STEM-Talk: Tommy Wood shares science-backed strategies to enhance your mental sharpness

Dr. Tommy Wood rejoins Drs. Ken Ford and Dawn Kernagis for the second of his two-part interview about his just released book, “The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age.”

Tommy is a neuroscientist and 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 two of his interview, Tommy shares science-backed strategies to enhance mental sharpness and prevent cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease. Dawn and Ken talk to Tommy about how to future-proof our brains and the importance of diet and exercise for brain health. Tommy also emphasizes the importance of stimulating and challenging our brains by learning new things throughout our lifespans. In part one of his interview, episode 193, Tommy discussed the history of neuroscience as well as his mission to dispel the myth that the brain is doomed to decline with age.

In episode 194, Tommy also talks about:

— How what we eat has a direct effect on our long-term health and dementia risk.

— The importance of nutrients and how women on average are lower in B12, iron, iodine, and calcium, while men are typically lower in magnesium, zinc, and various B vitamins.

— His thoughts on red meat and fish consumption.

— The genetic basis for dementia and Alzheimer’s, particularly regarding the APOE genotypes.

— How brain health is tied closely to the extent we stimulate our brains, especially as we age.

— How retirement is a point in someone’s life where their cognitive abilities are most at risk.

— How social media and AI are affecting our brains.

The Stimulated Mind is now available in bookstores as well as Amazon and other booksellers. Be sure to check out part one of Tommy’s interview, episode 193.