Testosterone for women: what the evidence actually shows vs. what social media is selling you.

Testosterone has become the hormone every midlife woman is told she is missing: the third hormone lost at menopause, the fix for brain fog, low energy, stubborn weight, and thinning muscle.

The science tells a different and more reassuring story.

In this episode, Dr. Ayesha Sherzai sits down with Professor Susan Davis, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, the clinician-researcher and academic endocrinologist who gathered much of the data and helped write the global guidelines, to separate what the research supports from what is simply being sold.

Your Brain On... Testosterone [Season 7, Episode 7]

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In this episode:

Why testosterone does not crash at menopause the way estrogen does, and what actually changes across a woman's life What the research shows about testosterone and memory, brain fog, and dementia risk The real story on testosterone for muscle, bone, and anti-aging claims Why women tend to gain a little weight on testosterone rather than lose it The one use with genuine evidence behind it: low sexual desire after menopause that causes real distress Why more is not better, and what high-dose testosterone actually does What is really inside compounded creams, injections, and testosterone pellets sold at med spas Why routine testosterone blood testing generates bills and anxiety rather than answers Why there is no such thing as testosterone deficiency in women How to tell an evidence-based clinician from a sales pitch What genuinely protects a woman's aging brain, and why connection matters more than any hormone

Professor Susan Davis is a consulting endocrinologist at Monash University in Melbourne, where she directs a leading women's health research program. She has studied testosterone in women since the 1990s and is the lead author of the Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women, endorsed by the International Menopause Society, The Endocrine Society, and menopause and obstetric societies around the world.

References:

Does testosterone crash at menopause?
Wang Y, Islam RM, Bond M, Davis SR. Testosterone and pre-androgens by age and menopausal stage at midlife: findings from a cross-sectional study. EBioMedicine. 2025;121:105972. PMID: 41106025.
Davis SR, Bell RJ, Robinson PJ, et al. Testosterone and estrone increase from the age of 70 years: findings from the Sex Hormones in Older Women Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;104(12):6291?6300. PMID: 31408149.
Islam RM, Bell RJ, Handelsman DJ, Robinson PJ, Wolfe R, Davis SR. Longitudinal changes over three years in sex steroid hormone levels in women aged 70 years and over. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2021;94(3):443?448. PMID: 33351205.

Does testosterone improve memory or protect against dementia?
Sultana F, Davis SR, Wolfe RS, McNeil JJ, Islam RM. Associations between blood sex hormones, cognitive decline and incident dementia in community-dwelling older Australian women: a prospective cohort study. Climacteric. 2025;28(4):446?455. PMID: 40085743.
Sultana F, Islam RM, Davis SR. Associations between declining testosterone concentrations and cognitive performance in community-dwelling older Australian women: a prospective cohort study. Climacteric. 2026;29(1):46?52.

What does testosterone therapy actually do?
Islam RM, Bell RJ, Green S, Page MJ, Davis SR. Safety and efficacy of testosterone for women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial data. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019;7(10):754?766. PMID: 31353194.

What do the global guidelines say?
Davis SR, Baber R, Panay N, et al. Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;104(10):4660?4666. PMID: 31498871.

Can a blood test diagnose low testosterone?
Wang Y, Islam RM, Hodge A, Handelsman DJ, Karim MN, Bond M, Davis SR. Associations between testosterone and pre-androgens and sexual function: findings from the Australian Women's Midlife Years Study. Fertility and Sterility. 2026.

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The neurologist who built the test that was used on the President of the United States explains what memory tests actually tell you, and why even a perfect score isn't the whole picture.

We sit down with Dr. Ziad Nasreddine, the neurologist who created the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), to look at how memory is actually measured, why a score can be shaped by your education and how comfortable you are with tests, and what separates a quick screen from a full neuropsychological evaluation.

The conversation opens with a patient who passed a short memory screen but whose family knew something was wrong, and what a deeper test revealed. From there it moves to how the MoCA works, how it became famous after a presidential exam (and the memorization problem that followed), why your education and nerves can shift a score, and why the real progress against dementia is happening in detection and prevention, not treatment.

A memory test is not a verdict. Its value is early, honest information, and what you can do once you have it.

In this episode:

What the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) measures, and why it was designed to catch the earliest changes rather than advanced dementia How a quick memory screen differs from a full neuropsychological evaluation, and what a score actually represents Why education, language, and familiarity with testing can change your score even when your cognition is fine The story behind the MoCA becoming famous after a US presidential exam, and the memorization problem that followed XpressO, a free at-home cognitive pre-screener, and what a green result does and does not mean Why detection and prevention, not treatment, are where the real progress against dementia is happening right now The difference between slowing decline and reversing it, and why a diagnosis of dementia cannot be undone What the 2024 Lancet Commission's modifiable risk factors mean for your everyday choices How movement and social connection show up in the data on cognitive decline How to read a health headline: effect size, clinical versus statistical significance, and why a small change can be sold as a breakthrough

Dr. Ziad Nasreddine is a neurologist and the creator of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which he first developed in 1996 and spent nine years validating. It has since been translated into more than 50 languages and is used in over 100 countries, making it one of the most widely used cognitive tests in medicine. He completed his cognitive neurology fellowship at UCLA under Dr. Jeffrey Cummings. His more recent work includes XpressO, a free at-home pre-screener, and MoCA Solo, an AI-administered version of the test.

Resources:

The MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) XpressO (free at-home cognitive pre-screener) Our 2026 Brain Health Retreat

Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai

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We're more connected than ever, yet, we've never been lonelier.

We sit down with neuroscientist Dr. Ben Rein, author of Why Brains Need Friends, to look at what isolation does to the brain and body, why we badly underestimate our own social skills, and how to build real connection back into ordinary life.

The conversation opens 45,000 years ago, with a healed bone that points to one of the earliest signs of human caregiving. From there it moves to the present: why "rejection hurts because it used to kill," how chronic loneliness raises cortisol and inflammation, and why regular social connection lowers the risk of dementia, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression.

In this episode:

The 45,000-year-old skeleton (Shanidar 1) that points to the origins of human caregiving and friendship Why "rejection hurts because it used to kill," and how that ancient circuitry still runs in the modern brain What chronic loneliness does to cortisol, inflammation, and long-term disease risk The research on solitary confinement and why isolation tracks with higher mortality How regular social connection lowers the risk of dementia, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression The commuter-train experiment that shows strangers want to connect far more than we expect Introverts vs extroverts: the "plant watering" model for finding your own social dose The social diet: why a healthy social life, like a healthy plate, needs variety Why digital interaction flattens the social cues your brain evolved to read The Dunbar number, the loss of "third places," and the young men's loneliness epidemic One small, science-backed thing to try this week

Dr. Ben Rein is a neuroscientist, science communicator, and author of Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection (Penguin Random House). He is chief science officer of the Mind Science Foundation, an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, and a clinical assistant professor at SUNY Buffalo. His research focuses on the neuroscience of social interaction, and he teaches neuroscience to more than 1 million followers online.

Resources:

Why Brains Need Friends (book) Dr. Ben Rein Our 2026 Brain Health Retreat

Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai

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Researchers found people who ate these 9 foods consistently had brains that aged 7.5 years slower.

Not a supplement stack, not a protocol, not a hack. A pattern of real food that keeps showing up across decades and across the world.

It's called the MIND diet, and it's what we're breaking down in this episode.

We explore the scoring system behind the MIND diet with a registered dietician who came to brain health through her own mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis, and who has spent 20 years helping real women in real kitchens make these changes stick.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What the MIND diet actually is: a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets built at Rush University to target brain health specifically, and why the acronym uses the word "delay," not "reversal" The 10 brain-healthy foods and 5 foods to limit, and why the scoring system rewards you for progress, not perfection: full adherence lowered Alzheimer's risk by 53%, and even moderate adherence cut it by 35% Why leafy greens are the single most consistent finding in the field and the one change worth making first How berries, beans, nuts, olive oil, and omega-3s each contribute to the pattern, and why frozen and canned versions count just as much as fresh The problem with the term "ultra-processed food": why yogurt, tofu, and soy milk get mislabeled, and how a dietician actually talks to clients about it Why the protein conversation has gotten louder than the evidence: what 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram actually looks like, and why 150 grams a day is not a universal target Why wine was quietly dropped from the MIND diet recommendations and what the current evidence says about alcohol and brain health Midlife as a metabolic inflection point: why perimenopause and menopause change the equation for cardiovascular and brain health, and why it is not too late to start The 2024 Lancet Commission report adding LDL cholesterol as a modifiable risk factor for dementia, and when diet alone is not enough to manage it A week-one assignment: one leafy green every day for seven days, then build from there

Barbie Boules is a registered dietician with more than 20 years of experience in women's health and brain health nutrition. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2022, and her work bridges clinical evidence with practical, accessible meal planning for women in midlife.

Follow Barbie: https://www.instagram.com/the_cognition_dietitian 

Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai

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It's 3 AM and your brain won't shut off. About 1 in 10 adults meets the clinical definition of chronic insomnia, and most never get treated. Instead, they scroll through an endless aisle of magnesium gummies, melatonin, and $300 trackers that don't address the real problem.

We brought in a neurologist and a psychologist who never spoke to each other and landed on almost the exact same conclusions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How the brain's glymphatic cleaning system works during sleep and why chronic insomnia is a brain health problem Why melatonin is a darkness signal, not a sleeping pill, and how nocturnal animals prove the point A sleep neurologist's honest 1-to-10 ratings of every sleep aid you've heard of: magnesium (2/10), CBT-I (10/10), alcohol (-10/10), and 12 more What orthosomnia is and why your sleep tracker might be making your insomnia worse Why perimenopause and menopause create what one expert calls "a perfect storm" for sleep disruption, and why doctors keep missing sleep apnea in women How CBT-I works: sleep restriction, stimulus control, and why your therapist will tell you to spend less time in bed, not more The data showing CBT-I may outperform hormone therapy for menopausal insomnia ACT therapy for insomnia: a different approach for people who get more anxious from CBT-I Blue light, naps, the 8-hour rule, catching up on weekends: what holds up and what doesn't Five steps to start tonight, and why you should pick just two

Dr. Sujay Kansagra is a pediatric neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Duke University, director of Duke's Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program, and author of "My Child Won't Sleep."
Follow Dr. Kansagra: @thatsleepdoc

Dr. Shelby Harris is a clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine specialist. She treats insomnia in women during perimenopause and menopause and is the author of "The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia."
Website: drshelbyharris.com
Follow Dr. Harris: @SleepDocShelby

Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai
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Headlines warned us about microplastics in our brains. A chemist says the study may have been measuring brain fat instead.

In 2025, a study claiming microplastics accumulate in human brain tissue dominated our feeds. We covered it. Then Dr. Michelle Wong, a chemical scientist and science communicator, flagged a problem with the methodology.

So we went to the primary literature, read the critique, and brought in one of the first scientists to publicly challenge the findings: Dr. Oliver Jones, Professor of Analytical Chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne.

In this episode, we unpack what went wrong with the measurement method, what it means for the broader microplastics conversation, and why being willing to say "I was wrong" is so vital for good science.

In this episode:

How pyrolysis GC-MS works and why it can confuse plastic breakdown products with brain fat Why potassium hydroxide digestion creates soap, which also mimics plastic signatures The contamination problem: body bags, centrifuge tubes, plastic storage containers, and lab air Why 7 grams of microplastic per brain is more than what researchers find in raw sewage The Marfella study in The New England Journal of Medicine: microplastics in arterial plaques and why it also lacked blank controls How microplastics could enter the body: skin absorption, ingestion, and inhalation Why PM2.5 monitoring already captures the most relevant airborne microplastic exposure What the WHO, FDA, and European Food Safety Authority have concluded about microplastic harm What better microplastics research would actually look like Why the real lesson is about how we evaluate headlines, not just microplastics

Dr. Oliver Jones is Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Associate Dean of Biosciences and Food Technology at RMIT University in Melbourne. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI), he holds degrees from Imperial College London and Cambridge. He is one of only 118 scientists worldwide named to the IUPAC Periodic Table of Outstanding Younger Chemists. His research focuses on developing methods to measure environmental contaminants, including microplastics, and he was among the first scientists to publicly challenge the methodology of the viral "microplastics in the brain" study.

