409: Foods and Exercises to Protect Brain Health, Fight Dementia, and Optimize Cognitive Function | Tommy Wood, MD PhD

Mechanisms

Cold exposure offers intriguing benefits for brain health, though its effects vary between adults and infants. Dr. Tommy Wood explains that cooling the brain can decrease metabolic demand, potentially aiding in brain injury recovery by slowing cell death and reducing inflammation 1. However, he notes that while hypothermia shows promise in neonatal care, its effectiveness in adults remains inconsistent. Max Lugavere highlights the psychological boost from cold water immersion, which can enhance cognitive function through adrenaline release 2.

There are certainly some very interesting studies on cold exposure. Cold water immersion, it's definitely used, it's used in athletes prior to sport as a performance enhancer.

--- Dr. Tommy Wood

Despite these benefits, the long-term health impacts of such practices are still under investigation.

   

Cognitive Boost

Cold exposure can significantly enhance mental and cognitive performance. Dr. Tommy Wood discusses how cold water immersion not only boosts mental health but also improves cognitive function by increasing arousal and releasing neurotransmitters like adrenaline 2. He emphasizes that engaging in challenging activities, such as cold exposure, can prime the brain for better performance, similar to the effects of exercise and breath work 3.

If you do a lower intensity of exercise, and again, you often people say, oh, you know, I feel energized after my run. That's the kind of intensity we're talking about that seems to acutely benefit cognitive function.

--- Dr. Tommy Wood

This approach is used in high-performance settings, like Formula One, to optimize drivers' mental states before races 4.