257 ‒ Cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and head injuries: mitigation and prevention strategies

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Tommy Wood is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, where he studies brain injury and how lifestyle choices and environmental factors contribute to brain health, cognitive function, and chronic disease. In this episode, Tommy delves into the complexities of age-related cognitive decline and explores interventions to counteract it. Drawing from his experience working with Formula 1 drivers, he highlights the connection between cognitive function and the right type of demands and training leading to improvement. Next, he explores the various theories on the different types of pathology in dementia and neurodegeneration. He makes the case that a large fraction of dementia is preventable through lifestyle choices and nutrient status, and provides an in-depth overview of interventions and supplements that support cognitive function. Finally, he provides a comprehensive overview of head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), discussing symptoms, how to mitigate damage following an incident, and long-term management.

We discuss:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:00:08 - Tommy’s professional work, unique skill sets, and interests
0:03:27 - Age-related decline in cognitive function and memory
0:19:58 - Improving brain function with the right level and type of demand
0:32:57 - Formula 1 as a model for how to perform under high cognitive demand and how to increase multitasking capacity
0:39:54 - Advice for the person reaching middle life looking to mitigate cognitive decline
0:48:42 - Tasks and activities that support and improve cognitive function
0:53:25 - Neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease: exploring the role of amyloid and tau proteins
1:11:48 - Why Tommy believes dementia research funding should be focused on environmental and lifestyle-based risk factors
1:15:57 - Benefits of lowering homocysteine and boosting omega-3’s, and evidence-based supplements that support cognitive function
1:29:40 - A unifying theory of dementia
1:33:29 - How muscular strength can help with both the prevention and survivability of dementia
1:39:24 - Head injuries: comparing concussions against traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), mitigating the damage after an incident, and the long-term management of head injuries
1:58:33 - Is hyperbaric oxygen treatment helpful after a TBI?
2:03:07 - Supplements that aid recovery from a TBI: creatine, DHA, and choline
2:12:16 - Demands faced by F1 drivers, and testing interventions to improve their performance

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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 60 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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