We've all heard that staying social is good for your health. But what's actually happening in the brain when you feel connected, or when you don't? In this special Beyond Lab Walls video podcast episode—part of the Salk Institute's 2026 Year of Brain Health—Salk President Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD, sits down with neuroscientist Kay Tye, PhD, whose lab studies the brain circuits that drive social behavior, emotion, and the deep human need for connection.

When we think about brain health, we tend to think about neurons. But some of the most important work of protecting the brain may depend on immune and other cell types, which make up a surprising 50% of the human brain. In this special Beyond Lab Walls video podcast episode—part of the Salk Institute's 2026 Year of Brain Health—Salk President Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD, speaks with Nicola Allen, PhD, a leading neuroscientist whose lab studies how non-neuronal brain cells shape brain function in health, aging, and disease.

In this special Beyond Lab Walls video podcast episode—part of the Salk Institute's 2026 Year of Brain Health—Salk President Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD, speaks with Christian Metallo, PhD, a leading expert in how nutrients power cells and tissues, and how subtle shifts in metabolism can shape long-term wellbeing. Together, they explore why the brain's energy demands make it especially sensitive to metabolic changes across the lifespan.