Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais The Psychology of Fighting Dementia | Dr Tommy Wood
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Aug 26, 2026 
Dr. Tommy Wood, physician and neuroscientist and author of The Stimulated Mind, explains why the brain is more plastic than we think. He explores learning and exercise as protective forces. He outlines the Lancet risk factors and his 3S framework: stimulus, supply, support. He discusses midlife risk divergence, metabolic and vascular drivers, and practical tests and interventions to steward brain health.
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Nearly Half Of Dementia May Be Preventable
- Large analyses estimate about 45% of dementia cases could be prevented by addressing modifiable risks.
- The Lancet Commission's 14 factors (education, vascular risk, hearing, social isolation, etc.) drive that estimate.
Three Core Drivers Of Brain Health
- The 3S model frames brain health as Stimulus, Supply, and Support.
- Tommy Wood argues most dementia risk factors cluster into these interacting mechanistic buckets, simplifying intervention points.
The Brain Is Not Doomed By Age
- Historic beliefs (Cajal, Osler) framed the adult brain as fixed and decline inevitable.
- Tommy says improved data (Seattle Longitudinal Study) show many maintain cognition into 70s, challenging that narrative.
