1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: Hi everyone. I'm Katie Kuric, and this is next question. 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: You know, I've known and admire Dr Sanjay Gupta for years. 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: He's such a great guy. He's also a neuroscientist and 4 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: the chief medical correspondent for CNN, which, as you can imagine, 5 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: when COVID hit put him at the center of the 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: pandemic storm. This may be a new pathogen that circulates 7 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: around the world. You're running into a situation where you 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: just don't have beds. If those numbers don't budge, it's 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: gonna be very hard to get to hurt immunity. I 10 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: think this has added a lot more urgency to an 11 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: already very urgent situation. There has been so much to cover. 12 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: In fact, Sanjay also launched a daily podcast on the subject. 13 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:49,319 Speaker 1: I'm Dr Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, and this 14 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: is coronavirus fact versus fiction. Throughout this very long year, 15 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Sanja has really acted as our guide, helping us understand 16 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: the thorny virus and what it means for our health, 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: our communities, and our country. And he admits it's been 18 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: as all consuming as you might think. All I think about, 19 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: Katie has been COVID. You know, I viral transmission, how 20 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: people evaluate risk social behavior. But there is some joy 21 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: in getting so head down in something. I feel like 22 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: we live such distracted lives. You get a little bit 23 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: about a lot of things, like I really know so 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: much about this virus. I also wanted to talk to 25 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: Sanjay because he's got a new book out. Yeah, believe 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: it or not, he found time to write a book 27 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: during this crazy year. It's called Keep Sharp, Building a 28 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: Better Brain at any Age, and it's fascinating. It's also 29 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: a practical guide for better brain health, something I'm extremely 30 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: interested in. And don't worry, we do get into that, 31 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: but since I have the COVID expert of experts, I 32 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: couldn't help but start our conversation there. You must feel 33 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: like you you have a PhD in virology at this point, right, Yeah, 34 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: I mean totally and and and the the irony is, Katie, 35 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: is that this is a novel virus, right, So I 36 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: mean novel actually means something, which which that didn't really 37 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: strike me until a few months into this either, Like 38 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: I think because you said the PhD in virology. The 39 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: the irony is that that I think people who had 40 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: a lot of knowledge about this. In some ways it 41 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: got in their way because it's very hard to think 42 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: about something as novel. You immediately want to put it 43 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: into a box. It's the box of stars, it's the 44 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 1: box of H one, N one, whatever you come up with. 45 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,839 Speaker 1: But this was novel, which means that if you try 46 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: to put it in a box, you probably got it wrong. 47 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: So they had to cast aside their preconceived notions completely, 48 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: and that's hard to do, right for a scientist, it's 49 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 1: really hard to do, and and it goes against sort 50 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: of how you think about things. Let's get the best experts. 51 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: And by the way, I think there's really really value, 52 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: great value and expertise. Don't get me wrong, But what 53 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: you would do is grab the coronavirus experts, grabbed the 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: pandemic experts, and that was all important. But this virus 55 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: was just behaving in a totally novel way. I mean. 56 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: One of the best examples, as you well know, was 57 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: everybody believed that respiratory virus is really only spread when 58 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: you were sick. When you were when you had symptoms, 59 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: that's when you spread. And you know, the guidance was, 60 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: will screen people at airports, will tell people to stay 61 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: home if they're sick, which people should do anyway, regardless 62 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: of whether in a pandemic, and we should be able 63 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: to quell this thing. No one really believed initially that 64 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: this thing would spread most efficiently when people didn't have symptoms. 