The mindbodygreen Podcast 639: How to lower your Alzheimer’s risk at any age | Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D.
Mar 1, 2026
Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D., a Harvard- and Johns Hopkins-trained neurologist and brain health researcher, explains why memory decline is not inevitable. He covers preventable dementia risks like sleep and hearing, the limits of single biomarkers, and how lifestyle changes can alter amyloid and tau. Practical pillars include exercise, sleep, nutrition, mindset, and brain training to grow the hippocampus.
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Never Judge Tau In Isolation
- Don’t interpret a single elevated biomarker in isolation; run a panel and evaluate treatable causes first.
- Fotuhi compares brain evaluation to cardiology: you need multiple tests (blood flow, imaging, labs) and symptom context to identify the true driver.
High Tau Can Be Temporary After Infections
- Elevated tau can occur in healthy, sharp individuals and may follow infections like COVID or influenza.
- Fotuhi advises rechecking elevated tau in a year because transient infections can raise tau without predicting imminent dementia.
Five Pillars Grow The Hippocampus
- Use the five pillars—exercise, sleep, nutrition, mindset, and brain training—to grow hippocampal volume.
- Fotuhi reports 12-week programs combining these pillars increased hippocampus size by about 1–3% and improved cognitive test scores in older adults.
