Tommy Wood Pensacola Evening lecture

With an aging population and an environment that seems to actively work against our cognitive and physical health, the burden of dementia and cognitive decline are expected to triple by 2040. At the same time, decades of science investigating the biochemical and pathological processes that drive dementia have little to show for themselves and are increasingly coming into question. Despite this, it appears that the majority of dementia should be preventable if we’re able to fully understand the factors that contribute to long-term cognitive function. Drawing largely from comparisons to what we know about enhancing fitness and preventing physical decline, this talk will discuss the potential for cognitive enhancement and dementia prevention. Modifiable factors that affect cognitive function will be described as well as a proposed systems-based model of how those factors interact to influence an individual’s cognitive trajectory. This will provide a framework to define critical open questions that we need to answer about cognitive enhancement and cognitive decline, as well as the stakes if we don’t.

Dr. Tommy Wood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, where his research focuses on brain health across the lifespan. This includes therapies for newborn brain injury, prevention and treatment of adult brain trauma, and factors that contribute to long-term cognitive function and decline. Tommy received an undergraduate 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. Alongside his academic training, Tommy has worked as a performance consultant to elite athletes in multiple sports. He is also a Director and Treasurer of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Head of Research for the dementia prevention charity Food for the Brain, and co-host of The Better Brain Fitness podcast.

Host or Publisher Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition