You have 3 brains. This is how to use them | Robert Sapolsky

You’ve heard about your ‘lizard brain’. But what about the other two?

What's the best way to think about the brain? While most of us think of it as a dense gray matter that’s separate from the physical body, that actually couldn’t be further from the truth. Our brain is actually made up of 3 layers, and each layer not only directly impacts the other, but has control over the physical body and how you feel. Neurologist Robert Sapolsky explores these separate brain systems as individual characters, all with different goals and motives.

The brain comes in 3 functional layers: the reptilian brain, the limbic system, and the cerebral cortex. The reptilian brain controls the regulatory systems in your body like hormones, body temperature, blood pressure, and even hunger. The limbic system is the emotional function of your brain, making you feel fear, anger, joy, or gratitude. Finally, the cerebral cortex is the most evolved part of the brain that oversees impulse control, decision making, and long-term planning.

With a better understanding of how each part of the brain functions, we can have more mindful thoughts that will influence more favorable decision-making and outcomes in life. For example, when you think of your favorite memory or something that makes you happy, your reptilian brain will quickly cool down your body and even lower your blood pressure. This can then lead to feeling less stressed, and finding more joy throughout the day.

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[anywallsocket]

Bro said all that in a single sentence 😂 I absolutely love this man, his Stanford lectures are phenomenal 🙏

[kiandelacour]

Much as I love Robert Sapolsky's work in general, "The triune brain idea is one of the most successful and widespread errors in all of science” (Lisa Feldman Barrett 2020 - references below). When it was first described by Paul MacLean, as Robert says, in "The Triune Brain in Evolution. Role in Paleocerebral Functions" (1990) it was immediately and robustly critiqued (Reiner 1990).

The "neo-cortex" is not new, is not unique to modern humans and does not "regulate" the mythic "emotional brain".
Evolutionary neurobiology showed, as long ago as the early 1970s, that human brain development is simply a scaled-up version of all mammalian brain development and that all vertebrates possess the same basic brain regions (Cesario et al 2020). Including reptiles.

Despite being ubiquitous, continued use of the triune brain fallacy is not supported by the data - and has important implications for how emotions and agency are conceptualised. For example, the idea that rationality = thinking = the absence of emotion when, in practice, thinking can be profoundly irrational and emotion profoundly rational. Law, economics and much of daily discourse assumes there is a sharp distinction between the rational and the emotional, but this is a story, without foundation in how the brain actually evolved, works and is structured.

For those still teaching or otherwise engaging with the triune brain fallacy, I urge you to explore more current neuroscience by research scientists rather than commentators (this is NOT a pop at Robert Sapolsky. It's just that many, maybe most proponeents of the triune brain fallacy are not involved with directly testing the hypothesis). The papers below (and especially Lisa Feldman Barrett's books and YouTube interviews) centre a whole-brain view of our construction of reality. And is supported by ample evidence, unlike the 90's neo-Platonic theory.





• Reiner A (1990) An explanation of behavior: Review of The Triune Brain in Evolution. Role in Paleocerebral Functions. Paul D. MacLean. Plenum, New York, 1990. Science, 250:4978, 303–305.

[Justineyedia]

“The subconscious mind is ruled by suggestion, it accepts all suggestions – it does not argue with you – it fulfils your wishes.” “Your subconscious mind does not argue with you. It accepts what your conscious mind decrees. If you say, 'I can't afford it, ' your subconscious mind works to make it true.

[poladelarosa]

Always a pleasure as well as an education to hear the eminent Robert Sapolsky.

[LokiBeckonswow]

this guy is my favourite kind of celebrity cos of his great ability to communicate complicated + relevant info in interesting and accessible ways, absolute legend

[icalledthevoiditwentvoicemail]

My jaw dropped when I clicked on the video and saw the name of the speaker. It's so amazing to see and hear him after so many years of seeing and hearing him in my mind as I read his books

[emilcioran]

I admire this man so much. I have heard many people speak. Most of the intellectual ones I've heard, I did so on the internet. But this man manages to stand out. Among the great ones, this man is truly an exception.

[MI-gnlg]

Thank you for not cluttering this video with a cut rate Philip Glass-like soundtrack and corny stock footage as in some of the other entries in this series.

[AayushiRohilla]

He is ICONIC, and the way he explains things 🙌🏼 thank you sir

[ArtemusBlue]

Nowhere is this more strikingly obvious than in people with mental illnesses, and I think those of us with anxiety have an intrinsic awareness of how our mental and emotional state affects our bodies, because damn if I'm not sitting here in a buttload of pain that I learned to tune out when I was a teenager because my cortisol flooded brain makes the muscles in my body tense 24/7, and I don't remember the last time I didn't have a headache! I can't get rid of the anxiety completely, so I can't get rid of the pain completely either, and the pain often makes my emotional state worse, que the vicious circle 🤷‍♀️

[DrDavelope]

Fascinating! Very informative. I’ve known many of these concepts separately but Rob connects the dots for us, creating another wonderful Aha moment.

[NathanHarrison]

Genius. How I love these series. The science of thinking. Thank you for sharing your decades of knowledge. Powerful.

[jshankar]

Thinking about something totally different from our present external situation isn't as easy as it is being said. But with practice it can be done. Practice to think. Take 30 mins of lone time and spend it to think, various scenarios, not fictitious, past, present and future, and when in stress, this will help you think better. Great video.

[lauramariamusic]

So nice! Seems to explain how practicing gratitude for the good things in your day or your life are good for your well being 😊

[PG-wzby]

Listening to Mr Saplsky talk lowers my blood pressure :)

[SUCCESSPASS]

Consciously focusing your attention on something positive, exciting or relaxing just before you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning is really helpful.

[sonialopes]

I read Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers around 20 years ago and I've been a huge fan ever since. Loved this video.

[Matteopolska]

He's the beast in explaining and storytelling 🎉

[-hxon]

the man is ahead of his time. although old, his courses from Stanford and " the great courses" are life changing.

[ralphdoe]

Explaining so much in such a short period of time is an incredible expression of human altruism or love! Wow!