The Lab DoctoRs

We would like to share some important news: The Lab DoctoRs podcast is taking a break. We have deeply cherished creating and sharing content, and truly appreciate your unwavering support. We do not have concrete plans for our return yet, but you can stay connected on socials or via email for updates. Take care, stay curious, and keep learning! TLDR: Thank you for your support! Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Is kombucha just another health fad, or should we all be drinking this beverage that was historically dubbed the "Tea of Immortality"? Listen along as we discuss the origins of kombucha and the science behind how this drink gets its fizziness and flavor (spoiler: it's fermentation!). Moreover, does it truly improve your health, and what should you watch out for? TLDR: Kombucha is often lauded for its health benefits because it contains tea and probiotics, however there is limited human studies on the direct effect of kombucha. Links: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-kombucha-tea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxARRckS9dA https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-kombuchas-health-benefits-and-how-much-can-you-safely-drink/ Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Tired of the constant FOMO? It may be time to ditch that fear embrace JOMO, or the joy of missing out. In this week’s episode, we discuss whether JOMO is linked to certain factors like social media use, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and even personality types. Discover how disconnecting can be the solution, and learn practical ways to cultivate this joy in your day-to-day life.  TLDR: JOMO, or the joy of missing out, does not imply a steady state, rather it represents the enjoyment found in momentary periods of disconnecting from others or societal demands. Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230320102038.htm https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772503023000142 https://theconversation.com/how-to-ditch-fomo-and-foster-jomo-the-joy-of-missing-out-200400 https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/happiness-is-state-mind/201807/jomo-the-joy-missing-out Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Why do some people love exercise whilst others absolutely dread physical activity? A recent study from Johns Hopkins Medicine explored the influence of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, on perceived physical effort and motivation to complete future tasks in Parkinson’s patients. Join us as we tease out how brain chemistry may impact our affinity for exercise and the implications of these findings. TLDR: Dopamine levels can affect how much effort you feel that you are putting into your workouts, and may influence your willingness to push yourself. Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230412131051.htm https://www.nature.com/articles/s41531-023-00490-4 Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

When someone says “Picture this,” can you actually visualize the scene in your mind, or did you think that phrase was a metaphor? If you answered the latter, you may have aphantasia, a condition characterized by the inability to conjure mental images. This week, we explore everything on the spectrum from aphantasia to hyperphantasia and its impact on certain cognitive functions and personality traits. TLDR: Aphantasia describes the inability to visualise images in one’s mind, but this does not necessarily limit one’s imagination, creativity, or overall cognitive abilities   Links: https://theconversation.com/aphantasia-explained-some-people-cant-form-mental-pictures-162445 https://psyche.co/ideas/when-the-mind-is-dark-making-art-is-a-thrilling-way-to-see https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210609115555.htm Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Did you know that lazy eye, or amblyopia, affects 5% of the population? Whilst it is more common in children, it may persist to adulthood if untreated learning to wandering eyes, poor depth perception, or even eye strain. In this episode, we will explore the causes of amblyopia as well as up-to-date treatment options and how early intervention can make a difference.  TLDR: Lazy eye is typically treatable, especially when caught early through routine eye exams Links: https://www.healthline.com/health/lazy-eye  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2775449 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022-510X(22)00235-0 Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Be honest, how much time do you really spend looking at a screen every day? As technology advances, and especially in a post-pandemic world, screen time is at an all-time high. Join us as we see what the research has to say about how screen time impacts the risk of myopia (or nearsightedness), and tips on how we can protect our eyes TLDR: Experts suggest that screen time increases risk of myopia due to eye strain and prolonged near work, one helpful way to combat this is the 20-20-20 rule (Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds) Links: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/nov/14/eyeballs-screens-vision-nearsightedness-myopia https://reviewofmm.com/what-does-science-say-about-screen-time-and-childhood-myopia/ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(21)00135-7/fulltext Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Deadlines are an inevitable part of most people’s lives, whether you’re in school or at work. But have you ever wondered how these dreaded deadlines impact our stress levels. In this week's episode, we explore a compelling study that delves into the effects of deadlines on researchers' stress levels, specifically their sympathetic load. Tune in to discover the other factors that exacerbate stress indicators. TLDR: Stress levels remained the same with or without deadlines, for which researchers suggest that this may be due to challenging nature of the work or negativity bias. Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230424133310.htm https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3544549.3585585 Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Breath-holding spells in infants and young children may be triggered by anger, frustration, pain, or shock. This phenomenon can be scary for caregivers, especially if the child’s face turns blue or becomes pale. This week, we look into why this happens, signs to look out for, how to prevent or treat it, and when to seek medical attention.  TLDR:  Links: https://fb.watch/jUkKkf-HlI/?mibextid=l2pjGR https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24492453/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325862/ https://www.webmd.com/children/children-breath-holding Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Have you ever wondered about the meanings behind phrases like "cold feet" and "heart swells"? This week, we explore the fascinating research conducted by a team of biomedical engineers who mapped bodily reactions to various emotions. Discover the commonalities between emotions like happiness and love, as well as those linked to sadness and depression.  TLDR: Pattern of bodily sensation, whether increase or decrease in activation in specific areas of the body, in response to common emotions were consistent across cultures. Links: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1321664111 https://greatist.com/connect/emotional-body-maps-infographic https://www.wired.co.uk/article/mapping-body-emotions https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/how-to-release-emotional-baggage-and-the-tension-that-goes-with-it Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Artificial Intelligence, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, has become a hot button topic. This week, we hit pause and ask the question, how does AI impact social interactions? Join us as we share the findings from a recent study on how AI influences conversation speed, the use of positive language, cooperation, and affiliation, as well as people's perceptions of AI-aided communication TLDR: Use of AI led to more efficient and emotionally positive conversations as well as increased cooperation and affiliation, despite overt use of AI being perceived negatively. Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230405112130.htm https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-30938-9 Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Have you wondered why people join cults? In most cases, there are many factors that may make someone susceptible to cults. These inclusde self-factors like emotional vulnerability, high levels of stress, or lack of social support. Furthermore, some cults use manipulation tactics, coercion, or intimidation, all of which can result in serious consequences for the individual and community.  TLDR: Individual susceptibility to cults is influenced by factors such as emotional vulnerability, unmanageable stress, weak social support system, and falling prey to the manipulation tactics of cults Links: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1993.73.2.451 https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-psychology-behind-cults Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Can a new "magic pill" be the solution for managing weight? Researchers at UT Health San Antonio investigated the role of magnesium, and specifically a magnesium transporter on mitochondria called Mrs2, on energy and metabolism. Find out how mice without Mrs2 fared against wildtype mice when fed a normal vs Western (read: high fat) diet, and whether magnesium blockers are the key to weight control.  TLDR: Mice lacking the gene responsible for promoting magnesium transport into mitochondria showed improved metabolism and less weight gain on a high-fat diet, which can now be replicated using a new small-molecule drug. Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230322082730.htm https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(23)00166-3 Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Emotional intelligence, or where you fall on the emotional quotient (EQ), involves the ability to recognize and manage one’s own and others’ emotions. This week we talk about the five key components of emotional intelligence and the factors that can affect development including genetics and childhood experiences. Finally, we present the RULER model for developing emotional intelligence. TLDR: Emotional intelligence has been linked to improved wellbeing and quality of life, and can be developed using the RULER (recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate) model Links: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/low-emotional-intelligence https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/low-emotional-lintelligence https://pg.casel.org/ruler-approach/ https://howwefeel.org/ Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