Follow Dr. Jones: @dr_oli_jones
RMIT faculty page: rmit.edu.au/oliver-jones

Dr. Michelle Wong (Lab Muffin Beauty Science) first flagged the methodological concerns to us.

Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai
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Menopause hormone therapy and your brain: what the evidence says vs. what the algorithm is selling you.

Two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women. That statistic has fueled a social media narrative that hormone therapy can prevent dementia, but the current evidence doesn't support that claim. In this episode, Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai sit down with OBGYN Dr. Jen Gunter and neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay to separate the science from the soundbites.

Your Brain On... Menopause Hormone Therapy [Season 7, Episode 1]

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In this episode:

Why menopause hormone therapy is the gold standard for hot flashes and night sweats but not a proven tool for dementia prevention The Women's Health Initiative: what it actually found, how the press conference distorted the findings, and what we've learned since Why "bioidentical hormones" is a marketing term, not a medical one, and what that means for the products being sold to you How the hypothalamus drives vasomotor symptoms and why sleep disruption may explain much of the cognitive fog women experience at midlife The high placebo response rate with hormone therapy and why dose escalation can mask a missed diagnosis Why the simplistic narrative of "women get more Alzheimer's, so it must be menopause, so give hormones" falls apart under scrutiny How over-testing, unregulated lab panels, and wearable hormone data can create more anxiety than answers The case for perimenopause as a life stage, not a disease, and why medicalizing normal midlife stress upholds harmful structures What the aging brain actually gains: vocabulary, emotional processing, wisdom, complex problem-solving, and the capacity to hold nuance 7 evidence-based actions you can take this week for your brain health, no prescription required Why the FDA's removal of the black box warning on hormone therapy was released without context and what happened next on social media The new neurokinin receptor antagonists and why they could change how we study the relationship between hot flashes and brain health

00:00 Intro

01:09 Why the menopause hormone therapy conversation matters

07:10 Dr. Jen Gunter: the dangerous dichotomy around MHT

10:20 The Women's Health Initiative, revisited

16:25 Who is menopause hormone therapy actually for?

18:20 The placebo response nobody talks about

22:33 When does perimenopause actually start?

26:00 Does MHT actually prevent dementia?

29:11 "Bioidentical" is not a medical term

36:27 The problem with unregulated hormone testing

41:08 How to advocate for yourself at the doctor

44:36 New drugs that could change menopause research

47:17 The pTau217 study and what it means for women on MHT

52:20 Dr. Sarah McKay: what happens in your brain during menopause

59:34 The oversimplified estrogen-Alzheimer's story

1:04:13 When social media primes your symptoms

1:11:18 What the aging brain actually gains

1:21:35 Grandmothers rule the world!

1:25:43 What MHT is actually good for

1:26:28 7 things to do for your brain

Dr. Jen Gunter is an OBGYN, pain medicine physician, New York Times columnist, and bestselling author of The Menopause Manifesto, The Vagina Bible, and Blood. She writes The Vajenda on Substack and is one of the most prominent voices challenging misinformation in women's health.

Dr. Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist, science communicator, and author of The Women's Brain Book. She is the founder of The Neuroscience Academy and Think Brain training programs.

References: North American Menopause Society 2022 Hormone Therapy Guidelines: menopause.org Australasian Menopause Society: menopause.org.au The Vajenda (Substack): jenssubstack.com

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Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai. Subscribe to The Synapse (free weekly newsletter): thebraindocs.com/newsletter Follow @TheBrainDocs on Instagram

Most people think dementia starts with memory loss. But for millions, it actually begins decades earlier: in the blood vessels.

Long before someone forgets a name or misses an appointment, the brain is being quietly damaged by high blood pressure, cholesterol imbalance, poor sleep, inflammation, and chronic stress, day after day, year after year.

This kind of damage doesn't look dramatic. There's no big stroke, no clear warning sign. It happens slowly and silently, which is why it's so often missed until it's too late.

But here's the good news: vascular dementia is one of the most preventable and manageable forms of cognitive decline. When caught early, lifestyle changes and medical interventions can help slow the onset and manage the effects.

In this episode, we explore:

What vascular dementia and vascular cognitive impairment are, and how they differ from Alzheimer's disease Why most dementia cases involve both vascular damage and neurodegenerative pathology (mixed dementia) How blood vessel damage begins in childhood and accumulates silently for decades The role of high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, sleep disorders, and chronic stress in damaging brain vasculature Why slowed thinking, movement, and processing speed are hallmark signs of vascular cognitive decline The critical importance of the endothelium: the thin lining of blood vessels that controls brain health How lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management protect and repair vascular health Why managing blood pressure early is one of the most powerful interventions for long-term brain health (and why everyone should have a blood pressure monitor at home!) How vascular damage can be slowed, even in midlife Practical steps for prevention across the lifespan, from childhood through older adulthood

Our guest for this episode is DR. COLUMBUS BATISTE, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, an incredible science communicator, and author of 'Selfish: A Cardiologist's Guide to Healing a Broken Heart'. Dr. Batiste brings deep expertise on how cardiovascular health shapes brain health, and why protecting the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels) is foundational to longevity. His work emphasizes that all roads to longevity are paved by the heart, and what's good for the heart is good for the brain!

'Your Brain On?' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World, a science-based brain health community designed to help you protect your brain long before problems begin. Learn more at https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On? Vascular Dementia' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 8

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LINKS

Dr. Columbus Batiste: https://drbatiste.com/ 

Instagram: @HeartHealthyDoc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drbatiste 

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FOLLOW US

Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/  

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebraindocs

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REFERENCES

Core Definitions & Diagnostic Framework

? Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) - American Psychiatric Publishing

? Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia - https://doi.org/10.1161/STR.0b013e3182299496

? Classifying neurocognitive disorders: The DSM-5 approach - https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2014.181 

Epidemiology & Public Health Burden

? Neuropathological diagnosis of vascular cognitive impairment and vascular dementia with implications for Alzheimer's disease - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-016-1571-z

? Vascular dementia - https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00463-8 

? Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines - WHO Press

Small Vessel Disease & Subcortical Vascular Dementia

? Small vessel disease: Mechanisms and clinical implications - https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(19)30079-1 

? Cerebral small vessel disease: From pathogenesis and clinical characteristics to therapeutic challenges - https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(10)70104-6 

? The clinical importance of white matter hyperintensities on brain magnetic resonance imaging - https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c3666 

Mixed Dementia & Alzheimer?Vascular Overlap

? Mixed brain pathologies account for most dementia cases in community-dwelling older persons - https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000271090.28148.24

? Early role of vascular dysregulation on late-onset Alzheimer's disease - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.04.009

? The pathobiology of vascular dementia - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.008 

Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA)

? Cerebral amyloid angiopathy and Alzheimer disease?one peptide, two pathways - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-019-0281-2

? Emerging concepts in sporadic cerebral amyloid angiopathy - https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx047

Genetics, Inflammation, and Repair

? Apolipoprotein E controls cerebrovascular integrity via cyclophilin A - https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11087

? TREM2?A key player in microglial biology and Alzheimer disease - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-018-0072-1 

Prevention & Vascular Risk Factors

? Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission - https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6 

? Lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer disease - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-018-0070-3 

Further Reading

? The role of vascular risk factors in Alzheimer's disease - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-021-00530-4

Cold plunges are everywhere, and the way people talk about them, you'd think they're a miracle cure for your brain, body, and soul.

But in an age of algorithm-fueled evangelism, when a ritual becomes this ubiquitous and loud, we have to ask: how much of the buzz is backed by science? and how much is just marketing?

In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of cold exposure: what's real, what's overstated, and why this "discomfort" has become a billion-dollar industry.

We discuss:

Why cold plunges went viral, and how wellness movements often devolve into identity-driven cultures The difference between cold exposure itself and the monetized "cold plunge movement" What constitutes a "cult" (and how pseudoscience forms around partial truths) The real physiological cold shock response Why the mental "high" after a plunge doesn't automatically equal long-term brain benefit The cardiovascular risks that rarely get discussed, especially for people with underlying heart disease What the research suggests about soreness, pain reduction, and muscle growth (including why cold immersion can blunt hypertrophy) The real story behind brown fat Who should avoid cold plunges altogether (asthma, arrhythmias, coronary disease, vascular conditions)

Joining us for this conversation is investigative journalist and bestselling author Scott Carney (What Doesn't Kill Us, The Wedge), who has spent years inside the cold exposure world, first as a skeptic, then as a believer, and eventually as a critic of the culture that formed around it. His work reveals what happens when discomfort becomes identity, and when unfounded "social media science" outruns real science.

Your Brain On... is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: neuroworldretreat.com

Your Brain On... Cold Plunges ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 7

REFERENCES

Cold Water Immersion, Muscle Adaptation, and Recovery

Roberts, L. A., Raastad, T., Markworth, J. F., Figueiredo, V. C., Egner, I. M., Shield, A., Cameron-Smith, D., Coombes, J. S., & Peake, J. M. (2015). Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signalling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training. Journal of Physiology, 593(18), 4285?4301. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP270570

Bleakley, C. M., McDonough, S. M., & MacAuley, D. C. (2004). The use of ice in the treatment of acute soft-tissue injury: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(1), 251?261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546503260757

Leeder, J., Gissane, C., van Someren, K., Gregson, W., & Howatson, G. (2012). Cold water immersion and recovery from strenuous exercise: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 46(4), 233?240. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2011-090061

White, G. E., & Wells, G. D. (2013). Cold-water immersion and other forms of cryotherapy: Physiological changes potentially affecting recovery from high-intensity exercise. Sports Medicine, 43(8), 695?706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0055-8

Kellmann, M., Bertollo, M., Bosquet, L., Brink, M., Coutts, A. J., Duffield, R., Erlacher, D., Halson, S. L., Hecksteden, A., Heidari, J., Kölling, S., Meyer, T., Mujika, I., Robazza, C., Skorski, S., Venter, R., & Beckmann, J. (2018). Recovery and performance in sport: Consensus statement. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13(2), 240?245. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2017-0759

Inflammation, Pain, and Perceived Recovery

Hohenauer, E., Taeymans, J., Baeyens, J. P., Clarys, P., & Clijsen, R. (2015). The effect of post-exercise cryotherapy on recovery characteristics: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 10(9), e0139028. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139028

Costello, J. T., Culligan, K., Selfe, J., & Donnelly, A. E. (2012). Muscle, skin and core temperature after ?110°C cold air and 8°C water treatment. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e48190. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048190

Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) ? Human Imaging & Metabolism

van Marken Lichtenbelt, W. D., Vanhommerig, J. W., Smulders, N. M., Drossaerts, J. M., Kemerink, G. J., Bouvy, N. D., Schrauwen, P., & Teule, G. J. (2009). Cold-activated brown adipose tissue in healthy men. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(15), 1500?1508. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0808718

Virtanen, K. A., Lidell, M. E., Orava, J., Heglind, M., Westergren, R., Niemi, T., Taittonen, M., Laine, J., Savisto, N. J., Enerbäck, S., & Nuutila, P. (2009). Functional brown adipose tissue in healthy adults. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(15), 1518?1525. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0808949

Betz, M. J., & Enerbäck, S. (2015). Human brown adipose tissue: What we have learned so far. Diabetes, 64(7), 2352?2360. https://doi.org/10.2337/db15-0146

Autonomic Nervous System, HRV, and Cold Exposure

Mourot, L., Bouhaddi, M., Regnard, J., Tordi, N., & Rouillon, J. D. (2008). Cardiac autonomic control during short-term exposure to cold water in humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 104(3), 541?547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0810-3

Janský, L., Pospí?ilová, D., Honzová, S., Uli?ný, B., ?rámek, P., Zeman, V., & Kamínková, J. (1996). Immune system of cold-exposed and cold-adapted humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 72(5?6), 445?450. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00242276

Cardiovascular Stress and Cold Shock

Tipton, M. J., Collier, N., Massey, H., Corbett, J., & Harper, M. (2017). Cold water immersion: Kill or cure? Experimental Physiology, 102(11), 1335?1355. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP086283

Tipton, M. J., & Bradford, C. (2014). Cold water immersion and cold shock response. Extreme Physiology & Medicine, 3(1), 1?10. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-7648-3-7

Whole-Body Cryotherapy (Distinct From Cold Plunges)

Costello, J. T., Baker, P. R., Minett, G. M., Bieuzen, F., Stewart, I. B., & Bleakley, C. (2015). Whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015(9), CD010789. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010789.pub2

LINKS

Scott Carney's website: https://www.scottcarney.com/

FOLLOW US

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More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Around the start of 2026, a study sparked viral headlines claiming that cheese could reduce dementia risk.

