Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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.
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.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Dr. Tommy Wood Introduction
2:04 Your Brain Is Not Destined to Decline
10:14 What Dementia Actually Is
13:28 How Much Dementia Can We Prevent?
18:22 The 3S Model for Brain Health
27:01 Blood Sugar, Blood Flow and Brain Health
34:47 Metabolic Health, GLP-1s and Dementia Risk
40:29 The Nutrients Your Brain Needs
48:32 Creatine and Cognitive Health
57:28 Why Sleep and Recovery Protect the Brain
1:01:00 What Most People Get Wrong About Dementia
1:02:51 If Dementia Runs in Your Family
1:10:14 The Early Signs of Cognitive Decline
1:14:48 Can Cognitive Decline Be Reversed?
Learn more about Tommy here: drtommywood.com
Tommy’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
💥 Support our sponsors and get exclusive discounts: findingmastery.com/sponsors
📬 Sign up for the Finding Mastery newsletter: findingmastery.com/newsletter
🧠 Download Dr. Mike’s Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
#FindingMastery #TommyWood #DrMichaelGervais #TheStimulatedMind #BrainHealth #Neuroscience #Dementia #CognitiveHealth #Longevity #Healthspan #Neuroplasticity #Sleep #Nutrition #Creatine #HighPerformance #Psychology
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.
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.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Dr. Tommy Wood Introduction
2:04 Your Brain Is Not Destined to Decline
10:14 What Dementia Actually Is
13:28 How Much Dementia Can We Prevent?
18:22 The 3S Model for Brain Health
27:01 Blood Sugar, Blood Flow and Brain Health
34:47 Metabolic Health, GLP-1s and Dementia Risk
40:29 The Nutrients Your Brain Needs
48:32 Creatine and Cognitive Health
57:28 Why Sleep and Recovery Protect the Brain
1:01:00 What Most People Get Wrong About Dementia
1:02:51 If Dementia Runs in Your Family
1:10:14 The Early Signs of Cognitive Decline
1:14:48 Can Cognitive Decline Be Reversed?
Learn more about Tommy here: drtommywood.com
Tommy’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
💥 Support our sponsors and get exclusive discounts: findingmastery.com/sponsors
📬 Sign up for the Finding Mastery newsletter: findingmastery.com/newsletter
🧠 Download Dr. Mike’s Morning Mindset Routine: findingmastery.com/morningmindset
#FindingMastery #TommyWood #DrMichaelGervais #TheStimulatedMind #BrainHealth #Neuroscience #Dementia #CognitiveHealth #Longevity #Healthspan #Neuroplasticity #Sleep #Nutrition #Creatine #HighPerformance #Psychology
