The Ever-Changing Brain: Adapting, Aging, and Cognitive Health

The Ever-Changing Brain: Adapting, Aging, and Cognitive Health

From Try This by The Washington Post

October 23, 2025 · 18 min · Season 9 · Episode 1

About this episode

This episode discusses the adaptability and aging of the brain with insights from Richard Sima.

Your brain does a lot of work. It’s processing and adapting to changing environments and routines throughout our lives. In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with The Washington Post’s “Brain Matters” columnist, Richard Sima , about our aging brains, what a healthy one looks like, and why we don’t necessarily have to worry about forgetting where we put our keys.  For more on brain health and aging, check out some of The Post’s reporting:  How does the brain age across the lifespan? New studies offer clues. How does alcohol affect your risk of dementia? Your brain health questions, answered. Is this dementia or normal brain aging? Here’s how to tell the difference. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts .

People in this episode

Host: Cristina Quinn

Guest: Richard Sima

Topics covered

  • brain health
  • aging
  • cognitive health
  • memory
  • environmental adaptation

Keywords

  • brain
  • aging
  • cognitive health
  • memory loss
  • dementia

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Washington Post

More episodes of Try This

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Try This podcast page.