January 02, 2021

The Brain Defense

Does someone’s guilt or innocence in a court of law depend upon the condition of their brain? Some attorneys say brain health is a valid defense. Then, chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease have impacted millions of Americans. But a misdiagnosis can easily happen, leaving patients at risk for disability or even death.

Episode Segments:

Neuroscience in the Courtroom In the past 25 years, neuroscience has become a prominent factor in many court cases. Defense attorneys are successfully arguing that a defendant may not be responsible for a crime or should receive a lesser punishment because of brain abnormalities or injuries. Kevin Davis, journalist, author of The Brain Defense: Murder in Manhattan and the Dawn of Neuroscience in America's Courtrooms discussed how this is changing how judges and juries define responsibility and assign punishment.
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Treating Lyme Disease Richard Horowitz, MD is a a Lyme disease expert and , author of How Can I Get Better?: An Action Plan For Treating Resistant Lyme And Chronic Disease. Dr. Horowitz said victims of Lyme disease are often misdiagnosed with other illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis. He added that the number of Lyme cases is growing at an alarming rate each year, reaching epidemic proportions. He explained how to identify symptoms and work with a qualified specialist for the best possible treatment outcome.
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Running and Your Knees Robert Hyldahl, PhD, Assistant Professor of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University co-authored a study that found that running appears to reduce inflammation in the knee joint—not increase it, as commonly believed. He said his research suggests that running may actually protect knees during the aging process, and safeguard against degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Kevin Davis Kevin Davis is an award-winning journalist, author and magazine writer based in Chicago. A former crime reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, his writing has appeared in USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago magazine, Utne Reader, In These Times, ABA Journal, Reader’s Digest, USA Weekend, Encyclopaedia Britannica and many other publications. He is the author of three non-fiction books on the criminal justice system, The Wrong Man, Defending the Damned and The Brain Defense. Davis has also authored eight nonfiction children’s books. Davis teaches nonfiction writing at the University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Studies, and has taught a writing class for detainees at the Cook County Jail. Davis was a staff reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for ten years. He left the paper after writing his first true crime book to pursue a career as a freelance journalist. He writes frequently on science, crime, neuroscience, the courtroom and the brain. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Martha Sanders, and son, Jackson, "Sonny" Davis. Kevin's Website

Dr. Richard Horowitz Dr Richard Horowitz is a board certified internist in private practice in Hyde Park, N.Y. He is medical director of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, an integrative medical center which combines both classical and complementary approaches in the treatment of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne disorders. He has treated over 12,000 Chronic Lyme disease patients in the last 26 years, with patients coming from all over the US, Canada, and Europe to his clinic. He is former Assistant Director of Medicine of Vassar Brothers Hospital in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and is one of the founding members and past president elect of ILADS, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. He is also past president of the ILADEF, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of health care professionals on tick-borne diseases. Dr Horowitz has presented at numerous local, national, and international scientific conferences on Lyme Disease, and has published on the role of co-infections and toxins in Lyme Borreliosis. He was awarded the Humanitarian of the Year award by the Turn the Corner Foundation for his treatment of Lyme Disease, and has dedicated his life to helping those stricken with this devastating illness. His book “Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease” was released through St Martin’s press, November 2013, which explains his full classical and integrative approach to helping those stricken with tick borne diseases and resistant chronic illness. Dr. Horowitz' website