The Plasticity Podcast

Hi, it's me, the mother of cats, your older sister in science and the girl in your lab who is trying to learn everything and anything in a super short amount of time for some reason, Santina Duarte. Have you ever wondered how we study the brain? (Spoiler: it’s more than just fMRI scans and lab mice.) Neuroscience involves a broad ecosystem—from glowing neurons in petri dishes to stressed graduate students running maze experiments, computer simulations of depression, and humans lying still in MRI scanners, trying not to sneeze. In this episode, I break down all the types of neuroscience research, from in-vitro work to mouse models and computation; there are so many different kinds of neuroscientists all contributing to the same story of what is happening in our heads. As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and please stay warm and safe. Montreal has the world's wettest snow and the iciest sidewalks, so I will be trying not to slip and fall for the week. Please do the same.

Hey, it's me, the 20-something-year-old girl who moved in across the hall, who spends most of her day talking to her cat, Santina. This week, I talk about seasonal depression and why we have all had a horrible week. From circadian rhythm disruptions to serotonin mysteries to the messed-up hurricane of responsibilities that occur in November and December, this time of year really is the perfect storm of garbage that is sure to lower your mood. I also discuss potential treatments that may help, including light therapies and lifestyle resets. And of course, I talk about some of my current struggles, which include lab cockroaches, dreams of skiing, and even a little bit about me falling up the stairs in front of a professor. As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and please remember to stay strong during these troubling times (and by that I mean the STM strike, I just want to go from point A to B, why is that so hard???).

Hey again, it's me, Santina Duarte, reporting for duty. This week has honestly been filled with the nightmarish experience of crushing on someone now and it has made me s p i r a l like the most unhinged conversations with my friends over the most disgusting feelings. So, anyway, I wanted to talk about some of the neuroscience behind crushes and why love is such an important aspect of human health, because I have been driving myself insane. Also, spoiler alert - my crazy cat lady dendincies also don't help with this and are probably exacerbating my insanity, which is really fun. So, fall down a rabbit hole with me and watch as I justify my recent late-night walks in the rain while listening to The Tortured Poets Department on repeat.As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and remember: b*tches aint sh*t, and they aint saying nothing —100 MF's can't tell me nothing.

Hi, it's me, Santina, the human who feeds and takes care of the hippo. It really is his world, and we are all so lucky to just be living in it. This week, I discuss the dark history of neuroscience, a rabbit hole I recently fell down as I learned just how much has actually taken place at McGill. Since I will be discussing dark topics, viewer discretion is advised. We will be talking about horrific experiments like the Montreal experiment, which was a part of MKUltra, some Nazi medical experimentation, as well as some examples of flawed science, such as lobotomies and pseudoscience. As always, you can follow me on Instagram and everywhere you can listen to podcasts at @theplasticitypodcast. I release new episodes weekly on Mondays at 7:00 am EST. Thank you so much for listening and i hope you enjoy this spooky episode as we gear up for halloween this week.

Hi, it is once again my favourite time of the week, where we play the best game: count how many times Santina says "um" or "and so" while talking about science. Also, the words "and so" look like a fish on my audio editing platform, thanks to Audacity. This week, I talk about some of my previous work looking at cerebral (brain) blood flow: specifically, two processes known as neurovascular coupling and cerebrovascular reactivity. We in particular look at the effects of acute hyperglycemia, or a short-term increase in blood sugar, and the effects of sitting, standing and walking. Spoiler alert, we found no changes, so please use this episode as an excuse to eat all the sugary snacks as you would like. As always, I release a new episode weekly on Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me everywhere you listen to podcasts, and you can also follow me on Instagram @theplasticitypodcast. I hope you all have a good week. This week's energy on my end is me and my little old lady shopping trolley against the world, so face what comes ahead with all the confidence of an old person with their $30 Jean Coutu buggy.

Hello, and welcome back to the plasticity podcast where you listen to me spiral while fighting with my cat to get off the key board. This week I discuss what its like being a women in STEM, from the history behind my leading ladies in the lab, current issues that we face in the field and what you can do to promote more girls looking at graphs. This episode does discuss sensitive topics like sexual harrassment and assault, if you are currently struggling with any of these issues there are a number of resources available. Here is an organization that is STEM specific in Canada: WomanACT As per usual, i release a new episode every monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all platforms that you can listen to podcasts and on instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening and I hope you all gaslight, gatekeep and girlboss through the rest of your week!

Hello! Welcome to the Neuroplasticity podcast, where I discuss how neuroscience research changed my life, all while my cat knocks things over and meows in the background in an attempt to ruin my life. Today's episode focuses on the importance of effective science communication at the academic, government, and social levels. Here, I delve into the realities of grant writing (especially in another language, cough cough Quebec), the challenges science faces in disseminating public knowledge, as well as the challenges of presenting to broader audiences at conferences. Please sit back, grab a tea or coffee, and listen as I share the importance of science communication, all while Hippo knocks things over and mews occasionally in the background (hence why he is a co-host).

Hello! Welcome to the Neuroplasticity podcast, where I discuss how neuroscience research changed my life and brought me to Quebec of all places (cue that clip of Frank Ghallager saying "how did I end up in Canada, I hate Canada"). On a side note, I can't stop watching Shameless; it is an issue. Today's episode focuses on my academic journey and how I ended up conducting research at McGill University in Montreal, from my hometown of Calgary, Alberta. I also briefly discuss some of my work, including a study I previously published that focuses on the intersection of AI and neuroscience (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569353/), as well as some of the foundations of my current research. Please sit back, grab a tea or coffee, and listen as I share how I arrived here and set my intentions for the rest of this podcast series.