Stephen Porges: The Polyvagal Theory

Posted on Jun 20, 2016 in Videos

Dr. Stephen Porges

Stephen Porges: The Polyvagal Theory

This December 2015 interview with Stephen Porges on Bulletproof Radio with Dave Asprey is a very alive, playful and relevant discussion of Polyvagal Theory. Dr. Porges shares his pioneering research on the vagus nerve, how the cues it receives play a major role in stress, social behavior and the nervous system and some tips on how to improve its responsiveness.

Stephen Porges is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he directs the Trauma Research Center in the Kinsey Institute. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.  In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. His work continues to explore the impact of vagal tone on physical health issues.

If your curiosity is at all peaked by this interview, check out this comprehensive post on the Self-Hacked Blog. (32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus)