645: The truth about cognitive decline and what you can do about it | Tommy Wood, M.D., Ph.D.
About this episode
Dr. Tommy Wood discusses cognitive decline, its modifiability, and strategies to maintain brain health.
“It should be possible to maintain stable cognitive function into your eighth and ninth decades. But we don't really internalize that. We expect decline, and because we expect decline, we're less likely to engage in those things.” Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist, Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and author of The Stimulated Mind. With degrees from Cambridge and Oxford, he has published more than 100 scientific papers and lectured worldwide on brain health, metabolism, and human performance. He also serves as a performance consultant to world-class athletes, including Olympians and Formula 1 drivers, and co-founded the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine. 00:00 - What we know about brain biomarkers 03:59 - Dementia risk is modifiable 06:29 - Why you should get your steps in 08:52 - The effect of exercise on the hippocampus 15:05 - Muscle is a brain organ 20:42 - Give your brain the fuel it needs 25:12 - Creatine & brain health 27:22 - The convenience crisis 29:54 - The importance of making mistakes 31:30 - How to stimulate your brain enough 33:31 - Social connection = medicine 35:45 - Tommy’s dream study 38:12 - The optimization trap…
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