But... nutrition science almost never works like this. One study can't "prove" a food is protective or harmful, and viral health claims often miss the most important details of research: how the data was gathered, what was actually measured, what variables were controlled for, and what it means in real life.

In this episode, we unpack what the 'viral cheese study' (PMID: 41406402) actually found, what it DOESN'T mean, and why critical thinking around nutrition headlines matters more than ever.

We discuss:

? Why viral food headlines are so persuasive (and so often misleading)

? What the cheese study REALLY reported

? The difference between correlation and causation in nutrition research

? Why long-term dietary recall data can be unreliable

? How bias (including our personal food preferences) shapes interpretation of research

? What "show me the data" really means in a world of clickbait science

? How to interpret food and brain health studies without falling into extremes

We also speak to Emily Sonestedt, research group leader and associate professor at Lund University, and one of the authors of the viral study.

"Your Brain On..." is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Cheese' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 6

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LINKS

The study, 'High- and Low-Fat Dairy Consumption and Long-Term Risk of Dementia: Evidence From a 25-Year Prospective Cohort Study': https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41406402/ 

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FOLLOW US

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More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Chemotherapy saves lives. But for millions, it also comes with side effects of cognitive fog, memory lapses, slowed thinking, and emotional flattening.

In the past, 'chemo brain' has sometimes been dismissed as anecdotal. But, as science has evolved, we've come to understand the very real shifts in attention, memory, processing speed, and emotional regulation underpinning the impairment.

In this episode, we break down what's happening in the brain during treatment, why these changes arise, and how healthier lifestyle choices can support our recovery.

In this episode, we explore:

? What 'chemo brain' really is (and why chemotherapy itself isn't the only thing contributing to it)
? How inflammation, hormonal shifts, anesthesia, sleep disruption, and chronic stress impact cognition during cancer
? The latest research on structural and functional brain changes during treatment
? Why many cognitive effects are temporary (and how neuroplasticity supports recovery)
? How cognitive fog intersects with identity loss and grief
? The role of nutrition in supporting clarity, energy, memory, and mood during chemotherapy
? How to navigate food fears, misinformation, and "miracle cancer diets"
? The importance of gentle movement, sleep consistency, and stress management
? How patients can advocate for themselves (including tips on what to discuss with their care team)

Bringing their perspectives and expertise to this episode are two wonderful guests:

? DR. LIZ O'RIORDAN: retired breast surgeon, author, and three-time breast cancer survivor, whose personal and clinical experience offers a rare, deeply human insight into cancer-related cognitive change.
? NICHOLE ANDREWS, RDN: oncology dietitian, educator, and advocate for evidence-based, fear-free nutrition during and after cancer treatment.

"Your Brain On..." is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Parkinson's' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 5

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LINKS

Dr. Liz O'Riordan:
Website: https://liz.oriordan.co.uk/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oriordanliz/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_t0jGeR8M4vCPSb68itjRQ 

Nichole Andrews, RDN:
Website: https://theoncologydietitian.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oncology.nutrition.rd/ 

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FOLLOW US

Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebraindocs 
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast 

From 18th century London to the promise of a global cure: the 200-year history of Parkinson's disease.

To mark the release of our 'Ask the MD' conversation with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and to welcome a new influx of listeners, we're sharing one of our very first episodes, first aired in August 2024.

Watch our full 'Ask the MD' interview, focused on lifestyle strategies for boosting brain health, on the foundation's website: https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/lifestyle-strategies-boost-brain-health-ask-md-video 

Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disorder most commonly characterized by tremors and other motor symptoms, is so complex, many medical professionals are starting to classify it as a group of diseases, rather than a single disease.

In this episode, we explain those complexities, including:

? The motor symptoms (e.g. cogwheel rigidity, bradykinesia) and non-motor symptoms (e.g. depression, sleep disorders)

? How the industrial revolution may have brought about environmental factors which contribute to Parkinson's

? The differences and similarities between Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's

? How Parkinson's manifests in our brains

? Why one nurse was able to detect Parkinson's through smell

? The neurogenetics of Parkinson's, and the ethical quandaries of evolving genetic technology

? Why lifestyle ? nutrition, exercise, etc. ? is so key to preventing and managing Parkinson's

Joining us for this extensive conversation are three incredible guests:

? Dr. Rachel Dolhun, Senior Vice President of Medical Communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

? Dr. Michael Okun, evolutionary biologist, movement disorders specialist, and Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases

? Dr. Matthew Farrer, neurogenetics expert and Professor Of Neurology at the University of Florida

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Parkinson's' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 4 (SEASON 3 REUPLOAD)

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LINKS

Dr. Rachel Dolhun:

At the Michael J. Fox Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/bio/rachel-dolhun-md-dipablm 

'Ask the MD' series: https://www.michaeljfox.org/ask-md 

The Michael J. Fox Foundation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaeljfoxfoundation/videos 

Dr. Michael Okun:

At the University of Florida: https://neurology.ufl.edu/profile/okun-michael/ 

The book 'Ending Parkinson's Disease': https://endingpd.org/ 

The Norman Fixel Institute: https://fixel.ufhealth.org/

Dr. Matthew Farrer:

At the University of Florida: https://neurology.ufl.edu/profile/farrer-matthew/

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References:

Bloem, B. R., Okun, M. S., & Klein, C. (2021). Parkinson's disease. The Lancet, 397(10291), 2284-2303.

Morris, H. R., Spillantini, M. G., Sue, C. M., & Williams-Gray, C. H. (2024). The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The Lancet, 403(10423), 293-304.

Dorsey, E., Sherer, T., Okun, M. S., & Bloem, B. R. (2018). The emerging evidence of the Parkinson pandemic. Journal of Parkinson's disease, 8(s1), S3-S8.

Dorsey, E. R., Okun, M. S., & Tanner, C. M. (2021). Bad Air and Parkinson Disease?The Fog May Be Lifting. JAMA neurology, 78(7), 793-795.

Tsalenchuk, M., Gentleman, S. M., & Marzi, S. J. (2023). Linking environmental risk factors with epigenetic mechanisms in Parkinson's disease. npj Parkinson's Disease, 9(1), 123.

Reynoso, A., Torricelli, R., Jacobs, B. M., Shi, J., Aslibekyan, S., Norcliffe?Kaufmann, L., ... & Heilbron, K. (2024). Gene?Environment Interactions for Parkinson's Disease. Annals of Neurology, 95(4), 677-687.

Golsorkhi, M., Sherzai, A., & Dashtipour, K. The Influence of Lifestyle on Parkinson's Disease Management. In Lifestyle Medicine, Fourth Edition (pp. 919-924). CRC Press.

Sherzai, A. Z., Tagliati, M., Park, K., Pezeshkian, S., & Sherzai, D. (2016). Micronutrients and risk of Parkinson's disease: a systematic review. Gerontology and geriatric medicine, 2, 2333721416644286.

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FOLLOW US 

Join NEURO 

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Carnivorous diets have been woven into our history for millennia, but, with nutrition science advancing at an unprecedented pace over the past century... do we really still need to be eating meat?

We live in a time of rising chronic disease, new longevity research, and a growing awareness of how our food choices shape our brain and our planet.

We're also constantly exposed to 'nutrition tribalism': social media communicators and influencers building identities (and livelihoods) around polarizing dietary debates.

It's a lot to navigate. So, we're cutting straight to the data in this episode.

Plus: we're pulling on the work and research we've done in many different communities to explore how going plant-based can be as much a cultural or logistical hurdle as a health-driven or ethics-based choice.

In this episode, we discuss:

Whether protein deficiency is a realistic concern

Protein myths: plant vs. animal

What the actual protein science says (and why most Americans already get more than enough)

The role of saturated fat, fiber, and the microbiome

Processed vs. unprocessed meat ? what matters most

How identity, culture, and family can make going plant-based challenging

How cooking method changes risk (yes, barbecue lovers? we go there)

Meat alternatives: healthful option or "ultra-processed trap"?

Practical, non-judgmental guidance for plant-forward or omnivorous eaters

 To give this divisive matter the nuance it deserves, we welcome three of the most authoritative voices in this space:

DR. CHRISTOPHER GARDNER: the Stanford nutrition scientist behind landmark diet trials (including DIETFITS).

DR. ADRIAN CHAVEZ: a nutrition researcher, educator, and consultant, who previously joined us for 'Your Brain On... Supplements'.

DR. MATTHEW NAGRA: a nutritionist and science communicator, who you might remember from 'Your Brain On... Protein'.

This is... Your Brain On Eating Meat.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/  

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Eating Meat' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 3

LINKS

Dr. Christopher Gardner

Dr. Christopher Gardner at Stanford: https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/christopher-gardner  

Dr. Christopher Gardner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cgardnerphd 

Dr. Adrian Chavez 

Dr. Adrian Chavez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.adrian.chavez 

Dr. Adrian Chavez's website: https://www.dradrianchavez.com/  

Dr. Adrian Chavez's Podcast: https://www.thenutritionsciencepodcast.com/ 

Dr. Matt Nagra

Dr. Matt Nagra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra 

Dr. Matt Nagra's website: https://drmatthewnagra.com/ 

Everyone eats. It's the one thing we all have in common. And yet, nutrition has become one of the most confusing, divisive, and misunderstood sciences in modern life.

Low-fat. High-fat. Keto. Vegan. Paleo. Superfoods. For every study, there's a headline that seems to say the opposite.

In this episode, we turn to one of the most trusted voices in nutrition research to cut through the noise: Dr. Walter Willett, MD, DrPH.

Dr. Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has spent more than four decades studying how what we eat affects our health, longevity, and brain function. His work has helped reshape dietary guidelines around the world, replacing fear and fads with clarity and evidence.

Together, we unpack what the science really says about diet and the brain: how food choices shape inflammation, cognition, and long-term disease risk, and what practical lessons decades of data can teach us about eating for life and longevity.

In this conversation, we discuss:

? How nutrition became so confusing (and what the data actually shows)
? Why the quality of fat matters more than the amount
? How refined carbohydrates fuel inflammation, insulin resistance, and brain fog
? The power of fiber and the microbiome for mood and memory
? Why plant-based proteins come out ahead for health and sustainability
? How global dietary guidelines are changing (and what's still misunderstood)
? The intersection of nutrition, planetary health, and human wellbeing

Dr. Walter Willett has authored over 2,000 scientific papers and several landmark books, including 'Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy'.

This is... Your Brain On Nutrition.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Nutrition' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 2

LINKS

Dr. Walter Willett at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: https://hsph.harvard.edu/profile/walter-c-willett/  

Dr. Willett's book, 'Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy': https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5579.Eat_Drink_and_Be_Healthy 

FOLLOW US

Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/thebraindocs 

Website: https://thebraindocs.com/ 

Autism isn't new, but our understanding of it has changed dramatically.

It's now recognized as a broad neurodevelopmental spectrum that shapes how millions of people perceive, process, and interact with the world.

In this episode, we explore what autism is AND isn't, from its earliest signs in infancy to its deep genetic roots, and why misinformation about it continues to spread.

We speak with three remarkable experts leading the field in early detection, genetics, and public education:

DR. AMI KLIN, PhD, Director of the Marcus Autism Center at Emory University and a pioneer in early autism research, whose work shows autism can be identified in babies as young as two months old.

DR. JOSEPH BUXBAUM, PhD, Director of the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai and a global leader in autism genetics, uncovering hundreds of genes linked to the condition.

DR. ANDREA LOVE, immunologist, microbiologist, and founder of ImmunoLogic, known for her clear, evidence-based communication about vaccines, immunity, and autism myths.

Together, we discuss:

? What autism really is, and how the definitions have evolved
? How it develops in infancy (and why early diagnosis can be so critical)
? The powerful genetic evidence behind autism
? The persistence of vaccine myths, and how misinformation spreads
? How technology like eye-tracking can detect autism early
? The rise of "profound autism" and what it means for families
? The future of genetics-based treatments and therapy

Whether you're autistic yourself, a parent navigating a new diagnosis, or simply seeking understanding, we're thrilled to share this extensive, in-depth episode with you.

This is... Your Brain On Autism.

SUPPORTED BY: the 2026 NEURO World Retreat. A 5-day journey through science, nature, and community, on the California coastline: https://www.neuroworldretreat.com/

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Autism' ? SEASON 6 ? EPISODE 1

LINKS

Dr. Ami Klin at Emory University: https://ctsn.emory.edu/faculty/klin-ami.html

Dr. Ami Klin at Marcus Autism Center: https://www.marcus.org/about-marcus-autism-center/meet-our-leadership/ami-klin 

Dr. Joseph Buxbaum at Mount Sinai: https://profiles.icahn.mssm.edu/joseph-d-buxbaum 

Dr. Andrea Love's website: https://www.immunologic.org/

Dr. Andrea Love on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrealove 

REFERENCES

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review. JAMA, 2023. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2800182 
Is There a Bias Towards Males in the Diagnosis of Autism? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11065-023-09630-2 
Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children's Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38592388/ 
Eye-Tracking?Based Measurement of Social Visual Engagement Compared With Expert Clinical Diagnosis of Autism. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2808996 
Rare coding variation provides insight into the genetic architecture and phenotypic context of autism. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01104-0 
Rare coding variation illuminates the allelic architecture, risk genes, cellular expression patterns, and phenotypic context of autism. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.20.21267194v1 
Andrew Wakefield and the fabricated history of the alleged vaccine-autism link. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2024/04/29/andrew-wakefield-and-the-fabricated-history-of-the-alleged-vaccine-autism-link/

VACCINES & AUTISM

1. Major Cohort Studies

Hviid et al., 2019 ? Annals of Internal Medicine
A nationwide study of 657,461 Danish children found no increased risk of autism in vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated peers ? even among those with risk factors such as a sibling with autism. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(8):513?520

Madsen et al., 2002 ? New England Journal of Medicine
In 537,303 Danish children, researchers found no difference in autism rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, and no relationship with age, timing, or date of vaccination. NEJM. 2002;347:1477?1482

Jain et al., 2015 ? Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
A U.S. cohort of 95,727 children ? including those with siblings with autism ? showed no link between MMR vaccination and autism risk, even in genetically predisposed children. JAMA. 2015;313(15):1534?1540

Madsen et al., 2003 ? JAMA
A study of 467,450 Danish children found no relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. JAMA. 2003;290(13):1763?1766

DeStefano et al., 2022 ? Vaccine
A retrospective cohort of over 500,000 U.S. children with ASD found no increase in adverse events or worsening of autism-related symptoms following vaccination. Vaccine. 2022;40(16):2391?2398

2. Population-Level Epidemiologic Evidence

Taylor et al., 1999 ? The Lancet
One of the earliest large epidemiological studies found autism prevalence was the same in vaccinated and unvaccinated children, and the age of onset was unrelated to the timing of MMR vaccination. Read: Lancet. 1999;353(9169):2026?2029

Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Immunization Safety Review, 2011
A global review of studies from the U.S., Denmark, Sweden, and the U.K. concluded there is no causal relationship between vaccination status and autism, and no plausible biological mechanism linking vaccines (including thimerosal) to ASD. Read: National Academies Press / PubMed 20669467

3. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Taylor et al., 2014 ? Vaccine
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 10 studies including over 1.2 million children found no association between vaccination and autism or ASD. Vaccine. 2014;32(29):3623?3629

Maglione et al., 2014 ? Pediatrics
Review of 67 high-quality studies covering the full U.S. immunization schedule concluded that vaccines are safe, adverse events are rare, and there is no link to autism, type 1 diabetes, or other chronic conditions. Pediatrics. 2014;134(2):325?337

Parker et al., 2004 ? Pediatrics
Systematic review of 10 primary studies examining thimerosal exposure found no relationship between vaccines and ASD. Authors noted that studies showing an association were methodologically flawed or biased, while robust studies consistently showed safety. Pediatrics. 2004;113(6):1904?1910

Offit & Hackett, 2003 ? Clinical Infectious Diseases
Review of immunology and epidemiology concluded that claims that vaccines "overwhelm" or "damage" the immune system are not biologically plausible based on how the immune system actually functions. Clin Infect Dis. 2003;46(9):1450?1456

Behind the staggering statistics on global diabetes prevalence are millions of individuals with different stories, struggles, and solutions.

In this episode, we explore how diabetes affects your brain, body, and cognition, and how it can be prevented, managed, and (in many cases) reversed.

We share some powerful personal stories from the clinic, bust some persistent food myths, and learn why diabetes is as much a neurological emergency as a metabolic one.

Plus, we speak to three leading experts who are changing the way we treat diabetes:

BRENDA DAVIS, RD: renowned dietitian and global authority on plant-based nutrition.

DR. MICHELLE MCMACKEN, MD: Executive Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals, Associate Professor at NYU, and public health leader.

DR. THEODORE FRIEDMAN: Professor and Chair of Internal Medicine at Charles Drew University.

In this episode, we discuss:

? The difference between Type 1, Type 2, and prediabetes
? How diabetes can contribute to cognitive decline
? The role of lipotoxicity and intramuscular fat in insulin resistance
? Why "cutting carbs" isn't the full story (and how to focus on food quality)
? How public health systems are evolving to make prevention accessible and equitable
? The real science behind CGMs (and why glucose spikes shouldn't cause a panic)
? How new drugs like Ozempic can support (but not replace) lifestyle change

This is... Your Brain On Diabetes.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. 

'Your Brain On... Diabetes' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 10 [FINALE]

Season 6, coming soon!

LINKS

Brenda Davis' website: https://brendadavisrd.com/

Dr. McMacken at NYC Health: https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/michelle-mcmacken

Dr. Theodore Friedman at CDU: https://www.cdrewu.edu/directory/friedman-md-phd-theodore/

Alzheimer's disease is constantly surrounded by myths and misinformation. Let's set the record straight.

In this episode, we bust through the most persistent Alzheimer's myths, with facts based on decades of clinical experience and cutting-edge research.

Myths include:

? "Alzheimer's is inevitable in old age"

? "It's all genetic, and there's nothing you can do"

? "There's no cure, so diagnosis is useless"

? "Supplements and vitamins can prevent or cure Alzheimer's"

? "Statins and vaccines cause Alzheimer's"

Plus many others.

We also share our science-backed insights and practical tips for helping you prevent cognitive decline, starting TODAY.

'Your Brain On... Alzheimer's (Mythbusting Special)' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 9

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

CONNECT WITH THE BRAIN DOCS

Website: https://thebraindocs.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebraindocs

With big changes happening in the Sherzai family household, we sat down for a roundtable discussion about the concept that will shape what we're all doing next: our purpose.

In this 'unplugged' mid-season chat, we're joined by our kids ? Sophia and Alex! ? for a wide-ranging conversation about our values and goals. How they form, how they falter, and how they evolve, in an increasingly noisy world.

Together, we discuss:

? The neurological and evolutionary importance of purpose

? How a firm sense of purpose can help us develop better habits

? The difference between 'internal' and 'external' purpose

? How we can stay focused on our values in the face of modern life's distractions

? The promises and pitfalls of AI in shaping (and potentially hijacking) our sense of purpose

Sophia ? now heading off to Boston! ? works in biomedical engineering and brain-computer interfaces.

And Alex (self-proclaimed Tetris champion) is focused on the intersection of brain health and artificial intelligence.

This is Your Brain On... Purpose, a Sherzai Family Special!

Creatine for Alzheimer's ? let's separate the hype from the hope.

A new study has caused a stir in June 2025, but lead researcher Matthew K. Taylor told us: "?I don't think I can recommend it to a patient that this is going to ultimately have some sort of cognitive influence."

We speak to Dr. Taylor and Dr. Russell Swerdlow in this episode, discussing:

? Role of creatine in your brain, and why it matters for energy metabolism

? What the 2025 study found (and why it wasn't designed to prove effectiveness)

? How scientific nuance gets lost in supplement hype

? Why even promising early data must be handled with care

? The vital difference between hype and hope

Dr. Russell Swerdlow, MD is Director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

Dr. Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD is Associate Professor of Dietetics & Nutrition at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

This is... Your Brain On Creatine.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. 

'Your Brain On... Creatine' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 8

LINKS

 Dr. Taylor at the University of Kansas: https://www.kumc.edu/mtaylor3.html

Dr. Swerdlow at the University of Kansas: https://www.kumc.edu/rswerdlow.html

REFERENCES

1. Smith AN, Choi IY, Lee P, Sullivan DK, Burns JM, Swerdlow RH, Kelly E, Taylor MK. Creatine monohydrate pilot in Alzheimer's: Feasibility, brain creatine, and cognition. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 2025 Apr;11(2):e70101.

2. Taylor MK, Burns JM, Choi IY, et al. Protocol for a single-arm, pilot trial of creatine monohydrate supplementation in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Pilot Feasibility Study. 2024;10(1):42. 

3. Habeck C, Risacher S, Lee GJ, et al. Relationship between baseline brain metabolism measured using [18 F]FDG PET and memory and executive function in prodromal and early Alzheimer's disease. Brain Imaging Behav. 2012;6(4):568-83. 

4. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports. Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.

Stress isn't just a threat to your brain. It's also one of its best tools for growth.

We often hear that stress is bad for your brain. And it can be. Chronic, unpredictable, and uncontrollable stress can damage cognition, harm memory, and accelerate aging.

But we don't talk enough about how the right kind of stress can actually improve brain function, grow your hippocampus, and help you feel happier and more purposeful.

In this episode of Your Brain On..., we explore the science of stress with two brilliant guests:

Dr. Sharon Bergquist, Yale- and Harvard-trained internal medicine physician and author of 'The Stress Paradox'

Dr. Mithu Storoni, neuroscientist and author of 'Stress-Proof' and 'Hyper Efficient'

Together, we explore:

? The biological difference between good and bad stress

? Why 'eustress' (good stress) can actually build your brain

? Balancing stress: not too little, not too much

? How to use stress as a tool to enhance resilience and protect against aging

? What brain imaging reveals about stress hormones, attention, and burnout

? Practical ways to reframe, recover from, and even seek out positive stress

This is... Your Brain On Stress.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Stress' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 7

LINKS

Dr. Sharon Bergquist's website: https://drsharonbergquist.com/ 

'The Stress Paradox': https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-stress-paradox-sharon-horesh-bergquist

Dr. Mithu Storoni's website: https://www.mithustoroni.com/

Stress-Proof: https://www.mithustoroni.com/stress-proof

CONNECT WITH US

Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs

YouTube: https://youtube.com/thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

Stroke is one of the biggest causes of death in the world ? but also one of the most preventable.

Up to 80?90% of strokes could be avoided with more awareness, resources, and a firmer focus on prevention over intervention.

In this episode, we're joined by renowned stroke neurologist and public health pioneer Dr. Olajide Williams, MD, MS, whose 'Hip-Hop Stroke' movement is a shining example of enacting culturally-sensitive community-wide healthcare change.

In this episode, we discuss:

? What actually causes a stroke (and how to spot one in seconds using the 'act FAST' acronym)

? Why blood pressure is the #1 modifiable risk factor (and how stress and sleep impact it)

? How social determinants like ZIP code and health literacy shape stroke risk

? How Dr. Williams' Hip Hop Stroke campaign helped kids teach their parents how to save lives

? What every family should know about TIAs ('mini-strokes') and silent strokes

Whether stroke runs in your family, or you simply want to protect your brain, this episode could change (and save) lives.

This is... Your Brain On Stroke.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On? Stroke' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 6

LINKS

Dr. Olajide Williams at Columbia: https://doctors.columbia.edu/us/ny/new-york/olajide-a-williams-md-ms-710-west-168th-street

The Hip-Hop Public Health project: https://www.hhph.org/

How can we eat better when we're constantly marketed to in a way that hijacks our attention and habits?

To complement the incredible discussions we regularly have about brain-healthy nutrition, in this episode, we've having a very important conversation about how the food industry works against our best intentions, and how we can break through the psychological barriers they use to hold us back.