The premise of HBO's 'The Last of Us' may seem far-fetched, but how implausible is a fungal pandemic? Can fungi make us zombies? Should we be concerned? What role does climate change play in this? Tune in as we answer these questions and give you the lowdown on the latest research on heat-adapted fungi and the current culrpits that we should be wary of. TLDR: Whilst a zombie apocalypse may not be of immediate concern, climate change and rising temperatures could lead to the emergence of pandemic-level, heat-adapted fungi Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230131160543.htm https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2209831120 https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/the-last-of-us-apocalypse-is-not-realistic-but-rising-threat-of-fungal-pathogens-is/ Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Picture this, it’s really late and you have to wake up early tomorrow, but your streaming platform says, “Next episode starts in..” If you’ve succumbed to the autoplay function, you’re not alone! This week we talk about revenge bedtime procrastination: what it is, why it happens and what you can do to prevent it.  TLDR: Revenge bedtime procrastination is caused by the complex interaction of emotional regulation, self-control and chronotype (whether you’re a morning person or night owl)  Links: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/revenge-bedtime-procrastination https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00611/full https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00252/full https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00077/full Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Do you ever feel like the weekend is too short? Would you take a pay cut to work one less day? This week we look at the largest, coordinated 4 day work week trial to date, involving 2,900 employees from various industries. Listen along as we go through the types of 4 day work weeks as well as how this model impacted employee wellbeing and company revenue. TLDR: Moving to a 4 day work week with no loss of pay led to improvements in employee wellbeing and work-life balance and no compromise in company productivity targets.  Links: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230221113132.htm https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/fourdayweek https://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/The-results-are-in-The-UKs-four-day-week-pilot.pdf Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031  Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Do you ever get hangry, or is hunger purely biological for you? This week, we explore the link between hunger and emotion. Several groups have investigated different aspects of this phenomenon, from studying the effect of low blood glucose levels on stress and anxiety in rats, to using experience sampling to understand how hunger affects emotional outcomes in individuals’ everyday lives. TLDR: Low blood glucose has been linked to stress and anxiety in rats, whilst a human study found that self-reported hunger was significantly associated with anger, irritability, and decreased pleasure. Links: https://joinzoe.com/learn/hunger-what-happens-in-body https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180925115218.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220706153034.htm Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031 Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Research suggests that women sleep slightly more than men, however, this can vary from person to person. In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between gender and sleep, including hormonal and neurological differences. We also discuss the impact of unpaid labour, varying perceptions, and societal expectations on sleep quality. TLDR: Whilst gender can influence how much sleep we need, this may differ greatly amongst different individuals Links: https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep/do-women-need-more-sleep-than-men https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24956068/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4164903/ Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031 Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com

Can exercise be a bad thing? Enter: Exercise dependence (or in severe cases, exercise addiction). As we discuss this week’s study investigating the relationship between exercise and two forms of escapism, self-expansion or self-suppression, think about your exercise behaviour. Is it adaptive or maladaptive, are you promoting motivation or just avoiding your problems? TLDR: Exercise may provide an escape, but you should be aware if you are using it for self-expansion or self-suppression, as the latter has been linked to exercise addiction and reduced well-being. Links: https://neurosciencenews.com/running-maladaprive-escapism-22359/ https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1035196/full Socials: instagram.com/thelabdoctors twitter.com/thelabdoctors Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031 Email: thelabdoctors@gmail.com