STEM-Talk: Tommy Wood discusses his new book and the adaptability of the aging brain

Today Dr. Tommy Wood joins Drs. Ken Ford and Dawn Kernagis to talk about his book, “The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age.”

Tommy is an associate professor at the University of Washington where he runs a neuroscience lab. He also is a visiting research scientist at IHMC who has been a frequent STEM-Talk guest and occasional co-host.

In today’s part one of his two-part interview, we talk to Tommy about his mission to dispel the myth that the brain is doomed to decline with age. “The Stimulated Mind” offers science-backed strategies to enhance mental sharpness and prevent cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease.

In part one of our interview, Tommy discusses:

• How neuroscientists study the brain.
• Dispels the conventional belief that the brain is fixed by the time we reach our twenties and incapable of change.
• Provides examples of the adaptability of the adult brain.
• Talks about Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who is considered the first neuroscientist.
• The importance of cardiovascular health in brain health.
• A history of Alzheimer’s disease.
• What we know about age-related dementia.

In the upcoming part two of Tommy’s interview, Tommy shares ways that people can stimulate neuroplasticity in the adult brain.

STEM-Talk is an award-winning podcast from the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition that hosts conversations with the leading minds in science and technology. Listen on your favorite platform or browse our library at https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalks/