Tommy Wood 1 source tracked
Neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington focused on brain health, performance, and longevity.
About Tommy Wood →
Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, where his laboratory studies brain health across the lifespan, including responses to brain injury in preterm infants and adults, and factors affecting long-term cognitive function and dementia risk. He earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, a medical degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Oslo. He is also a Visiting Research Scientist at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), a director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, and a performance consultant who has worked with elite athletes across more than a dozen sports, including Formula 1 drivers via Hintsa Performance. He is the author of the book The Stimulated Mind.
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Organic (prompted) Alternative
Aerobic and high-intensity interval training particularly benefits the hippocampus and memory function.
“aerobic training or interval training seems to benefit the hippocampus
BG▶ 38:50Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Create bright daytime and dark/calm nighttime environments to support sleep, especially for children.
“bright light during the day, darkness at night
BG▶ 15:20Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Playing music and maintaining music hobby late in life is associated with slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk.
“music related hobby and maintaining that late into life
BG▶ 27:40Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Tommy takes low-dose lithium orotate based on emerging data on mood and cognitive decline.
“recently started taking lithium orotate
BG▶ 56:20Dosage~1-5 mg/day (typical OTC dose he hangs out at)CaveatsHigher doses (75-300 mg) used clinically; evidence in MCI mixedCertaintyhedgedpersonal use -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Tommy takes a high quality multivitamin to ensure adequate B vitamins critical for brain function.
“high quality multivitamin, especially to get enough B vitamins
BG▶ 55:50Certaintypersonal onlypersonal use -
Teaching adults music theory produces changes in brain structure and executive function, even without playing an instrument.
“teaching adults music theory
BG▶ 27:20Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
In a protocol
4x4 high-intensity intervals (85-95% max HR) three times weekly improved hippocampus structure/function with lasting effects.
“four minutes, 85 to 95% of maximum heart rate, three minute break, four times over
BG▶ 47:00Dosage4 min at 85-95% max HR, 3 min recovery, 4 rounds, 3x/week for 6 monthsCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol Alternative
Tommy takes a high-quality omega-3 supplement if not eating seafood regularly.
“high quality omega 3 supplement
BG▶ 56:50Certaintypersonal onlypersonal use -
Organic (prompted)
Sports requiring complex motor skill plus cognition (pickleball, tennis, martial arts, board sports) deliver broadest cognitive benefit.
“open skill, coordinative exercise
BG▶ 40:00Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Read to babies and children and support their learning to read as a foundational brain-development stimulus.
“reading to them and the learning to read
BG▶ 14:20Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Resistance training improves white matter structure/function and executive function.
“Resistance training improves the structure and function of the white matter
BG▶ 39:20Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Engage children in play with small risk of injury that requires complex motor skill and emotional regulation.
“types of play where there's maybe a small risk of injury
BG▶ 14:30Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Guest recommendation
Tommy Wood's book on building brain function through environment and stimulus, future-proofing against dementia.
“Stimulated Mind. Future proof your brain from dementia
BG▶ 9:00Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Do your own intellectual work first, then use AI for feedback to enhance rather than replace your cognition.
“do the work yourself and then you got feedback
BG▶ 52:00DosageWrite/work first yourself; then use AI for feedback and iterationCaveatsAvoid using AI as a prosthetic that replaces thinkingCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Tommy's diet is ~80-90% whole foods: fruit, berries, meat, eggs, fish, vegetables with carbs scaled to training.
“80, 90% of my diet is whole, minimally processed, nutrient dense foods
BG▶ 55:00Certaintypersonal onlypersonal use -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Avoid stimulants in the evening for children to support melatonin and sleep.
“avoiding stimulants at night
BG▶ 15:30Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
No good evidence for ketamine as a general brain enhancer; only justified in directed psychiatric therapy contexts.
“never seen any kind of evidence for that
BG▶ 1:06:40CaveatsMay be beneficial in clinical ketamine-assisted therapyCertaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
No net positive or negative effect on brain at low intake (~1 UK unit/day); harmful above that for brain volume and dementia risk.
“low levels of intake, occasionally, no net effect
BG▶ 1:04:10Dosage≤1 UK unit (~8 g ethanol) per day on average; avoid >2 hours before bedCaveatsAffects sleep quality; addictive; neurotoxic at high dosesCertaintyhedgedmild caution -
Stimulants like caffeine can make you feel cognitively better while objectively performing worse.
“we think we're performing better, but often we're actually performing worse
BG▶ 1:09:30CaveatsSubjective perception may not match objective performanceCertaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Tommy is cautious about routine exogenous ketone use; potential benefit in sleep-deprived, stressed, or metabolically impaired states.
“I don't routinely use them
BG▶ 59:10CaveatsEvidence mixed; unclear which formulation works bestCertaintyhedgedmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Acute nicotine can boost focus/attention; chronic use is addictive and may yield only perceived benefits. Intermittent use OK.
“nicotine can acutely boost cognitive function
BG▶ 1:08:00DosageIntermittent use only (gum, patch, tablet); avoid daily useCaveatsAddictive, tolerance/withdrawal, vasoconstrictive, raises heart rateCertaintyhedgedmild caution