292. Re-examining Human Exceptionalism feat. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz

While it is commonly assumed that prevalent health issues like heart disease, obesity, and depression are uniquely human experiences, they exist across multiple species.

Despite the undeniable connection rooted in our shared animal nature, a perceptible barrier remains between human and veterinary medicine and psychology, often driven by the notion of human exceptionalism.

Barbara Natterson-Horowitz is a cardiologist, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at UCLA, a visiting professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, as well as a New York Times bestselling author. Her latest book “Wildhood” examines the surprising parallels of adolescent humans and animals in navigating risk and social hierarchies, how to connect romantically, and how to live independently.

Barbara and Greg talk about the importance of removing the blindfold of human exceptionalism and a cross-species approach to medicine and psychology, which includes veterinary and evolutionary perspectives, to gain valuable insights from other species.

*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*

Episode Quotes:

What are the core competencies of being an adult?

54:24: Adolescence occurs across vertebrates, and even—we studied lobsters, crayfish, and so on—invertebrates. And that we decided to make the definition our own, and this was based on a number of studies that we did to figure out what are the core competencies of being an adult. And we said, "Okay, it starts with puberty. And it ends when an animal has mastered four core competencies, which are staying safe, learning to navigate social structures and hierarchies, learning to communicate sexually, not have sex because, as we say, copulation is easy, courtship is hard, and then finally learning to feed yourself and be independent.

The connection between human and animal medicine

57:47: If you ask physicians today what is the connection between human and animal medicine, they'll say infection; they'll say what is called zoonosis; and what they'll leave out are the connections around heart disease and psychiatry, which is mental health.

What is most likely to kill wild animals?

23:15: The risk of starvation is a clear and present danger when you look at what is most likely to kill wild animals. And there is some debate about what is the greatest danger. And it probably varies, but starvation, predation, and infection are definitely high up there. And the three interact. So starvation is a clear and present danger to survival.

Recognizing biodiversity

21:02: Part of biodiversity is physiologic diversity, and part of physiologic diversity is neurophysiologic diversity, and neurophysiologic diversity shapes behavior. So there's this continuity that I don't think most psychotherapists and psychiatrists are sufficiently aware of.

Show Links:Guest Profile:

• Faculty Profile at UCLA
• Barbara Natterson-Horowitz's Website
• Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on LinkedIn
• Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on Twitter
• Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on TEDMED

Her Work:

• Wildhood: The Astounding Connections between Human and Animal Adolescents
• Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz & Kathryn Bowers
• Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on Google Scholar