Episode 2: The Powerful, Intentional PFC

Neuroscience

Apr 27

Get to know your PFC – so you can access it when you need it most.

The Prefrontal Cortex, or PFC, is a game changer when it comes to taking more charge of your thoughts and actions. It’s the most uniquely human part of our brain – a relatively new marvel of higher-order thinking, self awareness, habit formation, and intentional ways of navigating the world.

Though it has a downside: it’s quite inefficient. And the control centers of the brain optimize for efficiency.

That’s why it can be hard to activate unless we know how. This episode introduces the PFC and what it does – and gives you three paths to bringing it online when the going gets tough.

In this episode I reference Dr. David Rock and his classic “Your Brain at Work.” It’s a brilliant tour of the brain that offers “before and after” scenarios as characters navigate everyday life unaware of their brain' functions – and then shows what changes once they get brain-savvy.

I also mention the brilliant work of Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, whose pioneering work in emotions will weave its way through all future episodes.

I’ve shared a few educational resources below:

GoodTherapy: The Prefrontal Cortex
The Prefrontal Cortex, Neuroscientifcally Challenged

…and this explainer by Stanford’s Dr. Robert Sapolsky, one of my neuroscience heroes:

Please subscribe to The Brain and Beyond Podcast on your favorite platform and definitely stay tuned here. I’ll always share episode notes and fun stuff that explores the brain… and beyond.

You’ll also find info on our beautiful theme song, used with permission from the artist, below.

Best, Ellen
ellen@thebrainandbeyond.com

**The location and general anatomy of that mighty PFC.**

I hope you enjoy the music I share on my podcast: Land Where I Belong, used with permission by musical artist Lucia Lilikoi.

Here’s her website, lilikoimusic.com … and you can listen to the full version here, and follow her on Apple Music and Spotify. Her website links to a range of listening platforms where you can enjoy her work.