Ep. 622 Brain Fog, Cognitive Reserve, and Dementia Prevention with Dr. Tommy Wood | Menopause, Perimenopause, Brain Health

Today, I’m honored to reconnect with Dr. Tommy Wood. He is a neuroscientist, a performance coach, and an elite-level professional nerd. He's also currently an associate professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington. He received his bachelor's in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, a medical degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Oslo. In our conversation, we discuss his new book, The Stimulated Mind, and he explains how dementia is a confluence of factors that accumulate over decades, important contributors to dementia, and ways we can help prevent it. We explore the concept of headroom, specific risk factors for neurocognitive decline, brain fog in midlife, the 10-year HRT timing window, and the evidence supporting these concepts. Dr. Tommy shares what we can learn from his work with elite-level athletes, along with some of the biggest misconceptions in the brain health space, and his 3s model of stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply. He also explains why nutritional status matters for neurocognitive function. Stay tuned for today’s insightful conversation with Dr. Tommy Wood. I loved his new book, The Stimulated Mind, and it will definitely be part of my must-reads for 2026! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Why dementia is not one single disease but a clinical outcome with multiple causes How sleep, oral health, nutritional status, and chronic inflammation may all influence dementia risk What headroom is, and the factors that help maintain it and protect cognitive function How the disease processes leading to dementia often begin decades before symptoms appear What the research suggests about the best time to start hormone therapy for brain health How Formula One drivers and elite athletes tend to prioritize sleep, nutrition, recovery, and focused work over chasing perfection How frequent notifications and interruptions train the brain to expect distraction, making sustained concentration more difficult How both overeating and chronic under-fueling can impair brain health How lifestyle changes can reduce dementia risk, even in people with APOE4 Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Tommy Wood On his website On Instagram The Stimulated Mind Substack