645: The truth about cognitive decline and what you can do about it | Tommy Wood, M.D., Ph.D.

The mindbodygreen Podcast

mindbodygreen

Alternative Health, Health & Fitness

4.5 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 12 April 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“It should be possible to maintain stable cognitive function into your eighth and ninth decades. But we don't really internalize that. We expect decline, and because we expect decline, we're less likely to engage in those things.” Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist, Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and author of The Stimulated Mind. With degrees from Cambridge and Oxford, he has published more than 100 scientific papers and lectured worldwide on brain health, metabolism, and human performance. He also serves as a performance consultant to world-class athletes, including Olympians and Formula 1 drivers, and co-founded the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine. This podcast was created in sponsorship with ⁠Toyota⁠. Find a vehicle that makes memorable moments happen, from the 2026 RAV4 and Sienna to the Highlander and Grand Highlander. Plan the trip, pack the trunk, gather your crew, and go places—together. ⁠Toyota⁠: People are the destination. 00:00 - What we know about brain biomarkers 03:59 - Dementia risk is modifiable 06:29 - Why you should get your steps in 08:52 - The effect of exercise on the hippocampus 15:05 - Muscle is a brain organ 20:42 - Give your brain the fuel it needs 25:12 - Creatine & brain health 27:22 - The convenience crisis 29:54 - The importance of making mistakes 31:30 - How to stimulate your brain enough 33:31 - Social connection = medicine 35:45 - Tommy’s dream study 38:12 - The optimization trap Referenced in the episode: Buy Tommy’s book here: https://a.co/d/0aUGHI9s Find Tommy on his website: https://www.drtommywood.com/ The Pointer Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2837046 The Lancet Study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract London Cab Driver Study: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.070039597 We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the My Buddy Green podcast. I'm Jason Wacob, founder and co-CEO of My Buddy Green and your host.
0:07.3	This podcast was created in sponsorship with Toyota. At My Buddy Green, we believe in a well-lived life is one you share with people you love. The right vehicle makes that possible.
0:16.8	The 2026 Toyota Rav4 is built for all of life's moments, big and small.
0:21.9	Need more room for the crew? The Toyota Highlander comfortably seats up to eight.
0:26.0	For bigger plans, the Toyota Grand Highlander offers spacious comfort and smart storage.
0:31.3	When families at the center of it all, the Toyota Sienna brings flexibility to support every chapter.
0:36.7	No matter where you're headed,
0:38.2	the right vehicle turns travel time into together time. Learn more at Toyota.com. People are the
0:44.6	destination. Most of us assume that cognitive decline is just part of getting older, something
0:52.9	written under genetics or our family
0:54.6	history. But what if the biggest threat to your brain isn't your APOE4 gene or your amyloid levels,
1:00.2	it's the convenience of modern life, where we have engineered out every obstacle our brain needs
1:05.6	to stay sharp. Today's guest is Dr. Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist at the forefront of brain health, cognitive
1:11.5	decline, and traumatic brain injury. He holds degrees from Oxford and Cambridge at his new book,
1:16.7	The Stimulated Mind, makes the case that the tools most likely to protect your brain aren't even
1:21.6	found in a lab test. They're found in how you move, how you eat, how you challenge yourself,
1:26.7	and how you connect with other
1:28.3	people. What opens up about the years he's spent letting a bad night of sleep ruin his next day
1:33.4	and the best protocol he is found for maintaining brain health. What he found changed how he
1:38.7	operates and I think it'll change how you think about performance too. Let's dive in.
1:47.1	So, Ted. change how you think about performance too. Let's dive in. So testing has come such a long way in the past few years with regards to our cognitive health.
1:56.4	And, you know, we can do genetic testing. And look, do we have the APOE4 gene?
	...

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