common myths about right and left brain functions, Andrew clarifies that while language is predominantly a left-brain function, the right brain is involved in spatial and visual tasks, and to some extent, the prosody of language. He also discusses the work of Allan Schore, who proposes that emotional development involves a balance between dopaminergic and serotonergic states, influencing how infants and children form bonds.

Andrew discusses the roles of oxytocin and vasopressin in social bonding and emotionality. Oxytocin, released in response to various social and physical interactions, is linked to pair bonding and empathy. Vasopressin, known for its role in water retention, also influences social behavior and has been associated with monogamous behavior in prairie voles and potentially in humans. Andrew cautions against self-administration of these hormones without professional guidance.

Contrary to popular belief, Andrew explains that stimulating the vagus nerve does not universally induce calmness. Instead, it increases alertness and dopamine release. He cites research showing that vagus nerve stimulation can lead to significant emotional changes, such as lifting depression. Andrew emphasizes the importance of understanding the vagus nerve's role in the brain-body connection and emotional regulation.

Andrew concludes by emphasizing the importance of conceptualizing emotions as multifaceted, involving the brain and body's interaction with the external world and internal state. He encourages a structured approach to understanding emotions, which can lead to a richer emotional experience. He also mentions the upcoming discussion on psychedelic therapies and their impact on emotionality, promising a deep dive into the subject with an expert guest.

Andrew thanks listeners for their support and outlines ways to support the podcast, including subscribing on YouTube and Apple, leaving reviews, sharing with others, and supporting through Patreon. He also mentions the partnership with Thorne, a supplement company, and provides a discount code for listeners to use.