What happens inside a child's brain when they're told not to touch something… and immediately reach for it anyway?

In this episode we sit down with developmental neuroscientist Dr. Abigail Fiske from Lancaster University to explore how self-control develops in infancy and early childhood.

Dr. Fisk studies executive functions, which are the mental skills that help us focus, regulate behaviour, and resist impulses. Using child friendly brain-imaging technology (FNIRS) and longitudinal research, she follows children from infancy through early childhood to understand how these critical abilities emerge and develop.

We discuss:

• Why toddlers struggle with self-control
• What executive functions actually are
• How inhibitory control develops in the brain
• Measuring brain activity in babies using non-invasive neuroimaging
• The role of the prefrontal cortex in early development
• Lessons from the classroom that inspired Dr. Fisk's research career
• Why the first five years of life are so important
• Early intervention, education, and the future of child development research

Whether you're a parent, educator, psychology enthusiast, or simply curious about how the brain develops, this conversation offers fascinating insights into the science behind self-control and learning.

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In this special audience Q&A episode of The Smooth Brain Society, hosts Dr. Sahir Hussain and (soon to be Dr.) Beth Facer answer your most thoughtful, chaotic, philosophical, and occasionally cursed questions.

From the darkest stories in neuroscience history to whether trauma is really “stored in the body,” Beth and Sahir dive into mental health, AI, addiction, academia, policy, stress, and the strange realities of working in science.

Plus: the podcast finally tackles one of humanity’s greatest debates… is a hot dog a sandwich?

Topics discussed include:

• The darkest neuroscience experiments in history
• Trauma, stress, and the body
• AI’s future impact on child development and human connection
• Alcohol & mental health
• Culture and public health policy
• The realities of working in academic research
• Epigenetics and family planning
• Research papers Beth & Sahir wish they’d worked on themselves
• And, of course, hot dog discourse.

Thank you to everyone who sent in questions for this episode! we loved making this one.

Follow The Smooth Brain Society on our social media platforms for future Q&As, episode updates, and science content from Beth and Sahir.

Support the show

Support us and reach out!
https://smoothbrainsociety.com
https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety

Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety
TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety
Twitter/X: @SmoothBrainSoc
Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety
Merch and all other links: Linktree
email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Dr. Bailey Rose (Ngāti Maniapoto), Clinical Psychologist at Ora Toa Mauriora, New Zealand, joins us for a conversation on eating disorders, culture, identity, and mental health care.

We explore how eating disorders are often misunderstood through a narrow Western lens, and why that can leave Māori and other underserved communities unseen, misdiagnosed, or excluded from support systems. Bailey shares insights from both her clinical work and research, discussing the cultural meaning of food, barriers to care, stigma, social media pressures, and the limitations of relying too heavily on measures like BMI.

The episode also dives into:

• Māori perspectives on food, care, and wellbeing
• How culture shapes experiences of eating disorders
• Emotional regulation, shame, and relationships with food
• Misconceptions around who “gets” eating disorders
• The impact of beauty standards and social media
• Ozempic and the growing conversation around weight-loss medications
• Why culturally responsive mental health care matters

Support the show

Support us and reach out!
https://smoothbrainsociety.com
https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety

Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety
TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety
Twitter/X: @SmoothBrainSoc
Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety
Merch and all other links: Linktree
email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com