Science Friday The Art And Science Of Staving Off Cognitive Decline
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Mar 2, 2026 Dr. Marilyn Albert, Johns Hopkins neurologist who studies cognitive aging, and Jake Brasch, playwright and performer behind the semi-autobiographical play The Reservoir. They explore cognitive reserve, mixing science with theater, a 20-year study showing training can cut dementia risk, the mechanics of speed-of-processing exercises, and how art frames heavy topics with humor.
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Playwright's Personal Spark From Cognitive Reserve
- Jake Brasch started The Reservoir after discovering the science of cognitive reserve and realized it mirrored his own year getting sober.
- He linked his family's intergenerational stories, especially his grandmother's sudden decline at 85, to cognitive reserve as a narrative throughline.
High Reserve Can Cause Sharp Apparent Declines
- High cognitive reserve can make decline appear sudden because extensive compensatory pathways mask symptoms until they fail.
- Brasch observed his doctoral-level grandmother function normally until age 85, then she rapidly 'dropped off the planet,' illustrating this effect.
Lead A Curious Full Life To Protect Memory
- Do lead a curious, open, full life as a practical way to protect against dementia and normal aging.
- Brasch emphasizes everyday activities people already know how to do are the best protective measures.