Henry Mahncke is the CEO of Posit Science and the creator of BrainHQ , the most researched brain training platform in the world. A neuroscientist who did his PhD with Michael Merzenich, considered the father of adult brain plasticity, Henry has spent two decades translating brain plasticity science into tools that actually improve brain health. In this conversation, we dig into why most brain training criticism misses the point, what the largest clinical trials really show, and why the future of...
Jun 03, 2026•1 hr 4 min
Can a shingles vaccine cut your dementia risk by 20%? A series of landmark studies — published in Nature, Cell, and JAMA — say yes. In this episode, Tommy unpacks the research: how natural experiments in four countries produced one of the most compelling signals in dementia prevention, what might explain the effect beyond infection prevention, and what it means for your own vaccination decisions. In this episode: 00:00 — Introduction 00:52 — The new data on shingles vaccination and Alzheimer's r...
May 07, 2026•29 min
A recent study published in Nature Medicine claims a blood test can predict when you'll develop Alzheimer's disease, and it got a lot of attention. But how well does it actually work, and should you rush out and get tested? In this episode, we break down the study behind the headlines to understand what it really shows, where the major limitations lie, and what it means for anyone thinking about getting this kind of test. Topics and Questions Covered What P-Tau 217 is and why it's become the lea...
Apr 14, 2026•29 min
In this episode, we discuss a study published in PLOS One that compared living brain tissue to post-mortem brain tissue and found dramatic molecular differences between the two. The findings raise serious questions about decades of Alzheimer's research built on post-mortem analysis and may help explain why pharmaceutical treatments for the disease have been so disappointing Study: A Study of RNA Splicing and Protein Expression in the Living Human Brain -------------- To submit a question for us ...
Feb 28, 2026•21 min
In this episode, we dig into a recent McGill University study on computerized cognitive training and its effects on brain chemistry in older adults. What you'll learn: Why certain brain training games reversed a decade of age-related cognitive decline in just 10 weeks—and how researchers finally measured actual biological changes in the brain The critical difference between activities that genuinely enhance your brain versus mental junk food like Candy Crush or Solitaire The single organizing pr...
Jan 30, 2026•30 min
In this episode, we dive into guidelines to figure out what all the fuss is about, whether that fuss is warranted, and whether we should even be issuing dietary guidelines to begin with! Topics and Questions Covered The updates: A breakdown of the specific shifts regarding protein prioritization, full-fat dairy, and whole grain recommendations. The visual shift in nutrition: The transition from the "MyPlate" model to the inverted pyramid visual and the symbolism and subtext behind the change. In...
Jan 16, 2026•35 min
Much of what we talk about on Better Brain Fitness resolves around the demand-driven decline model we published. Well...a new study just published in Nature Communications gave that model the best test to date, and the results are pretty darn exciting. So of course we had to do an episode about it! The study looks at the relationship between brain aging and creative activities like music, dance, art, and video gaming. Tommy walks through the study and explains why this matters for anyone thinkin...
Dec 18, 2025•24 min
In this episode, we tackle a question from listener Carolyn in Michigan about the potential cognitive impacts of long-term hearing loss. What You'll Learn: The research linking hearing loss to increased dementia risk and what the evidence actually shows How hearing aids impact the risk of cognitive decline The mechanisms behind why hearing loss might affect brain health Practical strategies for maintaining cognitive health when dealing with hearing loss Innovative technologies for hearing loss t...
Dec 12, 2025•27 min
You may have heard the alarming headline about a recent study that showed the typical brain had about a teaspoon of microplastics inside of it. And that amount appears to be increasing each year. In equally alarming fashion, that same study also revealed that those with dementia had over 5 times the amount of plastic in their brains as those without. Needless to say, it's an issue worth paying attention to. So, in this episode, we break down what is known about microplastics and their impact on ...
Nov 04, 2025•38 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Click here to pre-order Dr. Wood's book, "The Stimulated Mind." Click here to grab Dr. Turknett's bestselling book, "Anyone Can Play Music" Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Oct 28, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Click here to grab Ben's new book, "Why Your Brain Needs Friends"! To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Click here to pre-order Dr. Wood's book, "The Stimulated Mind." Click here to grab Dr. Turknett's bestselling book, "Anyone Can Play Music" Intro and Outro mu...
Oct 15, 2025•59 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Click here to pre-order Dr. Wood's book, "The Stimulated Mind." Click here to grab Dr. Turknett's bestselling book, "Anyone Can Play Music" Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Oct 07, 2025•24 min
Click here to pre-order a copy of Dr. Wood's book, The Stimulated Mind! To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed...
Sep 25, 2025•35 min
Click here to check out James's book, Regenerative Performance . To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and pr...
Sep 09, 2025•56 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to the free Better Brain Fitness newsletter, join us when we record live, and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Click here to pre-order Dr. Wood's book, "The Stimulated Mind." Click here to grab Dr. Turknett's bestselling book, "Anyone Can Play Music" Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Aug 26, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Aug 15, 2025•41 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Jul 31, 2025•57 min
06To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness Substack newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Jul 24, 2025•30 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen .
Jul 08, 2025•25 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Jun 24, 2025•20 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Jun 10, 2025•28 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
May 27, 2025•18 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen .
May 15, 2025•31 min
Click here to learn more about Bionic Health. To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
May 01, 2025•38 min
06To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Paper: " Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of menopause hormone therapy on risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia " Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Apr 15, 2025•23 min
Link to the 5 Calls Website for contacting your representative (including a script specifically for this issue): https://5calls.org/issue/nih-nsf-funding-cuts/ Dr. Elizabeth Nance's Instagram: @profnance To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with...
Apr 01, 2025•55 min
06To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . The book: Anyone Can Play Music , by Josh Turknett, MD To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Mar 26, 2025•33 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . To learn more about how you can boost brain fitness with neuroscience-based musical instruction, head to brainjo.academy . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Mar 07, 2025•26 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Link to the study discussed in today's episode: " An online multidomain lifestyle intervention to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk older adults: a randomized controlled trial " Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen ....
Feb 28, 2025•23 min
To submit a question for us to answer on the podcast, go to brainjo.academy/question . To subscribe to The Better Brain Fitness newsletter and get our Guide and Checklist to essential blood tests and nutrients, go to: betterbrain.fitness . Intro and Outro music composed and produced by Julienne Ellen .
Feb 14, 2025•31 min
