Episode 33: The Science of Psychedelics with Dr. Ben Rein
About Dr. Ben Rein
Ben Rein, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. In his current research, Ben is investigating the neural basis of empathy, and how empathic behaviors can be enhanced. He received his PhD in neuroscience from SUNY Buffalo, earning the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research. Ben’s thesis focused on autism spectrum disorder and identified key systems in the brain that regulate social behaviors.
Outside of the lab, Ben creates educational science videos for an audience of more than 900,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram and BiliBili. In his videos, he summarizes recent research papers, teaches fundamental neuroscience principles, and debunks "viral" videos containing scientific misinformation. Ben’s science communication has been recognized with awards from Stanford University, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Mind Science Foundation.
Do you want to learn more about empathy and the effect of psychedelics? Dr. Ben Rein is a researcher in the field of neuroscience and besides that he is also a creator of educational science videos on tiktok and Instagram. He shares how he wants to make science more accessible through his videos and how to make reading scientific papers easier. On the podcast he talks about the connection between neuroscience and practicing yoga. He presents his concept of “a little bit more”, which is ultimately the secret to keeping your brain young forever. In addition, he explains how aging affects the brain and how healthy and powerful social interactions are to keep a healthy brain. We also venture into the therapeutic value of psychedelics, the research behind them and what parts of the brain are affected by these controversial drugs. We also touch on the power of sleep, autism, and social media.
Learn More with Dr. Ben Rein
Dr. Ben Rein's Website