Diagnosing and Treating Autism
What are the early signs of autism and how is it diagnosed?
Studying the Brain in Real Time
See how dynamic maps of brain activity shed new light on brain function.
Neuroplasticity: Our Adaptable Brain
Neurotransmitter switching & its effects on physical abilities, disease processes & more.
Chemistry of the Brain
Jean-Pierre Changeux reflects on the brain, bacteria, and consciousness.
  • Welcome
  • Videos & Podcasts
  • Brain Blog
  • Featured Series
Welcome to the Brain Channel, a platform to explore research and ideas on the brain and mind, as well as possible treatments for conditions related to the nervous system.

The workings of the brain define us – what we sense, what we know, who we are. In health, the brain functions marvelously. Our goal is to find out why the brain sometimes lets us down and leads to illness.

We are on the cusp of what promises to be an era of unprecedented progress in neurology. Even with current fiscal constraints and serious concerns about how healthcare will be organized and financed, in the next two decades progress in neurology and neurological science will create important new insights into the brain as we decipher its disorders and discover and apply effective treatments.

Please join us on this adventure to learn more about the brain and all its possibilities. Check back often for new programs, news and resources. And if you would like to suggest a topic for us to tackle, please send your ideas to brainchannel@ucsd.edu.

William C. Mobley, MD, PhD
Department of Neurosciences
University of California, San Diego


---------------

Watch all the programs in the On Our Mind series.
To sleep, perchance to roam
10/19/2017
You jolt awake, sensing a presence in your room. Heart racing, you open your eyes and the figure comes into focus. Her glassy eyes seem to stare right through you. You sigh thinking, “not again,” and take your sleepwalking child back to bed.   In the middle of the night, I go walking in my […]
Science for All: Shifting Academic Communication at ComSciCon
10/05/2017
“Whose advisor is unhappy that they’re here today?” asked Leanne Chukoskie, an assistant research scientist at the Institute for Neural Computation at UC San Diego and an affiliate of the Qualcomm Institute. Looking around at a sea of raised hands, she continued, “Know that the act of writing clearly for the public and preparing well […]
Dopamine is NOT your brain’s reward chemical
09/28/2017
Dopamine is NOT your brain’s reward chemical.  Or rather, dopamine is not JUST your brain’s reward chemical, nor is it your brain’s ONLY reward chemical.
Scratch that itch
09/21/2017
[En español] One of the greatest pleasures in life is to scratch an itch – in both the real and figurative sense. Although scratching an itch provides immediate (albeit temporary) relief, it may actually trigger the mechanism that makes us itch. So the more we scratch, the itchier we get, turning the short-lived pleasure into a […]
What’s the Deal with Migraines??!!
09/14/2017
You’re sitting at your desk, hard at work, and suddenly you see a strange spot of bright light, outlined by a brilliant spectrum of reds and blues, hover over your computer screen. You blink and look around, trying to figure out whether the image is coming from the screen or from outside the window. You […]
It’s Like Uber, but for Neurologists
09/07/2017
Automation is one of the engines of modernity, and what it should or could be is one of our society’s central discussions. However, when we discuss automation, it is never as a change that affects everyone in our community, but instead as one targeted at certain groups. Manufacturing workers on the assembly line have been […]
Alzheimer's Disease

The oncoming epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease is staggering to consider. It will have an enormous impact on our personal lives, our communities, and our nation. Join us to explore treatment options, innovations in research, and so much more.

Browse Alzheimer's Disease >
 
Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disorders that has a wide range of impacts. William Mobley, PhD interviews clinicians and researchers to learn more about what we know and what we have yet to learn about autism.

Browse Autism >
 
Movement Disorders

UC San Diego physicians and researchers are hard at work uncovering the symptoms, secrets, and progression of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. William Mobley, MD, PhD sits down with those on the front lines to find out what we currently know, where research is trending, and what potential therapies are on the horizon.

Browse Movement Disorders >
 
On Our Mind

William C. Mobley, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosciences at UCSD, welcomes experts with wide ranging expertise to discuss the brain. Explore how the brain works, the technologies we can use to harness brain power, and how we can treat disease, and much more.

Browse On Our Mind >