We're joined by Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, whose name is practically synonymous with food policy: a pioneering nutritionist, public health advocate, and author of some of the most important books in this space, including Food Politics, What to Eat, and Unsavory Truth.

In this episode, we discuss:

? The neuroscience of why food choices aren't "just willpower"
? Why access, not just knowledge, is the biggest barrier to good nutrition
? The importance of schools, policy, and local food programs in shaping food culture
? The role of stress, fatigue, and decision overload in weakening dietary choices
? Why social media is a double-edged sword for nutrition information 
? How we can make a difference at the community level

This is... Your Brain On The Food Industry.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Find out more about Marion Nestle's work: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/marion-nestle

'Your Brain On... The Food Industry' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 5

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Website: TheBrainDocs.com

?A tiny bite from a tiny tick can trigger a complex disease which speaks to some huge problems with our healthcare system.

In this episode, we explain the biology, controversy, and cultural blind spots around Lyme disease, a condition that reflects much more than just a bacterial infection. It's also a mirror for our most urgent public health issues: inequality, misinformation, climate change, and the growing mistrust of science.

We speak with two world-class experts:

? Dr. John Aucott: Director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center and leading voice on post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS)

? Dr. Richard Marconi: Professor of microbiology and immunology at Virginia Commonwealth University, and a pioneering scientist behind next-generation Lyme vaccines

Together, we explore:

? Why Lyme disease symptoms can linger long after treatment

? What makes Lyme so neurologically disruptive (and so hard to diagnose)

? How climate change, suburban development, and racial disparities intersect with the rise of tick-borne illness

? The dangers of alternative medicine grifters preying on desperate patients

? The truth about the original Lyme vaccine, and what's coming next...

We also share practical prevention tips and discuss how Lyme disease is shaping the future of infectious disease research, diagnostics, and brain health.

This is... Your Brain On Lyme Disease.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/ 

'Your Brain On... Lyme Disease' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 4

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Website: https://thebraindocs.com/

Restoring a person's ability to speak, enabling individuals with paralysis to regain movement, and detecting neurodegenerative diseases earlier than ever ? these are just some of the breakthroughs brain-computer interfaces are making possible.

In this episode, we explore the astonishing world of BCIs: technologies that are giving autonomy and independence back to people with diseases like ALS.

We discuss:

? How BCIs are helping people with neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries communicate using decoded brain signals
? How brain-computer interfaces actually work (and why they're NOT just reading your mind)
? Why motor cortex implants may help decode speech, even when inserted in unexpected regions
? The ethical challenges of privacy, data ownership, and access in the era of brain-connected devices
? The future of the field, from restoring language after stroke to enabling communication in children with cerebral palsy

We speak with three world-leading researchers and clinicians who are helping shape this rapidly-advancing area of neuroscience:

? Dr. Leigh Hochberg, director of the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and principal clinical investigator of the pilot clinical trials of the BrainGate Neural Interface System.

? Dr. David Brandman, neurosurgeon and co-director of the UC Davis Neuroprosthetics Lab.

? Dr. Sergey Stavisky, neural engineer and co-director of the UC Davis Neuroprosthetics Lab.

For more information about the Braingate project, and to volunteer as a participant, visit: https://braingate.org/

This is... Your Brain On Brain-Computer Interfaces.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Brain-Computer Interfaces' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 3

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Website: https://thebraindocs.com/

Gluten has become one of the most misunderstood aspects of modern nutrition. Let's set the record straight.

In this episode, we untangle the medical, neurological, and cultural narratives surrounding gluten, from celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity to real (and rare) cases of gluten-induced brain dysfunction.

We discuss:

? The differences between celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergy
? How gluten affects the gut, and what 'leaky gut' really means
? Whether gluten can trigger neurological symptoms like ataxia and brain fog
? Why cutting out gluten without a diagnosis may do more harm than good
? How wheat contributes to a healthy microbiome (and why fiber matters)
? What role zonulin plays in gut permeability and immune activation
? Why brain fog isn't yet well understood (and the theories behind it)

To help us decode the science (and bust the myths) of gluten, nutrition, and the brain, we're joined by two world-renowned experts:

DR. ALESSIO FASANO: pediatric gastroenterologist, research scientist, and chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Mass General for Children (MGfC), and director of the Center for Celiac Research.

DR. FRANK CUSIMANO: gastroenterologist, physician-scientist, and gut-brain health communicator with a PhD in Nutritional and Metabolic Biology from Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition.

This is... Your Brain On Gluten.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Gluten' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 2

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Your Brain On... is supported by the FREE monthly Brain Box, available in our NEURO World community: http://thebraindocs.com/brainbox

Two-thirds of those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease are women ? but why?

In this episode, we unpack the neurological, hormonal, and social drivers that uniquely affect women's brain health during the menopausal transition ? from estrogen's protective role in the brain to the misunderstood history of hormone replacement therapy.

We discuss:

? Why women face a higher risk of Alzheimer's than men

? How menopause accelerates brain aging (and how it starts earlier than is often expected)

? The role of estrogen in brain metabolism and neuroprotection

? The real story behind hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

? The impact of genes like APOE4 on women's brain health

? How lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, and cognitive activity can help reduce the impact of neurological changes onset by menopause

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Get our free curation of women's brain health resources in our Brain Box: http://thebraindocs.com/brainbox

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To help us tell this story, we welcome three world-renowned women's health experts to the podcast:

DR. LISA MOSCONI: Director of the Women's Brain Initiative, author of 'The Menopause Brain', and pioneering researcher in brain imaging and hormonal neuroscience.

MARIA SHRIVER: Founder of the Women's Alzheimer's Movement, journalist, and relentless advocate for gender equity in brain health research.

DR. LISA GENOVA: Neuroscientist and bestselling author of 'Still Alice', which was adapted into a film starring Julianne Moore, who won the  2015 Best Actress Oscar for her role as Alice Howland.

This is... Your Brain On Menopause.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Menopause' ? SEASON 5 ? EPISODE 1

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Our free Women's Brain Health Brain Box includes:

? Guides on how to speak with healthcare providers about menopause

? Delicious brain-healthy Mother's Day brunch recipes

? Meaningful gift ideas for the women you love

? Inspiring interviews with world-leading women's health experts

? And even a chance to check your cognitive health with an insightful, science-backed test

Get the Brain Box for free! Here: http://thebraindocs.com/brainbox

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References:

Mosconi, L. (2017). Perimenopause and emergence of an Alzheimer's bioenergetic phenotype in brain and periphery. PloS One, 12(10), e0185926. 

Belloy, M. E. & Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2019). A quarter century of APOE and Alzheimer's disease: Progress to date and the path forward. Neuron, 101(5), 820-838. 

Rahman, A. (2019). Sex and gender driven modifiers of Alzheimer's: The role for estrogenic control across age, race, medical, and lifestyle risks. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 11, 315. 

Rocca, W. A. (2012). Hysterectomy, oophorectomy, estrogen, and the risk of dementia. Neurodegenerative Diseases, 10(1-4), 175-178. 

Scheyer, O. (2018). Female sex and Alzheimer's risk: The menopause connection. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, 5(4), 225-230. 

Women's Health Initiative Memory Study Investigators. (2003). Estrogen plus progestin and the incidence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in postmenopausal women: The Women's Health Initiative Memory Study?a randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 289(20), 2651?2662. 

Women's Health Initiative Investigators. (2002). Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: Principal results from the Women's Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 288(3), 321-333. 

Whitmer, R. A. (2005). Midlife cardiovascular risk factors and risk of dementia in late life. Neurology, 64(2), 277-281. 

Livingston, G. (2024). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 404(10452), 572-628.

Maki, P. M. (2016). Hormone therapy, dementia, and cognition: The Women's Health Initiative 10 years on. Climacteric, 19(3), 313-315. 

Music is one of the most powerful forces of all time for human connection, cognitive stimulation, and therapeutic introspection.

We've seen music help Alzheimer's patients find their voice, children with speech disorders unlock new ways to communicate with rhythm and melody, and communities express their identity through song.

In this episode, we discuss:

? The cognitive, psychological, and mental benefits of music

? Why learning to play an instrument is one of the best things you can do for your brain

? The power of music as a means of connecting with others

? Therapeutic uses of music for patients living with neurodegenerative diseases

? The neuroscience of how we process sounds and perceive music

We're absolutely thrilled to be speaking to THREE incredible experts on music and cognition today, discussing an element of the human experience that does so much for our brains without us even thinking about it.

In this episode, we're joined by:

DR. ANI PATEL, PhD, a cognitive psychologist at Tufts University known for his research on music cognition and the neuroscience of music.

DR. CHARLES LIMB, MD, a surgeon, professor of otolaryngology, and musician at University of California in San Francisco. 

JONATHAN BISS, renowned pianist and author of the book 'Unquiet', which explores the intersection of music and mental health.

This is... Your Brain On Music.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On...' is supported by the NEURO World Retreat, taking place in San Diego, September 2?5 2025: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

'Your Brain On... Music' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 10

This is the Season 4 finale. We'll be back in a few weeks with Season 5!

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LINKS

Dr. Ani Patel, PhD

At Tufts University: https://as.tufts.edu/psychology/people/faculty/aniruddh-patel 

The Sound Health Network: https://soundhealth.ucsf.edu/

Dr. Charles Limb, MD

At UCSF: https://ohns.ucsf.edu/charles-limb 

Dr. Limb's TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/charles_limb_your_brain_on_improv

Jonathan Biss

Jonathan's website: https://www.jonathanbiss.com/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan_biss_official/

Jonathan's book, 'Unquiet': https://www.jonathanbiss.com/projects/unquiet 

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Supplements have become a hundred-billion dollar industry. But can they really boost your brain health in the ways they claim?

They're everywhere: shelves and shelves of pills and powders promising everything from ?improved immunity, boosted energy, and faster weight loss to better sleep, happier moods, and enhanced sexual wellness.

Social media influencers won't stop talking about them, and they seem to appear in TV commercials every five minutes.

And yet... the evidence supporting most of the claims these supplements make is next-to-nought. So what's the truth?

In 'Your Brain On... Supplements', we discuss:

The differences between supplements and medication

Why supplements are so loosely regulated

The most popular supplements, and the lack of evidence supporting their purported benefits

Identifying between the placebo effect and real effects

Some supplements with actual evidence-based potential

The psychology behind why we all feel compelled to try supplements

Tips for navigating supplement claims we see on social media

Joining us for this episode is Dr. Adrian Chavez a nutrition researcher, educator, and consultant. He has a PhD in Nutrition and Health Promotion where he conducted research developing and delivering lifestyle interventions in community settings for improving cardiovascular and metabolic health.

After graduating he opened up a private practice and has worked with hundreds of clients helping people to lose weight and improve a variety of health problems with science-based nutrition strategies.

He is the host of The Nutrition Science Podcast, a top-rated nutrition podcast that provides bite-sized episodes covering important topics in nutrition.

This is... Your Brain On Supplements.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On...' is supported by the NEURO World Retreat, taking place in San Diego, September 2?5 2025: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

'Your Brain On... Supplements' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 9

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LINKS

Dr. Adrian Chavez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.adrian.chavez

Dr. Adrian Chavez's website: https://www.dradrianchavez.com/

Dr. Adrian Chavez's Podcast: https://www.thenutritionsciencepodcast.com/

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SELECTED CITATIONS

Dietary Supplement Studies 

Supplements adulterated with drugs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35285963/ 

Prohibited contaminants in dietary supplements: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5753965/ 

Dietary Supplement Fraud: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33412717/ 

Unapproved Ingredients: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30646238/ 

Ashwagandha 

Ashwagandha on Physical Performance https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8006238/

Ashwagandha on sleep https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34559859/ 

Ashwagandha on stress https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36017529/ 

Creatine 

Creatine on Memory https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35984306/

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Traumatic Brain Injury is a major cause of death, disability, and cognitive decline. Thankfully, evolving research is helping us protect our heads and lessen the long-term impacts of TBIs.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...' we discuss:

? The effects and symptoms of TBI, from mild concussions to more severe head injuries

? What actually happens to your brain when you sustain a TBI

? The links between TBI and neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairment

? The prevalence of TBI in military personnel and sportspeople, and how we're improving protective technologies

? Steps to take after experiencing concussions or head traumas

? How brain-healthy preventative lifestyle habits can lessen the long-term impacts of TBI

Our guest for this episode is Dr. David Brody, MD, PhD, Chief Science Officer/Chief Innovation Officer, Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Brody is a pre-eminent researcher of traumatic brain injuries, particularly in military personnel who experience TBIs during combat. 

