What are the things we can do today to help minimize our chances of developing dementia as we age?
Dr. Tommy Wood is a physician and neuroscientist, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, and author of The Stimulated Mind.
The book takes on a belief many of us still hold, that the adult brain becomes fixed at an early age and then declines from there. Tommy traces that idea back to the father of modern neuroscience, a Nobel laureate who wrote that the adult brain is immutable. Then he unpacks what the latest research and data say, and it’s not what you might think.
This is a conversation about a tough subject, mental decline and dementia. Many of us have been touched by this in our own families, and what Tommy has to say gives all of us hope that we have more agency than we think when it comes to this part of our health.
Tommy and Mike get into the 14 modifiable risk factors named by the Lancet Commission, which the Commission estimates could prevent 45% of dementia cases. They cover why midlife is when risk starts to diverge, and the three buckets Tommy sorts everything into: stimulus, supply, and support. Mike talks about his grandfather, who had vascular dementia and covered for it so well that the family did not see it for years.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
- Why the belief in a fixed adult brain traces back to 1906
- What the Seattle Longitudinal Study found about cognition from the 50s into the 70s and beyond
- The 14 modifiable factors named by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention
- Stimulus, supply, and support, and how the three interact
- Why midlife is when dementia risk starts to diverge
- Why the risk factor that matters most is usually the one you are not addressing
- Where to start if a parent or grandparent had dementia
- The markers Tommy watches: homocysteine, omega-3 index, vitamin D, hemoglobin
Tommy tells us that “At 70 years old now, you are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than any other time in history.” The trajectory is not fixed, but there’s a lot more work to be done.
Enjoy the conversation.
“At 70 years old now, you are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than any other time in history.” — Dr. Tommy Wood
“One of the most important things about being a leader is giving yourself thinking time. Allow yourself, whatever it is, however you do it, whether it be at night, whether it be morning, whether you do it regularly each month, give yourself some clear thinking time.” – Eddie Jones
Resources + Links
Dr. Tommy Wood’s Website: drtommywood.com
Dr. Tommy Wood’s Book: The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age
BetterBrain, where Tommy is Chief Science Officer: betterbrain.com
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