Tommy Wood — Physician and neuroscientist who studies brain development, traumatic brain injury, and cognitive decline. He is head of scientist for motorsport at Hintsa Performance, working with Formula 1 drivers, and author of the book The Stimulated Mind.
The gist
Joe Rogan and Dr. Tommy Wood discuss the science of preventing dementia and maintaining cognitive function as we age. Wood argues the brain, like muscle, follows a use-it-or-lose-it principle and that 45-70% of dementia is preventable through lifestyle. They cover how modern life leaves us over-stimulated yet under-challenged, the role of physical activity, the behavior-change problem, and how social media damages mental health via social comparison. Wood then draws on his Formula 1 work to explain arousal, recovery, jet lag, supplements, and the mental skills of elite performers. He closes by outlining the 3S model from his book: stimulus, supply, and support.
Big reveals
- Core thesis: in the modern world we are over-stimulated with nonsense yet under-stimulated cognitively at the same time.
- Cites an MIT study showing students who used ChatGPT to write essays had less brain activity and remembered less afterward.
- Wood insists nobody has solved the behavior-change problem; people don't lack information, they lack support and systems.
- Reveals Formula 1 drivers' supplements must be third-party tested (NSF/Informed Sport) and that peptides are avoided over contamination and legality.
- Contrarian claim: the most resilient athletes are self-compassionate, not the hardest on themselves.
- Same exposure to elite performers inspires athletes but harms the general public via lowered self-perceived social rank.
- Comic reveal: the 'large book' Joe was admiring is a blank dummy copy with no writing inside.
- Seattle Longitudinal Study found most people maintain cognitive function into their 70s-80s; data were used to raise the US retirement age.
Things worth remembering
- One copy of APOE4 raises Alzheimer's risk 2-6x; two copies raise it 6-20x, but it is a risk multiplier, not a guarantee.
- Learning is driven by failure: the gap between the brain's prediction and reality is what drives neuroplasticity.
- Jelly Roll lost 300 lb from a 500 lb start with no Ozempic, just walking and cutting sugar.
- A 6-second max sprint a couple of times produces an immediate, measurable boost in cognitive function.
- Food timing is a 'zeitgeber' (time-giver); meal timing helps reset circadian rhythm for jet lag.
- Performance follows the bell-shaped Yerkes-Dodson curve; the goal is the arousal sweet spot for flow and clutch states.
- About 20 minutes at ~20C (60F) cold exposure boosts endurance; too-cold ice baths can decrease cognitive performance.
- Roger Federer won only 54% of his career points, illustrating why letting go of mistakes matters.
- White matter underpins processing speed and executive function and is supported by vascular health and resistance training.
- The Stimulated Mind is ~450 pages, 165,000 words, with a 2,000-paper reference list hosted online.
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The Stimulated Mind
Tommy Wood
“that's like the core thesis of my book, right? It's called the stimulated mind. For that reason.” — Tommy Wood 00:05:42Find it on Amazon
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
David Epstein
“one of my favorite books is Range by David Epstein, which which talks about the broad range of skills that people who then really success” — Tommy Wood 00:20:15Find it on Amazon
The Coddling of the American Mind
Jonathan Haidt
“Jonathan Haidt wrote a great book about it called The Coddling of the American Mind about the impact of social media and particularly on young girls.” — Joe Rogan 01:53:08Find it on Amazon