This is... Your Brain On TBI.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On...' is supported by the NEURO World Retreat, taking place in San Diego, September 2?5 2025: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

'Your Brain On... TBI' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 8

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LINKS

David Brody, MD, PhD: https://www.usuhs.edu/profile/david-brody-md-phd 

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FOLLOW US 

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 Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Omega-3 supplements have become a multi-billion-dollar industry, promising to enhance your memory, boost your mood, and protect your brain. But where does the science end, and the marketing hype begin?

Omega-3 fatty acids are a special category of 'good fats' that play vital roles in both brain and body health. Unlike some species, we can't produce our own Omega-3s, so we must rely on our diets to get these essential fats.

In this episode, we discuss how to get more brain-healthy quantities of Omega-3 into your diet, plus:

? The brain health benefits of Omega-3

? The differences between Omega-3 and Omega-6

? The neurochemical intricacies of ALA, EPA, and DHA

? Why Omega-3s are essential for development at a young age

? The current (and future) state of Omega-3 research

? Who needs Omega-3 supplements, and why

Enriching the discussion this week are two celebrated experts in the field:

DR. RICHARD BAZINET, a professor and researcher whose work focuses on the regulation and role of brain lipid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases

DR. BILL HARRIS, an internationally-recognised expert on omega-3, and the pioneer behind the Omega-3 Index

This is... Your Brain On Omega-3.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On...' is supported by the NEURO World Retreat, taking place in San Diego, September 2?5 2025: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

'Your Brain On... Omega-3' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 7

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LINKS

DR. RICHARD BAZINET

Dr. Bazinet at University of Toronto: https://nutrisci.med.utoronto.ca/faculty/richard-bazinet

DR. BILL HARRIS

Dr. Harris at OmegaQuant: https://omegaquant.com/dr-william-s-harris/

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More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Two decades on from the start of the smartphone revolution, we have the first humans who, for as long as they've been alive, have had the entire internet just a few taps away. What has this done to our brains?

It's been an unprecedented period of rapid change, and, with the largest social networking sites using every neurological trick in the book to keep us endlessly scrolling down our feeds, what can we do to make our relationship with social media healthier?

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss:

? The brain health risks of social media overuse (and rewards of healthy use!)

? How social media apps are designed to keep us addicted

? Structural brain changes that have been sparked by the digital age

? The neuroscience of doom-scrolling, social comparison, social media's impact on sleep

? Practical steps to balance our social media use

We're joined by two internationally-renowned experts on these topics:

DR. JEAN TWENGE, a researcher, author, and psychologist known for her work on how social media affects the mental health of different generations.

DR.  LARRY ROSEN, co-author of 'The Distracted Mind' and celebrated expert in the psychology of technology.

This is... Your Brain On Social Media.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Social Media' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 6

'Your Brain On...' is supported by the NEURO World Retreat, taking place in San Diego, September 2?5 2025: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

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LINKS

DR. JEAN TWENGE

Dr. Twenge's website: https://www.jeantwenge.com/

at San Diego State University: https://psychology.sdsu.edu/people/jean-twenge/

DR. LARRY ROSEN

Dr. Rosen's website: https://drlarryrosen.com/

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Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Our incredible kids Sophia and Alex Sherzai join us for a special end-of-year episode of the 'Your Brain On...' episode!

As a family of neuroscientists ? Sophia in biomedical engineering, Alex in artificial intelligence, Ayesha in vascular neurology, and Dean in behavioral neurology ? we have fascinating discussions (and debates) about all aspects of life and brain health almost every day.

To close out the first year of the 'Your Brain On...' podcast, we're bringing that energy to the show!

We discuss:

? Life as a family of neuroscientists

? What we've been working on and researching in 2024

? How to navigate the challenges and complexities of the holidays

? Our hopes and goals for 2025

? The top ten most popular episodes of 'Your Brain On...' in 2024!

? The importance of connection, community, and change

This is... the Sherzai Family Holiday Special of 'Your Brain On...'!

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 5

High in fats and low in carbs, ketogenic diets were originally developed in the 1920s to treat children with epilepsy. Now, they've gained popularity for weight loss, and even improved cognitive function.

But how much truth is there in the purported brain health benefits we see on social media? In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we separate the facts from the fads, and discuss:

? What one might eat on a typical ketogenic diet

? How ketogenic diets affect brain metabolism

? The different ways your brain uses sources of energy ? glucose vs. ketones

? The latest data on ketogenic diet in Alzheimer's disease patients

? What we know about how ketogenic diets and treatment of Alzheimer's

? The outcome differences between ketogenic diets and ketone supplements in Alzheimer's

? Other evidence-based nutritional approaches for brain health 

For this episode, we welcome two world-renowned professionals in the field of nutrition and neuroscience:

DR. MATTHEW TAYLOR, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor, Dietetics and Nutrition, Kansas University Medical Center

DR. RUSSELL SWERDLOW, MD, Gene and Marge Sweeney Professor of Neurology; Director, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Kansas University Medical Center

This is... Your Brain On Ketogenic Diets.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Ketogenic Diets' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 4

 

FOLLOW US

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Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

 

REFERENCES

1. Wheless, James W. "History of the ketogenic diet." Epilepsia 49 (2008): 3-5.

2. Krolak-Salmon, Pierre, Russell H. Swerdlow, Thibault Mastain, Catherine Dive-Pouletty, Nick Pooley, and Masoumeh Kisomi. "Efficacy and Safety of Exogenous Ketones in People with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder and Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Literature Review." Nutrition Reviews (2024): nuae098.

3. Taylor, Matthew K., Debra K. Sullivan, Jonathan D. Mahnken, Jeffrey M. Burns, and Russell H. Swerdlow. "Feasibility and efficacy data from a ketogenic diet intervention in Alzheimer's disease." Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions 4 (2018): 28-36.

4. Taylor, Matthew K., Russell H. Swerdlow, and Debra K. Sullivan. "Dietary neuroketotherapeutics for Alzheimer's disease: an evidence update and the potential role for diet quality." Nutrients 11, no. 8 (2019): 1910.

5. Koppel, Scott J., and Russell H. Swerdlow. "Neuroketotherapeutics: a modern review of a century-old therapy." Neurochemistry international 117 (2018): 114-125.

6. O'Neill, Blair, and Paolo Raggi. "The ketogenic diet: Pros and cons." Atherosclerosis 292 (2020): 119-126.

7. Crosby, Lee, Brenda Davis, Shivam Joshi, Meghan Jardine, Jennifer Paul, Maggie Neola, and Neal D. Barnard. "Ketogenic diets and chronic disease: weighing the benefits against the risks." Frontiers in nutrition 8 (2021): 702802.

ALS, a nervous system disease, ruled the headlines in the summer of 2014 thanks to the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. How has our knowledge of the disorder evolved a decade later?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as 'Lou Gehrig's disease' (named after the iconic baseball player), is a progressive neurological disorder which breaks down a person's motor neurons. The main symptoms are muscle weakness and impaired physical function ? mild, at first, but in the latter stages of the disease's progression, essential processes like breathing begin to fail.

Most individuals face a life expectancy of two to five years. A small percentage live five to ten years. And an even tinier group survive beyond a decade. Most famously, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking survived more than 50 years past his diagnosis, in part due to the intensive care he was able to afford.

In this episode of the 'Your Brain On...' podcast, we discuss:

? What ALS is, and how it affects the brain and the body

? The onset and progression of ALS, from the earliest symptoms to the end-stage impacts

? How ALS patients are diagnosed, treated, and cared for

? Likely causes of ALS, including genetic predispositions and potential environmental risk factors

? How new technologies are rapidly accelerating our understanding of ALS, especially in genetics

Joining us for this installment of the show are two world-class experts on the disease:

? Professor Ammar Al-Chalabi PhD, Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute at King's College.

? Merit Cudkowicz, Director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... ALS' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 3

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LINKS

PROFESSOR AMMAR AL-CHALABI

at King's College: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/ammar-al-chalabi

at Motor Neurone Disease Disease Association: https://www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/cure-finders/professor-ammar-al-chalabi

Project MinE: https://projectmine.com/

MERIT CUDKOWICZ

at Massachusetts General Hospital: https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/16904/merit-cudkowicz 

at Harvard University: https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/1520993/Merit-Cudkowicz

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ANNOUNCING: NEURO WORLD RETREAT 2025

We're so excited to share something very close to our hearts, which we've been working on over the past few months: our first ever brain health retreat!

You're warmly invited to join us in San Diego, California for the inaugural NEURO World Retreat 2025, taking place September 2?5, 2025 at the breathtaking Paradise Point Resort.

For more information, and to book, visit: https://neuroworldretreat.com/

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

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References:

Brown, Robert H., and Ammar Al-Chalabi. "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." New England Journal of Medicine 377.2 (2017): 162-172.

Benatar, Michael, et al. "A roadmap to ALS prevention: strategies and priorities." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 94.5 (2023): 399-402.

Voigtlaender, Sebastian, et al. "Artificial intelligence in neurology: opportunities, challenges, and policy implications." Journal of Neurology 271.5 (2024): 2258-2273.

Zinman, Lorne, and Merit Cudkowicz. "Emerging targets and treatments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." The Lancet Neurology 10.5 (2011): 481-490.

Raghav, Yogindra, et al. "Identification of gene fusions associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Muscle & Nerve 69.4 (2024): 477-489.

Su, Feng-Chiao, et al. "Association of environmental toxins with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." JAMA neurology 73.7 (2016): 803-811.

Talbott, Evelyn O., et al. "Case-control study of environmental toxins and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis involving the national ALS registry." Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration (2024): 1-10.

For decades, ketamine has mainly been used as an anaesthetic, but in more recent years, it's gained popularity in mental health treatment.

Conversations around the benefits and risks associated with its therapeutic usage ignited towards the end of 2023, when actor Matthew Perry, star of the sitcom 'Friends', died from the acute effects of the ketamine he was using to treat anxiety.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss:

? The neurochemical mechanisms of ketamine, and its interplay with depression

? What we know about the opportunities and pitfalls of using ketamine in mental health treatment

? The potential for ketamine use in reducing the impacts of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

? How technology and improvements in passive and active data collection are helping us better understand how ketamine affects cognition and neuroplasticity

? The history of ketamine's use as an antidepressant

? How ketamine is actually administered, through various dosages and courses of treatment

We're welcoming two of the leading figures in this space to the podcast: Dr. Gerard Sanacora, who is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and the Director of the Yale Depression Research Program, and Dr. John Krystal, also from Yale: a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology.

This is... Your Brain On Ketamine.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Ketamine' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 2

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LINKS

DR. GERARD SANACORA

Dr. Sanacora at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/gerard-sanacora/

The Yale Depression Research Program: https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/depression/

DR. JOHN KRYSTAL

Dr. Krystal at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/john-krystal/

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Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

From the first spark of attraction, all the way to climax, sex sets off chemical fireworks in your brain.

And yet, this beautiful, powerful act has become mired in shame and stigma. But through open conversation and deeper scientific understanding, we can cast off those shackles, and even embrace sex as a marker for cognitive and overall health.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...' ? our Season 4 debut! ? we discuss:

? The neurological processes involved with sex, arousal, attraction, and desire
? Why studying the cognitive effects of sexual stimuli can be so complicated
? How our relationship with sex is altered as we age, and is affected by periods of change like menopause
? The neuroscientific differences between masturbation and sex with a partner
? The complex debate about pornography consumption, and the need for better sex education
? The links between brain health, heart health, mental health, and sexual health
? The benefits of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management for sexual health
? Motivations and methods for freeing conversations about sex from stigmas and taboos ? especially for women

Joining us for this immensely important conversation are two fantastic guests: sexual behaviour expert and data scientist Dr. Nicole Prause, and sexual medicine expert and urogynecologist Rena Malik.

This is... Your Brain On Sex.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Sex' ? SEASON 4 ? EPISODE 1 (SEASON 4 DEBUT)

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LINKS

Dr. Nicole Prause at UCLA: https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/medicine/gastro/research/labs-and-programs/patel-laboratory

Dr. Nicole Prause on Twitter: https://x.com/nicolerprause

Dr. Nicole Prause on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicolerprause.bsky.social

Dr. Rena Malik's website: https://renamalikmd.com/

Dr. Rena Malik on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RenaMalikMD

Dr. Rena Malik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renamalikmd/

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Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

 

Protein ? how much do we need? What's the healthiest way to consume it? Can we get enough from plant-based diets?

Until recent decades, protein hasn't been quite as prominent in public health discussions as sugar and fats.  However, with longer lifespans emphasizing the importance of protein for long-term health, and growing confusion around the quality and quantity of protein needed, it has become a highly debated macronutrient.

In 'Your Brain On? Protein', we explore:

? The brain health benefits (and general health benefits) of protein

? Plant-based protein vs. meat protein, and supplements like protein powders

? How much protein we really need to eat every day

? Ways we can all introduce more protein into our diets

? Why 'health' influencers are suddenly recommending unusually  high levels of protein consumption

? How we measure the quality of proteins, including digestibility and absorption

In this episode, we're joined by two fantastic nutrition experts:

DR. MATTHEW NAGRA, nutritionist and science communicator.

DR. ALAN FLANAGAN, esteemed nutrition scientist (previously featured in 'Your Brain On? Sugar' and 'Your Brain On? Fats'

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Protein' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 10 (SEASON 3 FINALE!)

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LINKS:

Dr. Matt Nagra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra

Website: https://drmatthewnagra.com/ 

Dr. Alan Flanagan

Alan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenutritionaladvocate

Alinea Nutrition: https://www.alineanutrition.com/

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REFERENCES:

Dietary Patterns and Risk of Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9516-4

Dietary fat composition and dementia risk. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.038

Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets?A Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893534/

Animal vs Plant-Based Meat: A Hearty Debate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38934982/

High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33599941/

Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/

Digestibility issues of vegetable versus animal proteins: protein and amino acid requirements--functional aspects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23964409/

Soy and Isoflavone Consumption and Multiple Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies and Randomized Trials in Humans. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201900751

No Difference Between the Effects of Supplementing With Soy Protein Versus Animal Protein on Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength in Response to Resistance Exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29722584/

Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/

The health effects of soy: A reference guide for health professionals. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9410752/

The Effect of Plant-Based Protein Ingestion on Athletic Ability in Healthy People?A Bayesian Meta-Analysis with Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2748

Effects of high-quality protein supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with metabolic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.013

Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/

The digital age has made it easier than ever to access health information, but how can we know which sources to trust?

Social media is saturated with misinformation. Some of it is inadvertent ? many bold pseudoscientific claims seem very convincing, and anyone could be forgiven for sharing it with the best intentions.

But, a more deliberate manipulation of scientific information has become commonplace, often used to push certain narratives or turn a profit.

Combating this misinformation machine can feel impossible. So, we assembled five experts from different corners of the science communication community to help equip you for the fight:

Dr. David L. Katz, MD, MPH, a renowned figure in the field of preventive medicine, public health, and nutrition. (Website: https://davidkatzmd.com/)

Steven Novella MD, clinical neurologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine, a host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, and a founder of the New England Skeptical Society. (Website: https://theness.com/neurologicablog/)

Dr. Jessica Steier PhD, public health scientist and host of the wildly popular Unbiased Science podcast. (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unbiasedscipod)

Dr. Jonathan Stea PhD,  clinical psychologist and author of the book 'Mind the Science'. (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_jonathan_stea/ / Website: https://www.jonathanstea.com/)

Dr. Idrees Mughal, AKA 'Dr. Idz', one of the most popular online misinformation-debunking social media icons. (TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr_idz / Website: https://www.schoolofdridz.com/)

Together, we discuss:

? The telltale signs of pseudoscientific messaging.

? Where misinformation comes from, and why it often spreads faster than evidence-based facts.

? Why we can be so susceptible to believing misinformation.

? Who profits by poisoning the science communication space.

? How we can improve our scientific literacy and avoid echo chambers.

? Ways academics can improve their public health communication.

? 'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... Misinformation' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 9

20 incredible conversations with leading scientists, in one hour.

We're excited to present this special installment of Your Brain On, featuring highlights from some of the speakers talking at our first ever Brain Health Revolution Summit.

Our first summit, running September 30 through October 6 2024, features seven days of hour-long discussions with the scientists who are actually conducting the studies, publishing the papers, and pushing public health policy reforms that are shaping our world.

No matter when you're listening to this episode, visit https://bhrsummit.com/ for more information about the summit ? be it our first 2024 edition, or a future installment!

Day 1: The Brain Health Landscape: From Insights to Action

Day 2: Mental Health Matters and Heart Health for a Stronger Brain

Day 3: Women's Brain Health: Hormones, Longevity, and Vitality

Day 4: Emerging Challenges in Brain Health

Day 5: Fuel for Thought: Nutrition, the Gut, and the Brain

Day 6: Move, Breathe, Thrive: Exercise and Stress Management

Day 7: Recharge and Optimize: Sleep and Cognitive Performance

This special episode includes excerpts of our conversations with: 

Rachel Dolhun, MD

Michael Okun, MD

Charles DeCarli, MD

Ari Tuckman, PsyD

Amishi Jha, PhD

Danielle Belardo, MD

Margarett McCarthy, PhD

Lisa Mosconi, PhD

Lisa Genova

Idrees 'Dr. Idz' Mughal, MBBS, MRes, DipIBLM

Daniele Piomelli, PhD

Frank Lin, MD, PhD

Alan Flanagan, PhD

Matthew Nagra, ND

Stuart Phillips, PhD

Natali Edmonds, PhD

Satchin Panda, PhD

Donn Posner, MD

Sujay Kansagra, MD

Yaakov Stern, PhD

For more information about the Brain Health Revolution Summit, visit: https://bhrsummit.com/ 

The Brain Health Revolution Summit 2024 is presented in partnership with Healthy Minds Initiative: thymindsinitiative.org

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

What are our animal companions thinking? And how does our friendship with them change their brains, and our brains?

We all wish we could communicate with our pets. Though we may never share a language, modern neuroscience has enabled us to ethically understand the cognitive anatomy and emotional signals of other animals like never before.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss what we've learned so far, including:

? The neurological phenomena that leads to domestication and, in turn, animal companionship

? How oxytocin studies have signified that, yes, our dogs do love us back

? The research that has shown how some companions might value social rewards from humans just as much as they value the food we provide for them

? The differences (and similarities) between canine brains and human brains

? How dogs do understand us to a degree, but not quite in the linguistic sense we might like to believe

? The incredible things dogs can do for dementia patients

? The importance of ethics in animal research

? Why understanding the emotional capacity of other animals is vital

Our guests for this episode are two of the foremost voices in animal cognition:

BRIAN HARE: Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology, Psychology, and Neuroscience at Duke University, and a core member of their Center of Cognitive Neuroscience. Plus: co-author of 'The Genius of Dogs' and 'Survival of the Friendliest'.

GREGORY BERNS: Professor of Psychology and Distinguished Professor of Neuroeconomics, researcher of dogs (and more recently, cows), and author of 'How Dogs Love Us' and 'Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist's Journey into the Secret World of Cows'.

 'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Having A Pet' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 8

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LINKS

Brian Hare:

Brian Hare's website: https://brianhare.net/

The Hare Lab at Duke University: https://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/hare-lab

Brian's book, 'Survival of the Friendliest': https://a.co/d/2mNhSE1

 

Gregory Berns:

Gregory Berns' website: http://gregoryberns.com/

Gregory's book, 'Cowpuppy': https://a.co/d/0gpJYQx

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

What does the most-purchased beverage in the world ? coffee ? do to your brain?

Five centuries after its discovery, coffee is deeply entrenched in our diets on a global scale. More than half the U.S. population drinks coffee daily. We wake up with coffee, and catch up with friends over coffee. Historically, coffee has been heralded as an inspiring muse.

But many headlines have warned us about the adverse effects of coffee. Is there truth in the supposed risks, or can we keep sipping away without a worry?

 In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss:

? What caffeine does to your brain, and why it makes you feel awake

? How much coffee is too much, and how caffeine affects us all differently (depending on our metabolism)

? The antioxidant benefits of coffee

? How coffee can improve concentration, and even potentially protect against neurodegenerative diseases

? How different kinds of coffee affect our brains differently (black vs. cream and sugar, brewed vs. filter, caffeinated vs. decaf)

? The risks of caffeine addiction

? A brief history of how coffee became so ubiquitous in our lives

Bringing the buzz to this episode are two coffee geniuses:

DR. ASTRID NEHLIG, a neuroscientist out of the French Institute of Health and Medical Research who has studied the health impacts of coffee with impressive extensiveness. 

PROFESSOR JONATHAN MORRIS, AKA 'The Coffee Historian', author of 'Coffee: A Global History' and co-creator of the History of Coffee Podcast.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. 

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Coffee' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 7

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LINKS

Dr. Astrid Nehlig's research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Astrid-Nehlig

Professor Jonathan Morris' website: https://thecoffeehistorian.com/

Professor Morris at the University of Hertfordshire: https://researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/en/persons/jonathan-morris 

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

What grief does to our brains, and how we can grow from one of life's most challenging experiences.

The impact grief has on your mind can be so severe, some experts refer to it as an 'emotional traumatic brain injury'. And, like many life-altering physical changes, the cognitive effects of grief aren't so much something to 'get over' ? rather, they're something we can learn to live with and thrive alongside.

In 'Your Brain On... Grief', we discuss:

? How the emotional trauma of losing those you love can physically change your brain

? The association between grief and chronic stress

? Journalling, creativity, and lifestyle factors as methods for healing from grief

? The importance of community in managing loss

? The risks of oversimplified models of dealing with grief, e.g. the 'five stages of grief'

? What we can learn from different cultures about handling grief

Joining us for this emotional journey are two insightful guests:

DR. LISA SHULMAN: grief neurologist and author of 'Before and After Loss'

AMBER JEFFREY: grief mentor and host of podcast The Grief Gang.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Grief' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 6

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LINKS

Dr. Lisa Schulman

'Before and After Loss' on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Before-After-Loss-Neurologists-Perspective/dp/1421426951

Amber Jeffrey

The 'Grief Gang' podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-grief-gang/id1489821860

Grief mentoring: https://www.thegriefgang.com/grief-mentoring

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

As populations have aged, our need for caregivers has risen fast. The stresses of caregiving present brain health concerns that we must address urgently.

Caregivers are heroes. But they're often so focused on looking after someone else, they neglect themselves. And self-care is so vital for caregivers, because the role is one of the most physically-, emotionally-, and psychologically-demanding responsibilities anyone can take on. Here, we discuss what that self-care can look like.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss:

? How the chronic stress of caring for a loved one with a neurodegenerative disease like dementia can affect your brain

? The ways we can mitigate these stresses, at the individual, family, and community levels

? How self-care can help caregivers be more effective and attentive in their roles

? Lifestyle interventions and meditative practices that can help alleviate the risks associated with caregiver burden

? The need for better caregiver support at the socioeconomic and policy level

? How emerging technologies are starting to help make caregivers' workloads more manageable

Joining us for this poignant conversation are two wonderful guests:

DR. NATALI EDMONDS, a board-certified geropsychologist and founder of Dementia Careblazers, a platform providing support and guidance for dementia caregivers.

DR. HELEN LAVRETSKY, a Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and a leading researcher in geriatric psychiatry, who has researched the neurological benefits of lifestyle changes and de-stressing meditation for the cognitive and mental wellbeing of caregivers.

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Caregiving' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 5

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LINKS

Dr. Natali Edmonds:

Dementia Careblazers: https://careblazers.com/

The Dementia Careblazers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/dementia-careblazers/id1634661439

Dementia Caregivers on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DementiaCareblazers

Dr. Helen Lavretsky:

At UCLA: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/helen-lavretsky

Study on yogic meditation for dementia caregivers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3423469/

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Meditation: an ancient practice with brain health benefits proven by modern science.

Whether you're focusing on your breathing to quieten peripheral distractions or using mindfulness to rebalance your emotional reactivity to everyday stresses, practicing meditation can spark long-term neuroplastic changes that will help you feel more attentive and calm in everything you do.

In 'Your Brain On... Meditation', we explore:

? How meditation alters your brain chemistry and 'retrains' your broader nervous system

? The neuroscience of attention and focus, including your default mode and salience networks

? Using mindfulness to break phone addiction, reduce stress, improve relationships, and practice self-care

? The studies which highlight the long-term cognitive benefits of meditation

? How we can all make time for meditation, no matter how busy our schedules

? The limitations and risks of meditation apps

Joining us for this important conversation are three fantastic guests:

DR. AMISHI JHA, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami, a pioneer in the study of mindfulness and attention, and the author of the acclaimed book 'Peak Mind'

DR. CLIFFORD SARON, a neuroscientist and Associate Research Scientist at the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, renowned for his work on the neurobiological effects of meditation

DR. HELEN LAVRETSKY, a Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and a leading researcher in geriatric psychiatry, who has extensively studied the effects of meditation and yoga on mental health and aging

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Meditation' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 4

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LINKS

Dr. Amishi Jha:

Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0062992155/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amishipjha/ 

On Twitter: https://x.com/amishijha 

Dr. Clifford Saron:

Center for Mind and Brain: https://mindbrain.ucdavis.edu/people/clifford-saron 

Dr. Helen Lavretsky:

At UCLA: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/helen-lavretsky

Study on yogic meditation for dementia caregivers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3423469/

Leg strength isn't just about physical health. There are enormous benefits for brain health, too.

From the more obvious benefits for balance and mobility to the deeper neurochemical machinery that powers the production and transportation of brain-boosting proteins, leg strength has a far greater influence on brain health than we might expect.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On...', we discuss:

? The prevalence of injuries caused by falls in elderly populations (and how leg strength can help counter this problem)

? How brain-boosting chemicals like BDNF are produced by resistance exercise

? What actually happens to our muscles when we grow them with regular exercise

? How we can all work on our leg strength, regardless of age and ability

? The importance of rest, recovery, and nutrition in an effective exercise regime

Joining us for this discussion are the immensely knowledgeable Dr. Stuart Phillips, a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, and Dr. Kirk Erickson, Associate Professor in the Dept. of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh (and an expert in the area of exercise and cognitive health).

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

'Your Brain On... LEG STRENGTH' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 3

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LINKS

Dr. Stuart Phillips at McMaster University: https://mira.mcmaster.ca/our-faculty/stuart-phillips/

Dr. Stuart Phillips on Twitter: https://x.com/mackinprof

Dr. Kirk Erickson at the University of Pittsburgh: https://www.psychology.pitt.edu/people/kirk-erickson-phd 

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REFERENCES (Studies Dr. Erickson referred to in the show):

Colcombe, S. J., Erickson, K. I., Raz, N., et al. (2003). Aerobic fitness reduces brain tissue loss in aging humans. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 58(2), M176-M180. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12586857/ 

Colcombe, S. J., Erickson, K. I., Scalf, et al. (2006). Aerobic exercise training increases brain volume in aging humans. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 61(11), 1166-1170. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17167157/

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Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

The neuroscience behind the benefits and risks of marijuana, explained.

Splintered legislature, evolving taboos, and new forms of consumption have created a fragmented market for cannabis, and made it challenging for scientists to research its effects on our brains and bodies.

In this episode, we unpack what we know about the cognitive impacts of marijuana use ? the good and the bad ? and explore new studies which are filling in the gaps.

We discuss:

? The difference between the THC and CBD cannabinoids, and their unique effects on our brains
? How your endocannabinoid system works, and how it's altered under the influence of marijuana
? Why one woman with a genetic mutation that affected her endocannabinoid system couldn't feel pain
? The benefits of marijuana: nausea relief, pain management, and possible uses for reducing seizure frequency and helping with mental health
? The risks of marijuana: memory disorders, addiction, developmental issues, and the dangers of high-potency products that are increasingly difficult to regulate
? Why we first consumed cannabis, about 12,000 years ago

Our incredible guests this week are:

? Dr. Daniele Piomelli, Director of the Institute for the Study of Cannabis at the University of California Irvine
? Dr. Susan Weiss, Director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Marijuana' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 2

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LINKS

Dr. Daniele Piomelli

At University of California Irvine: https://cnlm.uci.edu/piomelli/
UCI Center for the Study of Cannabis: https://cannabis.uci.edu/

Dr. Susan Weiss

National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://nida.nih.gov/
The ABCD Study: https://abcdstudy.org/

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Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

From 18th century London to the promise of a global cure: the 200-year history of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disorder most commonly characterized by tremors and other motor symptoms, is so complex, many medical professionals are starting to classify it as a group of diseases, rather than a single disease.

In this episode, we explain those complexities, including:

? The motor symptoms (e.g. cogwheel rigidity, bradykinesia) and non-motor symptoms (e.g. depression, sleep disorders)

? How the industrial revolution may have brought about environmental factors which contribute to Parkinson's

? The differences and similarities between Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's

? How Parkinson's manifests in our brains

? Why one nurse was able to detect Parkinson's through smell

? The neurogenetics of Parkinson's, and the ethical quandaries of evolving genetic technology

? Why lifestyle ? nutrition, exercise, etc. ? is so key to preventing and managing Parkinson's

Joining us for this extensive conversation are three incredible guests:

? Dr. Rachel Dolhun, Senior Vice President of Medical Communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

? Dr. Michael Okun, evolutionary biologist, movement disorders specialist, and Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases

? Dr. Matthew Farrer, neurogenetics expert and Professor Of Neurology at the University of Florida

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Parkinson's' ? SEASON 3 ? EPISODE 1 (SEASON 3 DEBUT)

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LINKS

 

Dr. Rachel Dolhun:

At the Michael J. Fox Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/bio/rachel-dolhun-md-dipablm 

'Ask the MD' series: https://www.michaeljfox.org/ask-md 

The Michael J. Fox Foundation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaeljfoxfoundation/videos 

Dr. Michael Okun:

At the University of Florida: https://neurology.ufl.edu/profile/okun-michael/ 

The book 'Ending Parkinson's Disease': https://endingpd.org/ 

The Norman Fixel Institute: https://fixel.ufhealth.org/

 

Dr. Matthew Farrer:

At the University of Florida: https://neurology.ufl.edu/profile/farrer-matthew/

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References:

Bloem, B. R., Okun, M. S., & Klein, C. (2021). Parkinson's disease. The Lancet, 397(10291), 2284-2303.

Morris, H. R., Spillantini, M. G., Sue, C. M., & Williams-Gray, C. H. (2024). The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The Lancet, 403(10423), 293-304.

Dorsey, E., Sherer, T., Okun, M. S., & Bloem, B. R. (2018). The emerging evidence of the Parkinson pandemic. Journal of Parkinson's disease, 8(s1), S3-S8.

Dorsey, E. R., Okun, M. S., & Tanner, C. M. (2021). Bad Air and Parkinson Disease?The Fog May Be Lifting. JAMA neurology, 78(7), 793-795.

Tsalenchuk, M., Gentleman, S. M., & Marzi, S. J. (2023). Linking environmental risk factors with epigenetic mechanisms in Parkinson's disease. npj Parkinson's Disease, 9(1), 123.

Reynoso, A., Torricelli, R., Jacobs, B. M., Shi, J., Aslibekyan, S., Norcliffe?Kaufmann, L., ... & Heilbron, K. (2024). Gene?Environment Interactions for Parkinson's Disease. Annals of Neurology, 95(4), 677-687.

Golsorkhi, M., Sherzai, A., & Dashtipour, K. The Influence of Lifestyle on Parkinson's Disease Management. In Lifestyle Medicine, Fourth Edition (pp. 919-924). CRC Press.

Sherzai, A. Z., Tagliati, M., Park, K., Pezeshkian, S., & Sherzai, D. (2016). Micronutrients and risk of Parkinson's disease: a systematic review. Gerontology and geriatric medicine, 2, 2333721416644286.

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FOLLOW US 

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com 

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Ozempic. Developed as diabetes medication. Adopted as a weight loss drug. Eyed for its potential neuroprotective effects.

Hollywood's popularization of Ozempic as a way to lose weight has made it one of the most widely-discussed drugs of our time, and has put immense stress on supply chains, sometimes preventing its intended users ? type-2 diabetics ? from accessing the medication.

In this episode, we wade through the history, benefits, side-effects, neuroscience, and future of Ozempic, with the help of our guest: obesity and lipid physician Dr. Spencer Nadolsky.

We discuss:

? The origins of Ozempic and its predecessors

? How GLP-1 receptor drugs like Ozempic regulate appetite

? What the latest research and trials say about Ozempic's effects (good and bad)

? Why we should quell the stigma borne from Ozempic's brushes with celebrity culture

? Where studies on Ozempic and similar medications are going next

? How to ask your healthcare provider about Ozempic

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/

'Your Brain On... Ozempic' ? SEASON 2 ? EPISODE 10 (SEASON 2 FINALE)

Your Brain On? will be back with Season 3, in August 2024!

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LINKS

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky:

His website: https://drspencer.com/

His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnadolsky/

His podcast, 'Docs Who Lift': https://drspencer.com/podcast/

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Retirement, often considered a period of late-life decline, can actually be a time of cognitive growth and prosperity.

When we retire, all the neurologically stimulating aspects of our working life ? the mental and physical challenges, socializing and strategizing with colleagues, etc. ? can disappear overnight.

An abrupt lifestyle change of this magnitude can be taxing for our brains, but with the right preparation, our twilight years can truly be the best of our lives.

In this episode of 'Your Brain On?', we discuss:

? The neurological impacts of retirement

? What we can learn from how different cultures approach retirement

? How building our cognitive reserve can protect our brains as we age

? The future of research into the neuroscience of retirement

? Why minority populations often disproportionately struggle with retirement

We're joined by FOUR experts in the field of cognitive aging:

DR. YAAKOV STERN: professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University, and a pioneer of the concept of cognitive reserve

DR. AMANDA SONNEGA: Research Scientist at the University of Michigan

DR. SHERVIN ASSARI: Director of Research, Public Health at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

DR. ALAN GOW: head of The Ageing Lab at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Retirement ? SEASON 2 ? EPISODE 9

 

LINKS

 

Dr. Yaakov Stern

at Columbia University: https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/profile/yaakov-stern-phd

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaakov_Stern

 

Dr. Amanda Sonnega

at University of Michigan: https://micda.isr.umich.edu/people/amanda-sonnega/

 

Dr. Shervin Assari

at Charles R. Drew University: https://www.cdrewu.edu/directory/assari-md-mph-shervin/

on Twitter (AKA 'X'): https://twitter.com/assarish

 

Dr. Alan Gow

at Heriot-Watt University: https://researchportal.hw.ac.uk/en/persons/alan-j-gow

on Twitter (AKA 'X'): https://twitter.com/AlanJohnGow 

 

FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast

Do introverts/extroverts have different brains? Are you born introverted? Is introversion neurologically harmful?

The definition of introversion has been blurred in the social media age. We all know introverts are more likely to enjoy alone time, and may find social settings more challenging, but what's less clear is: why? And is introversion the same as social anxiety?

In this episode, we discuss:

? How common introverted traits can be observed in the brain

? The nature vs. nurture debate of whether introversion is genetic, learned, or both

? The multi-decade study which posed the question: can introversion/extroversion be predicted in infants?

? Why personality types aren't as trivial as they may seem

? How introverts can become more extroverted, and vice versa

We're joined by two renowned writers whose books have explored the intricacies of introversion:

? JENN GRANNEMAN, author of 'The Secret Lives of Introverts' and 'Sensitive', and founder of 'Introvert, Dear', a website and community centered on introversion

? SCOTT BARRY KAUFMAN, cognitive scientist, host of The Psychology Podcast, and author of 'Wired to Create'

'Your Brain On' is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/ 

'Your Brain On... Introversion' ? SEASON 2 ? EPISODE 8

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LINKS

Jenn Granneman:

on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenngranneman

Introvert, Dear: https://introvertdear.com/ 

Scott Barry Kaufman:

Scott's website: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/

on Twitter (AKA 'X'): https://x.com/sbkaufman 

on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottbarrykaufman 

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FOLLOW US

Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com

Instagram: @thebraindocs

Website: TheBrainDocs.com

More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast