Dementia Prevention, Brain Training, and What Actually Works - with Dr. Tommy Wood

The same principles that drive physical adaptation also drive brain health. The difference is that, for the brain, the key buckets are stimulus, supply, and support. And the training that coaches and fitness enthusiasts are already doing may be among the most evidence-based interventions available for protecting cognitive function across a lifetime.

Dr. Tommy Wood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, a medical doctor trained at Oxford, author of THE STIMULATED MIND, and has worked as a performance consultant to Olympians and world champions. His research focuses on brain health across the lifespan, from neonatal brain injury through to long-term dementia prevention.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why dementia risk begins in midlife, and what the research shows about modifiable risk factors

• How the 3S model - stimulus, supply, and support - helps make sense of brain health

• What the evidence actually supports when it comes to omega-3s, B vitamins, vitamin D, and other supplements

• Why resistance training, high intensity interval training, and coordination-based exercise may benefit different aspects of brain function

• What the evidence shows about menopausal hormone therapy and cognitive function

• What current research suggests about alcohol, statins, lithium, melatonin, and cognitive health

Key insight -

The brain responds to training the same way the body does. Use it, fuel it, and support its ability to adapt. Coaches and fitness enthusiasts already prioritising their physical health may be doing more for their cognitive future than they realise.

Resources & Links -

Dr. Tommy Wood - https://www.drtommywood.com/

Dr. Tommy Wood on Instagram - @drtommywood

THE STIMULATED MIND - https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind

Food for the Brain (free cognitive function test) - https://foodforthebrain.org/the-cognitive-function-test/

Better Brain Fitness podcast - https://www.betterbrain.fitness/

Dr. Tony Boutagy - https://tonyboutagy.com/

Follow on Instagram - @tonyboutagy