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Neuroscience and TV's Perception


kenberg

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In the TV show Perception, the main character is a schizophrenic professor of neuroscience. The gimmick is that the opening scenes have the prof in front of the class speaking on some topic, the show then is related to the topic, and the wrap up at the end has the prof summing up.

 

In the most recent episode, the lead-in concerned the mind's ability to substitute or make do. The story line involved a woman who was in a delusional state about a baby. In the summation the prof spoke of neurological changes in the brain of a woman as she goes through childbirth. The hypothalamus grows, I think he said. I emphasize that he was not speaking of the undeniable fact that some adjustments to life are needed, he was speaking of neurological changes in the brain.

 

I ask: Is this real? Is there science supporting it?

 

 

I have wondered along the same lines in some of the other episodes but this one struck me as particularly interesting. Does someone out there know, either specifically about this issue or more generally, if the show has some serious scientific source? I don't wish to sound naive, i know tv is tv. Still, I was wondering.

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Hmmm ... the story could be based on this article.

 

The people who published it are from Yale and the paper has been cited 76 times so I suppose it must be true :)

 

Thanks, this is the sort of thing he was speaking of. The show is good at slipping in some results such as this, and I am glad to hear that they didn't just make it up.

 

The ex and future husband (one and the same guy) of the FBI agent is to my mind unbearable, but otherwise the show is reasonable. Not great, but reasonable.

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