Dr. Alex Korb is a neuroscientist, writer, and coach. He has studied the brain for more than twenty years, attended Brown University as an undergrad, and earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA. He’s published over a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles on depression and is also the author of the books “The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time,” published in 2015, and the updated, revised edition, recently released in November 2025 by New Harbinger Publications. More information about Dr. Korb is available on this website.
Based on ALM and industry surveys, roughly 28% to 35% of lawyers experience depression, making them nearly three times as likely to suffer from it as the general U.S. adult population. Stigma is still rampant in the legal profession, and many don’t get help because of it. Or, just as commonly, they feel it is a moral weakness. In this interview, I talk with Dr. Korb to understand the brain science behind depression and how, by understanding it, the legal profession might come to terms with depression as an illness with serious effects on the brain.
Dan: What exactly is neuroscience?
Dr. Korb: Neuroscience is simply the study of the brain and nervous system. It’s a branch of biology, but it also includes aspects of psychology, psychiatry, and neurobiology. It encompasses anything happening in the brain and nervous system, all within the scope of neuroscience.
Dan: Have you studied major depression as a neuroscientist?
