Brains: Love the One You’re With
Sept 18, 2018
About the Topic
Ever worry about that time you fell snowboarding or the seasons you played contact sports as a kid? If you’re following the headlines about concussions in football and the related risk for dementia, or the relationship between criminal behavior or domestic violence and traumatic brain injury, you might be more than a little alarmed. In the Café we will distinguish hype and hysteria from the actual state of the science in brain health and injury. To that end, I will review brain boosting interventions that are backed by strong scientific support and also highlight the snake oil—all of which is expensive, and some of which may be harmful. This is an owner’s manual for the human brain.
Bio
Dr. Kim Gorgens is a Clinical Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver. She teaches Psychophysiology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Psychology of Criminal Behavior, manages a portfolio of TBI-related research, and has lectured extensively on those issues (including a 2010 TED talk on youth sports concussion, a 2018 TEDxMileHigh talk on brain injuries in criminal justice, several NPR spots and an interview on CNN with Anderson Cooper). Her work has been featured in USNews, Newsweek, Men’s Health, Salon.com, and more. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology and is board certified in Rehabilitation Psychology. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association’s Division 22, Rehabilitation Psychology and Vice President of the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology.