SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay #307 Preventing Alzheimers & Keeping Your Brain Fit | Majid Fotuhi, MD, Johns Hopkins Medical School
Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews neurologist and Johns Hopkins professor Dr. Majid Fotuhi about keeping the brain resilient and reducing Alzheimer’s risk. Fotuhi describes the brain’s capacity to recover and adapt, citing cases of major brain injury and hemispherectomy, and challenges the myth that Alzheimer’s is inevitable with age, noting “super agers” and emphasizing “use it or lose it.” He outlines five key pillars for brain health: exercise, 7–8 hours of sleep, a Mediterranean/heart-healthy diet, stress reduction, and daily cognitive challenge. He reports a 12-week program in which 84% of patients improved on cognitive tests and many increased hippocampal volume by 1–3%. They discuss sleep apnea as a serious risk, cortisol’s harmful effects from chronic stress, managing repetitive negative thoughts, adopting growth mindset and broader views of intelligence, and choosing daily practices that build happiness.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Why Brain Health Matters
01:02 Meet Dr Majid Fotuhi
02:51 The Invincible Brain Stories
05:16 How the Brain Compensates
06:48 Alzheimers Myths and Super Agers
11:06 Use It or Lose It Mindset
13:21 Beyond IQ Multiple Intelligences
18:01 Growth Mindset Builds the Brain
20:56 Reversing Aging in 12 Weeks
23:12 Five Pillars of Brain Health
25:36 Sleep Apnea and Brain Damage
28:02 Exercise Is Nonnegotiable
29:59 A Neurology Insider Story
30:33 Three Pillar Basics
31:20 Lifestyle Intelligence
32:43 Teeth And Brain Care
34:36 Culture And Identity Habits
36:01 Stress Shrinks Hippocampus
39:44 Reframing Stress Mindset
41:18 Stop Negative Loops
45:42 Morning Gratitude Practice
49:44 Challenge Your Brain
52:12 Happiness Is A Choice
55:15 Small Things Compound
56:41 Closing Thanks And Subscribe
Helpful Links:
Dr. Mahid Fotuhi Johns Hopkins
The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life Book