What is Autism and what are the many ways in which they present? How do people with Autism and similar neurodevelopmental disorders age? Tune in to the Know Brainer Podcast this April, Autism Awareness Month, to delve deep into this critical topic and understand Autism from an evidence-based and research-driven perspective. Expert guests Dr. B. Blair Braden and Dr. Annie Cohen shed light on this topic that is intensely personal to many and deeply misunderstood in popular rhetoric. Using compelling evidence from longitudinal studies, we dive deep into the science and clinical implications of studying Autism, the challenges in identifying diagnostic and clinical biomarkers, and the path forward to meaningful interventions. Tune in to this topic that is both immensely personal and extremely informative. Over two episodes, Drs. Cohen and Braden will enlighten you about autism and the bridges we need to build between scientists and society.

Dr. Cohen is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Neuroimaging Core of the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the co-Director of the Molecular Biomarkers in Psychiatry Program. Dr. Cohen is also the lead of the recruitment team on the Alzheimer’s disease Biomarker Consortium- Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) and is the PI of multiple NIA funded studies focusing on neuroimaging in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Cohen earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at UPMC in 2011. Dr. Cohen served as a steering committee member for the Neuroimaging Professional Interest area of the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) from 2015 to 2019 and is a member of the ISTAART advisory council. Her primary research interests focus on PET imaging to explore early detection of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease using the amyloid imaging agent Pittsburgh-compound B and the relationship of social determinants of health to Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Dr. Cohen is co-leading the partnership core of the ACE study. She is also the mom to two fantastic kids.

Find more information through: https://www.reaact.pitt.edu/people/ann-d-cohen-phd⁠Dr. Blair Braden is a behavioral neuroscientist with expertise in neuroimaging and neuropsychology. Her roles at Arizona State University are Associate Professor in the College of Health Solutions, Program Director for the Speech and Hearing Science PhD, and Director of the Autism and Brain Aging Laboratory. Her research encompasses a multi-disciplinary program studying aging in autistic adults from basic science to translational treatment, factoring in the largely unexplored area of sex differences. Her research studies are among the first to 1) comprehensively describe age-related cognitive and brain changes in autistic adults, and 2) develop behaviorally and neurobiologically informed interventions for autistic adults across the lifespan. Her laboratory focuses mostly on cognitive compensation, mindfulness-based, and social strategy techniques. Find more information through: ⁠https://sites.google.com/asu.edu/autismandbrainaginglab/about-us?authuser=0⁠

Dr. Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the NIH. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the IUSM working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat AD/ADRD. She illustrated and wrote a children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy. Tune into her projects through which she disseminates science via ⁠https://babysensesbook.com/⁠.

What is Autism and what are the many ways in which theypresent? How do people with Autism and similar neurodevelopmental disorders age? Tune in to the Know Brainer Podcast this April, Autism Awareness Month, to delvedeep into this critical topic and understand Autism from an evidence-based and research-driven perspective. Expert guests Dr. B. Blair Braden and Dr. Annie Cohen shed light on this topic that is intensely personal to many and deeply misunderstood in popular rhetoric. Using compelling evidence from longitudinal studies, we dive deep into the science and clinical implications of studying Autism, the challenges in identifying diagnostic and clinical biomarkers, and the path forward to meaningful interventions. Tune in to this topic that is both immensely personal and extremely informative. Over two episodes, Drs. Cohen and Braden will enlighten you about autism and the bridges we need to build between scientists and society.

Dr. Cohen is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Neuroimaging Core of the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the co-Director of the Molecular Biomarkers in Psychiatry Program.Dr. Cohen is also the lead of the recruitment team on the Alzheimer’s disease Biomarker Consortium- Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) and is the PI of multiple NIA funded studies focusing on neuroimaging in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr.Cohen earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at UPMC in 2011. Dr. Cohen served as a steering committee member for the Neuroimaging Professional Interest area of the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) from 2015 to 2019 and is a member of the ISTAART advisory council. Her primary research interests focus on PET imaging to explore early detection of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease using the amyloid imaging agent Pittsburgh-compound B and the relationship of social determinants of health to Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Dr. Cohen is co-leading the partnership core of the ACE study. She is also the mom to two fantastic kids.

Find more information through: https://www.reaact.pitt.edu/people/ann-d-cohen-phdDr. Blair Braden is a behavioral neuroscientist with expertise in neuroimaging and neuropsychology. Her roles at Arizona State University are Associate Professor in the College of Health Solutions, Program Director for the Speech and Hearing Science PhD, and Director of the Autism and Brain Aging Laboratory. Her research encompasses a multi-disciplinary program studying aging in autistic adults from basic science to translational treatment, factoring in the largely unexplored area of sex differences. Her researchstudies are among the first to 1) comprehensively describe age-related cognitive and brain changes in autistic adults, and 2) develop behaviorally and neurobiologically informed interventions for autistic adults across the lifespan. Her laboratory focuses mostly on cognitive compensation,mindfulness-based, and social strategy techniques.

