Difference between dopamine and serotonin in anxiety/depression
What’s the difference between depression associated with low serotonin as opposed to the depression/psychological pain associated with low dopamine? Why has the focus of treatment for depression been largely on the serotonin system with SSRIs and not more focused on dopamine? Are there multiple forms of depression associated with different neurotransmitters? Are SSRIs even targeting the correct pathways or do they relieve depression indirectly by also influencing dopamine?
Vasovagal syncope
Hi Alex, sometimes in long wim hof method breathing sessions, some people go into what looks like a vaso vagal syncope. Eyes open, no body is home, generally accompanied by tetany and signs of hypoxia. yeah sounds great I know 😂. Could you please explain what is happening on a physiological level, why the body shuts down like this, and why this happens to some people and not others. thanks!! love the podcast.
Definition of "low solar angle"; importance of facing directly East and seeing the horizon for morning sun exposure
For the past two years, thanks to your advice on the Huberman Lab podcast, I have walked outside every morning (even in light rain or mist and in temperatures as low as 12 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 to 30 minutes within a half-hour of waking which is generally within a half hour of sunrise. During the past two winters, I've experienced none of the slightly depressed mood caused by SAD that has gently plagued me as an adult. Yeah! To continue to optimize morning sunlight exposure, can you provide a bit more detail about 1) the importance of facing east when exposing oneself to morning light; 2) the importance of seeing the sun on the horizon; and 3) your definition of "low solar angle"? I ask these questions because I live in a densely-built neighborhood in which I can see the sky, but rarely the horizon. In addition, although I walk towards the east for the first part of my walk, on my return home I am walking west away from the sun. Finally, I often rush to get outdoors when my light meter registers a solar angle of fewer than 15 degrees. How much less beneficial is morning light for setting circadian rhythm when the solar angle is in the 15 to 30-degree range instead of zero to 15 degrees? Or am I overthinking all of this?!
Protocols that YOU use when researching topics
Andrew, can you please share some of the best practices that you use when researching topics for your laboratory projects or podcasts? I often struggle with identifying credible information when reviewing the literature. This is especially true when researching topics that are new to me. You have a keen sense of sorting through a lot of information and reaching a solid conclusion based on your analysis of data.
Cooling of so-called glabrous skin
In the podcast episode Supercharge Exercise Performance & Recovery with Cooling I heard for the first time of the effects of cooling of the glaborous skin. My question is if cooling these parts of the body would create the same positive effects as a cold plunge or cold shower?