Joe Rogan Experience #2450 - Tommy Wood

In a world saturated with digital noise, our brains are simultaneously overstimulated and underutilized. We are inundated with information, yet we rarely engage in the deep, difficult problem-solving that keeps our cognitive machinery sharp. Dr. Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist who works with elite Formula 1 drivers and studies long-term cognitive health, argues that the decline we associate with aging is not inevitable. Instead, much of it is a result of atrophy—a "use it or lose it" scenario played out over decades. By understanding the biological requirements of the brain, from metabolic fuel to the necessity of failure, we can build a "future-proof" mind capable of staying sharp at any age.

Key Takeaways

• Dementia is largely preventable: While genetics play a role, an estimated 45% to 70% of dementia cases are tied to lifestyle and environmental factors like diet, movement, and stimulation.
• Embrace the struggle: Neuroplasticity is driven by the gap between expectation and reality. You must be willing to "suck" at a new skill to signal your brain to adapt.
• The 3S Model: Brain health relies on three pillars: Stimulus (challenge), Supply (nutrients and blood flow), and Support (sleep and recovery).
• Recovery equals performance: For elite athletes like F1 drivers, adaptation occurs during rest. Sleep and stress management are as critical as the training itself.
• Social connection is biological: Isolation is a major risk factor for cognitive decline, while community and shared purpose drive positive behavioral changes.

The Myth of Inevitable Decline

There is a pervasive belief that cognitive function peaks in our 20s and slowly rots away as we age. However, historical data, such as the Seattle Longitudinal Study, suggests otherwise. This research followed individuals from their 20s to their 100s and found that, on average, people maintained cognitive function well into their 70s and 80s. The decline we see at a population level often stems from a lack of demand placed on the brain after formal education and career challenges cease.

Dr. Wood posits that dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, is often a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers. While genes like APOE4 can act as a "risk multiplier," increasing susceptibility to inflammation, they do not guarantee disease. Instead, they amplify the negative effects of a modern lifestyle—sedentary behavior, poor diet, and alcohol consumption.

"Most of the processes of development in the brain are refining connections based on the environment and the stimulus the brain receives. So if you start removing stimuli because you're no longer engaging in these cognitively challenging things, the brain's going to start removing connections."

The 3S Model: Stimulus, Supply, and Support

To maintain a high-performing brain, Dr. Wood introduces a framework he calls the 3S Model. This system treats the brain like any other physiological tissue, requiring specific inputs to function and repair.

1. Stimulus

The brain is an energy-expensive organ. It will not maintain expensive neural networks unless they are necessary for survival. This requires novelty and challenge. When you learn a new language, pick up an instrument, or grapple with complex problems, you create a demand for neural pathways.

2. Supply

Once you stimulate a specific brain network, it demands energy. The "Supply" pillar refers to the delivery system: blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients. This explains why cardiovascular health is directly linked to brain health. Conditions like high blood pressure and high blood sugar damage the small vessels in the brain, cutting off the supply line essential for cognitive maintenance.

3. Support

Stimulus causes stress; adaptation happens during recovery. "Support" encompasses sleep, stress management, and hormonal health. Without adequate sleep (the brain's cleaning cycle) and periods of low stress, the brain cannot cement the new connections formed during the stimulation phase.

Why You Need to Embrace Failure

Adults often avoid learning new skills because they dislike the feeling of incompetence. However, that frustration is chemically necessary for neuroplasticity. The brain is a prediction machine. When you try to learn a new movement or solve a new problem and fail, there is a mismatch between your prediction and the reality.

This mismatch signals the release of neurochemicals that mark those specific neural circuits for change. If you only do things you are already good at, you are not triggering this adaptation process. To future-proof your brain, you must actively seek out the feeling of failure.

"The process of learning, which in itself is the core process of neuroplasticity... is driven by failure essentially and making mistakes. That's what diverts resources in the brain to say, 'Hey, we need to close the gap between what we hoped would happen and what actually happened.'"

High Performance Lessons from Formula 1

In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, drivers must make split-second decisions while subjecting their bodies to extreme G-forces. Dr. Wood’s work with these athletes highlights the critical balance between arousal and relaxation.

Managing Arousal

Performance follows the Yerkes-Dodson curve. Too little arousal leads to disengagement; too much leads to anxiety and scattered focus. Elite performance requires finding the "sweet spot" of sympathetic activation. Drivers achieve this through varied protocols, ranging from reaction drills to specific caffeine timing, ensuring they are alert but not jittery.

The Art of Recovery

F1 drivers travel constantly, battling jet lag and sleep deprivation. Their training emphasizes that you cannot simply push through fatigue indefinitely. Strategies to mitigate travel fatigue include:

• Circadian Alignment: Shifting light exposure and meal timing to match the destination time zone before travel.
• Exercise upon Arrival: Engaging in physical activity immediately upon landing to signal wakefulness to the body clock.
• Temperature Regulation: Using cold exposure to increase arousal or heat to induce relaxation depending on the time of day.

The Psychology of Resilience

Physical tools are useless without the right psychological framework. Contrary to the "killer instinct" trope often associated with athletes, research suggests that self-compassion is a stronger predictor of long-term resilience. Athletes who beat themselves up over errors tend to spiral, pushing themselves out of the optimal arousal zone. Those who treat themselves with compassion can reset quickly, focusing on the next play rather than the previous mistake.

Dr. Wood cites tennis legend Roger Federer, who won only 54% of the points he played throughout his career. This means he lost nearly half the time. The ability to accept a loss, learn, and immediately reset is the hallmark of a future-proof mind.

Movement: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

If there is a "magic pill" for the brain, it is physical exercise. Movement is so baked into our evolutionary history that our physiology malfunctions without it. Exercise provides immediate cognitive benefits—a simple 20-minute jog can increase blood flow and arousal, sharpening focus for hours afterward.

However, societal barriers often prevent people from moving. Dr. Wood advocates for a shift in how we view fitness, moving away from the intimidation of elite athletic standards and toward consistency. Whether it is walking, dancing, or resistance training, the goal is to build "headroom"—a reserve of physical and cognitive capacity that ensures you can handle life's stressors without breaking down.

"Physical activity is baked into our evolutionary development so much so that now we've had to invent exercise in order to prevent what happens when we don't move."

Conclusion

Future-proofing your brain is not about finding a secret supplement or relying on a single brain-training app. It is about constructing a lifestyle that mimics the environment our brains evolved to thrive in: one filled with physical movement, complex problem-solving, social connection, and adequate rest. By continuously challenging ourselves to learn new skills and embracing the discomfort of the process, we can maintain, and even improve, our cognitive faculties well into old age.