Find more information through: https://sites.google.com/asu.edu/autismandbrainaginglab/about-us?authuser=0Dr. Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the NIH. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the IUSM working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat AD/ADRD. She illustrated and wrote a children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy. Tune into her projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.

How is neuroscience being applied in the courtroom in criminal cases? In this fascinating conversation with Dr. Deborah W. Denno, we delve deep into this critical aspect of real world applications of neuroscience in society. In the 1900s, brain changes due to disease were resulting in an insanity defense while in the 2020’s neuroscience is being used in multiple aspects of the criminal justice system. Using compelling case studies, Dr. Denno dives deep into the philosophy and principles of the law juxtapositioned against the science behind an individual’s behaviors. Tune in to this informative episode that is fundamental to our lives in a civilized society where the rules put in place were usually to the benefit of the privileged among us. Over two episodes, Dr. Denno will enlighten you about the criminal justice system and the bridges we need to build between scientists and criminologists.

--------------------------------------------------------------------Deborah W. Denno, Ph.D., J.D., is the Arthur A. McGivney Professor of Law and Founding Director of the Neuroscience and Law Center at Fordham Law School. She received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, her M.A. from the University of Toronto, her Ph.D. in sociology with a specialty in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was the Managing Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Before joining the Fordham Law faculty in 1991, Professor Denno clerked for the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and worked as an associate at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP.

At Fordham Law School, Professor Denno's Neuroscience and Law Center provides evidence-based information to academics, lawyers, and the public about relevant advances in neuroscience to foster scholarship and the use of neuroscience in legal circles. Professor Denno also teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, and seminars on topics such as law and neuroscience. Currently, Professor Denno is examining the use of neuroscientific evidence in criminal cases over two decades. She is expanding this research so that she may analyze these developments over the last century, from 1900 to 2020.

You can find more information about her work through https://www.fordham.edu/school-of-law/faculty/directory/full-time/deborah-w-denno/

--------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias.

She illustrated and wrote the first of its kind children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune into her podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.

How is neuroscience being applied in the courtroom in criminal cases? In this fascinating conversation with Dr. Deborah W. Denno, we delve deep into this critical aspect of real world applications of neuroscience in society. In the 1900s, brain changes due to disease were resulting in an insanity defense while in the 2020’s neuroscience is being used in multiple aspects of the criminal justice system. Using compelling case studies, Dr. Denno dives deep into the philosophy and principles of the law juxtapositioned against the science behind an individual’s behaviors. Tune in to this informative episode that is fundamental to our lives in a civilized society where the rules put in place were usually to the benefit of the privileged among us. Over two episodes, Dr. Denno will enlighten you about the criminal justice system and the bridges we need to build between scientists and criminologists.

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Deborah W. Denno, Ph.D., J.D., is the Arthur A. McGivney Professor of Law and Founding Director of the Neuroscience and Law Center at Fordham Law School. She received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, her M.A. from the University of Toronto, her Ph.D. in sociology with a specialty in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was the Managing Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Before joining the Fordham Law faculty in 1991, Professor Denno clerked for the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and worked as an associate at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP.

At Fordham Law School, Professor Denno's Neuroscience and Law Center provides evidence-based information to academics, lawyers, and the public about relevant advances in neuroscience to foster scholarship and the use of neuroscience in legal circles. Professor Denno also teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, and seminars on topics such as law and neuroscience. Currently, Professor Denno is examining the use of neuroscientific evidence in criminal cases over two decades. She is expanding this research so that she may analyze these developments over the last century, from 1900 to 2020.

You can find more information about her work through https://www.fordham.edu/school-of-law/faculty/directory/full-time/deborah-w-denno/

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Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias.

She illustrated and wrote the first of its kind children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune into her podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.

How does the brain change through pregnancy and post-partum? What factors determine if the common “Baby Blues” phenomenon progresses to debilitating post-partum depression? Can we predict if someone will develop post-partum depression? In this deeply philosophical and pivotal episode, the season 2 premiere of the Know Brainer Podcast, Dr. Natalia Chechko shares with us her research on maternal brain changes through life. Using multiple methodologies, combining neuroimaging, measuring biomarkers, behavioral analysis, and applying Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning approaches to understand these complex datasets, Dr. Chechko demystifies the maternal brain and discusses the evolutionary drivers for the changes in maternal brains. Over two episodes, Dr. Chechko also discusses ways to support women through pregnancy to minimize the likelihood of post-partum depression.

--------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Natalia Chechko is a Tenured W2- Professor of Experimental Neuropsychiatry at the RWTH University Hospital Aachen. Her expertise is in Neuropsychobiology, specifically, in the changes that happen in maternal brains through menstruation, pregnancy, and post-partum. She has published extensively on this historically understudied topic, and her research has expanded our understanding of the risk factors leading upto post-partum depression and the structural and functional brain alterations during these processes. She additionally has expertise in olfactory and chemosensory mechanisms of social communication.

