Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee The New Science Of Preventing Dementia: Protect Your Brain, Boost Your Focus, Resist Cognitive Decline with Dr Tommy Wood #638
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Mar 18, 2026 
Dr Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist and physician who advises elite athletes, explores why many dementia cases may be preventable. He digs into how aging beliefs shape brain health. He unpacks stimulation, movement, recovery, and social connection. There’s also a look at tired-yet-wired evenings, cognitive gears, and why women’s brain health needs more attention.
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Why Dementia Prevention Estimates Are So High
- Tommy Wood says 45 to 70 percent of dementia cases may be preventable, based on Lancet Commission and UK Biobank analyses of modifiable risks.
- The estimate includes education, smoking, head trauma, obesity, and hearing loss, and he argues 45 percent may be conservative because sleep and later-life cognitive stimulation were omitted.
Expecting Decline Can Create Decline
- Expecting decline with age can cause decline because people stop doing the very activities that preserve function.
- Tommy Wood links this to stereotype embodiment theory, where beliefs like being too old to learn or move become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Most People Maintain Cognition Longer Than We Assume
- Average age-related decline hides that many individuals maintain cognition well into their 70s and 80s.
- Tommy Wood cites the Seattle Longitudinal Study, which repeatedly tested people for decades and found most maintained function rather than steadily deteriorating.
