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The Elusive Brain

Literature and Culture in the Age of Neuroscience

Hallucination
Dory Previn's Voices

Jason Tougaw on March 22, 2024

New documentary chronicles singer-songwriter Dory Previn's experience with hearing voices The voices, Previn contends, evolved from tormentors to collaborators.

New documentary chronicles singer-songwriter Dory Previn's experience with hearing voices The voices, Previn contends, evolved from tormentors to collaborators.

Sex
What New Data Reveals About Our Sex Lives

Jason Tougaw on December 1, 2023

Although consensual non-monogamy is an old idea, the word “polyamorous” was coined very recently—by a Neopagan witch named Morning Glory, around 1990.

Although consensual non-monogamy is an old idea, the word “polyamorous” was coined very recently—by a Neopagan witch named Morning Glory, around 1990.

Adolescence
Quarantine Generation: The Teen Experience

Jason Tougaw on February 21, 2023

"Coming of Age in 2020" lets teens speak for themselves, in writing, visual art, and video—expressing their struggles, and, crucially, their creativity and resilience.

"Coming of Age in 2020" lets teens speak for themselves, in writing, visual art, and video—expressing their struggles, and, crucially, their creativity and resilience.

Identity
Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Jason Tougaw on July 27, 2022

DID is often diagnosed later in life because it tends to present covertly at first. It is unlikely you could pick someone with DID out of a crowd.

DID is often diagnosed later in life because it tends to present covertly at first. It is unlikely you could pick someone with DID out of a crowd.

Cognition
Pain and Its Metaphors

Jason Tougaw on February 9, 2022

The McGill Pain Index doesn’t just rate pain. It uses metaphors to categorize it: Pain can flicker, jump, drill, stab, cut, rasp, burn, or shoot.

The McGill Pain Index doesn’t just rate pain. It uses metaphors to categorize it: Pain can flicker, jump, drill, stab, cut, rasp, burn, or shoot.

Trauma
Is "To Warn or Not to Warn" the Right Question?

Jason Tougaw on June 14, 2021

Ultimately, it seems to me that content warnings—and arguments about them—are an intellectual response to intensely emotional experiences.

Ultimately, it seems to me that content warnings—and arguments about them—are an intellectual response to intensely emotional experiences.

Environment
Migration Is Fundamental to Life

Jason Tougaw on December 17, 2020

As we come to the end of 2020, with its lockdowns and harsh immigration policies, Sonia Shah's book offers a new perspective for thinking about a future "on the move."

As we come to the end of 2020, with its lockdowns and harsh immigration policies, Sonia Shah's book offers a new perspective for thinking about a future "on the move."

Memory
The "I Remember" Memory Technique

Jason Tougaw on November 9, 2020

Brainard's method offers a model for documenting personal accounts of the uncertainties, daily realities, and coping strategies that define individual and collective life in 2020.

Brainard's method offers a model for documenting personal accounts of the uncertainties, daily realities, and coping strategies that define individual and collective life in 2020.

Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity: The Movement

Jason Tougaw on April 18, 2020

The neurodiversity movement has burgeoned through grassroots organization—and gradually makes space for itself in government, research, and education.

The neurodiversity movement has burgeoned through grassroots organization—and gradually makes space for itself in government, research, and education.

Dreaming
Dickens's Magic Lanterns: Christmas for Capitalism

Jason Tougaw on December 20, 2019

While debates about whether Dickens "invented" Christmas dominate headlines, another feature of his story gets overlooked—its connection to nineteenth-century magic lantern shows.

While debates about whether Dickens "invented" Christmas dominate headlines, another feature of his story gets overlooked—its connection to nineteenth-century magic lantern shows.

Fear
Joseph LeDoux on The Deep History of Ourselves

Jason Tougaw on September 16, 2019

Emotions like fear are not hardwired and universal. They're personal (no self, no fear) and cultural. What is universal is danger.

Emotions like fear are not hardwired and universal. They're personal (no self, no fear) and cultural. What is universal is danger.

Marriage
Jane Austen's Hypochondriacs

Jason Tougaw on July 8, 2019

As Walter Benjamin famously asserted, “Death is the sanction for everything that the storyteller can tell.” In the case of the hypochondriac, diagnosis will do.

As Walter Benjamin famously asserted, “Death is the sanction for everything that the storyteller can tell.” In the case of the hypochondriac, diagnosis will do.