Dr. Chechko received a degree in journalism from Lomonosov University in Moscow, Russia, followed by a graduate degree in Human Medicine from Johannes Guttenberg University Mainz, in Germany. She has since served as a professor, research team leader, and senior physician. She has also supervised several students in their careers.

You can find her publications here: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9226-6196

--------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias.

She illustrated and wrote the first of its kind children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune into her podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.

How does the brain change through pregnancy and post-partum? What factors determine if the common “Baby Blues” phenomenon progresses to debilitating post-partum depression? Can we predict if someone will develop post-partum depression? In this deeply philosophical and pivotal episode, the season 2 premiere of the Know Brainer Podcast, Dr. Natalia Chechko shares with us her research on maternal brain changes through life. Using multiple methodologies, combining neuroimaging, measuring biomarkers, behavioral analysis, and applying Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning approaches to understand these complex datasets, Dr. Chechko demystifies the maternal brain and discusses the evolutionary drivers for the changes in maternal brains. Over two episodes, Dr. Chechko also discusses ways to support women through pregnancy to minimize the likelihood of post-partum depression.

--------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Natalia Chechko is a Tenured W2- Professor of Experimental Neuropsychiatry at the RWTH University Hospital Aachen. Her expertise is in Neuropsychobiology, specifically, in the changes that happen in maternal brains through menstruation, pregnancy, and post-partum. She has published extensively on this historically understudied topic, and her research has expanded our understanding of the risk factors leading upto post-partum depression and the structural and functional brain alterations during these processes. She additionally has expertise in olfactory and chemosensory mechanisms of social communication.

Dr. Chechko received a degree in journalism from Lomonosov University in Moscow, Russia, followed by a graduate degree in Human Medicine from Johannes Guttenberg University Mainz, in Germany. She has since served as a professor, research team leader, and senior physician. She has also supervised several students in their careers.

You can find her publications here: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9226-6196

--------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. After her post-doctoral fellowship, she deepened her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine working in translational neuroscience to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias.

She illustrated and wrote the first of its kind children’s neuroscience book, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune into her podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.

Addiction is a complex process that changes a person’s physiology and psychology. What are some of the biological and environmental factors that affect addiction and recovery? In this conversation with Shane Mayson, we delve deep into the complex underpinnings of addiction and the long road to recovery. Shane shares his deeply personal journey from addict to recovery coach along with several tipsto break persistent cognitive loops. Tune in to this educational and deeply human episode. Over two episodes, Shane will deepen your understanding of the lived experience of addiction.

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Shane Mayson is a seasoned professional with over four decades of experience in the hospitality industry. As a former restaurateur, Shane built and operated successful dining establishments known for their exceptional service and welcoming environments. Now, he has transitioned his passion for service into a new calling as a Coach, specializing in sobriety and recovery.

With 21 years of personal sobriety, Shane brings not only lived experience but also deep empathy and insight into the challenges of addiction and the transformative journey of recovery. His coaching approach is grounded, compassionate, and purpose-driven, helping individuals build sustainable, fulfilling lives free from substance use. Shane is committed to guiding others with honesty, accountability, and hope—core values that have shaped both his personal and professional evolution.

Contact him via: shane@steadfast-support.com

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Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. Since her post-doctoral fellowship, she continues to deepen her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She was inspired to illustrate and write Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune intoher podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via ⁠https://babysensesbook.com/⁠.

Addiction is a complex process that changes a person’s physiology and psychology. What are some of the biological and environmental factors that affect addiction and recovery? In this conversation with Shane Mayson, we delve deep into the complex underpinnings of addiction and the long road to recovery. Shane shares his deeply personal journey from addict to recovery coach along with several tipsto break persistent cognitive loops. Tune in to this educational and deeply human episode. Over two episodes, Shane will deepen your understanding of the lived experience of addiction.

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

Shane Mayson is a seasoned professional with over four decades of experience in the hospitality industry. As a former restaurateur, Shane built and operated successful dining establishments known for their exceptional service and welcoming environments. Now, he has transitioned his passion for service into a new calling as a Coach, specializing in sobriety and recovery.

With 21 years of personal sobriety, Shane brings not only lived experience but also deep empathy and insight into the challenges of addiction and the transformative journey of recovery. His coaching approach is grounded, compassionate, and purpose-driven, helping individuals build sustainable, fulfilling lives free from substance use. Shane is committed to guiding others with honesty, accountability, and hope—core values that have shaped both his personal and professional evolution.

Contact him via: shane@steadfast-support.com

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Dr. Jaya Viswanathan is a neuroscientist, author, and artist born and raised in India. She earned an engineering degree, a Master’s in neuroscience, and a Doctorate in cognitive neuroscience. Since her post-doctoral fellowship, she continues to deepen her neuroscientific expertise as a contractor at the National Institutes of Health. She was inspired to illustrate and write Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages to convey complex scientific concepts through art and whimsy in terms of sensory “superpowers”. She has been interviewed on written, audio/podcasts, and video platforms where she makes neuroscience accessible to lay audiences. Tune into her podcast “Know Brainer” and other projects through which she disseminates science via https://babysensesbook.com/.