The original version of this article contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.
In many ways, Alex Korb has become an expert at tricking the body and brain.
When he is coming down with a cold, he takes something just for the placebo effect.
And often times, the trick works – just like he thought it would.
“I take it for the placebo effect,” Korb said. “That usually gets laughs – but I think it’s going to work, and I also think that the mechanism by which it’s going to work is the placebo effect.”
The UCLA postdoctoral researcher tries to apply this knowledge of neuroscience to his readers’ day-to-day life in his blog, “PreFrontal Nudity: The brain exposed.”
Korb said he is often fascinated by the ways in which brain-body interactions influence overall health, and is particularly interested in scientific data that shows how simple tasks like smiling and standing up straight can improve wellness.
He was drawn to neuroscience as a child. His mother, a psychoanalyst, would routinely discuss new research articles, sparking an interest before he even understood what neuroscience was, Korb said.
He received his undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University in 2002, and later began working as a neuroscience research associate at UCLA.
He received his doctoral degree in neuroscience from UCLA in 2010.
Korb said he approached Psychology Today that year to become a writer for their magazine, but they responded that his writing was better suited for an online blog hosted by the website.
In his blog, Korb writes about various simple habits to help readers take advantage of this connection between body and mind, writing in a manner that the general public can understand.
“(Scientists) always want to think in black and white terms. I want to show people how the science might be able to help them,” Korb said. “That’s the whole point of neuroscience, and I feel like it’s my responsibility to write the blog.
By using this method, he rarely ends up getting sick, he added.
“Complex interactions like the placebo effect often get simplified because we don’t understand them well,” Korb said. “But just because we don’t understand (the placebo effect) well doesn’t mean it isn’t helpful.”
His understanding of the effects of PreFrontal Nudity – a term used to describe the ways in which the body and brain influence each other – has influenced his ability to coach ultimate frisbee, he said.
Korb, who coached the UCLA women’s ultimate frisbee team from 2003 to 2012, chose practice drills to improve in-game performance based on his knowledge of brain-body interactions.
For example, to simulate the stress of an acual game in practice, he will run multiple fast-paced drills in succession.
“When I coach, it isn’t enough just to (have them) practice the throwing, catching and running – they have to do it in the game,” Korb said. “I have to mimic doing it under stress.”
Meg Batavia, a fourth-year English student on the ultimate frisbee team, said Korb was highly regarded by members of the team for his compassion and concern.
Batavia said she attributes Korb’s coaching to his ability to understand the lives of the team members.
“That’s why I think he’s so successful – he has a profound way of turning ultimate (frisbee) into something bigger that can be applied to life in general,” Batavia said.
But Korb is not just interested in improving mental health – he said he also believes that physical health plays an important role in wellness.
One of Korb’s most popular posts is about the health benefits of practicing yoga.
According to Korb, research has shown these to include higher immune function, reduced stress, decreased chronic pain and lower blood pressure.
Though initially skeptical about the benefits of yoga, Korb said he realized that the consistent pressure to remain calm throughout the difficult stretches and breathing exercises that dominate a session benefit the brain by conditioning it to focus amidst stress. Korb uses this principle to be a more effective coach by simulating the environment of a tournament during practice.
Dr. Helen Lavretsky, a psychiatrist at the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA said she has further explored the health benefits of yoga in a medical study.
Lavretsky said she and other physicians observed significant improvements in physical and mental well-being among depressed geriatric patients who combined yoga and/or Tai-Chi with standard treatment.
She added that she is confident that the same results would hold true for students.
For those who study for exams but experience impeding nervousness during the tests, Korb suggests practicing not only the course material, but applying it under stress.
Moreover, he warns about putting unnecessary pressures on oneself.
Deciding to lose weight but becoming more and more anxious if you can’t get to the gym, for example, is arguably no healthier overall than continuing the previous lifestyle, Korb said.
“Above all, we can’t forget the basics.” he said.
“Little things like smiling and not being too hard on yourself can’t hurt, and they might help, so why not?”
Correction: Korb received his doctoral degree from UCLA.
I found all the information Dr. Korb gave very fascinating! And I know tricking your brain works…I have come to practice it more and more to avoid getting angry over things I can’t control. Thanks for your work!