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: That that was that's never really happened before, is it. 66 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: As Dr Fauci has said, never in the history of 67 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: respiratory viruses has that happened before. That's novel. I mean, 68 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: you know, remember the story of typhoid Mary. She was 69 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: a silent carrier of typhoid. It was so dramatic because 70 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: she infected all these people in this single residents in 71 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: this community and all that, and people couldn't figure it out. 72 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: This is like millions of typhoid Mary's in a way 73 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: of a of a brand new disease, COVID, So it 74 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: is it was quite extraordinary to sort of see that, uh, 75 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: see see how that all played out. Well, before we 76 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: talk about your your new book, keep sharp, because I'm 77 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 1: really interested, as someone who's sixty four, in maintaining my 78 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 1: mental acuity as i age. I just want to ask 79 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: you one last question about COVID, and that is, are 80 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 81 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: Every time I feel optimistic, sang, I then read something 82 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: about variance or increased cases, and it's quite nerve racking, 83 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: I think for the average person who doesn't have a 84 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: medical degree or hasn't been deeply, deeply entrenched in the 85 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: science of this, I mean, are we screwed? Are we 86 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: at the tail end of this pandemic? I do feel 87 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: the light on my face, in your face. I mean, 88 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: I do think that the the tunnel is is the 89 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 1: end of the tunnels in sight? I mean, the then 90 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: can I just can I just remind people, and I 91 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: think this is such an important reminder that they were 92 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: having rave parties in Wuhan at the end of last summer. 93 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: And I bring that up only to say that we 94 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: talked about the vaccines. We talked about the fact that 95 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: science is now rescuing us, which is great, fantastic, but 96 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: so much of this didn't need to happen. And I 97 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: and I and I know that's not your question, Katie, 98 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: but I just feel like I can never answer a 99 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: question about um, about the sort of future or being 100 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: optimistic about this pandemic because I'm so it's just so, 101 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: it's so, I'm so angry in so many ways. I mean, 102 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: you know, six people died and some of them are 103 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: my friends. And I've seen families, I talk to families still, 104 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: I just it just this may not have even been 105 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 1: the Black Swan event, right, we think of this black 106 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: Swan event, this really contagious virus, which this was, but 107 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: something that has a two to three percent mortality that 108 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: would be awful, that would be the Black Swan event. 109 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: This wasn't even that. There were countries around the world 110 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: that immediately quelled this and measure their debts in the 111 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: hundreds instead of the hundreds of thousands. Having said that, 112 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: we are a society. Because we are we focus on 113 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: touchdowns and home runs and knockouts. We don't care much 114 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: for singles and doubles. Because we're that society. We waited 115 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: for science to rescue us. And and the vaccines will. 116 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: I think they're really extraordinary and really effective. They seem 117 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: to be pretty effective against the variant B one one seven, 118 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: the UK variant, because there's a lot of concern about 119 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: that variant. But if you have been vaccinated, or if 120 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: you had the infection in the past, the other you know, 121 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: the the circulating coronavirus that should also protect you. So 122 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: it's really I think it's really good. And I think 123 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 1: with the warmer, warmer weather in the summer, viral transmission 124 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: rates will go down. That would be great. I do think, 125 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: you know, um, we'll probably get to hurt immunity over 126 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: the summer, but but it's worth reminding that her immunity 127 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: isn't a sort of destination. Necessarily. You can pop in 128 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: and out of her immunity. So if not enough people 129 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: get vaccinated over you know, the next few months, then 130 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: going into the colder weather again in the fall, we 131 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: could see resurgences. It's quite disturbing when you hear about 132 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: the people who are refusing to get vaccinated. Many of 133 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: them are white men, Uh, in this country. I think 134 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: you see the impact of politics on that number, not 135 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: only in terms of the response to the pandemic, but 136 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: now to the response to the vaccines. Uh. That must 137 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: be quite disturbing for you too, it is for me. Yeah. 138 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: I mean there's been no not a single part of 139 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: this entire pandemic that hasn't been politicized in some way. 140 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: I mean that I guess now you say that's in 141 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: in April of two one, and it's obvious, right, everyone 142 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: knows that, but started starting off covering the story, um 143 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: and now all the way now to the vaccines, even 144 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: every single component has been politicized in some way. So 145 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: it is it is disturbing the anti vax movement. And 146 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: you may not even remember this, Katie, but I actually 147 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: did a segment on your your show years ago about 148 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: anti vaccination movement at that time around h one and one. 149 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: But it's been around for a long time, the anti 150 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: vaccination movement, and it's sort of you know, it simmers it. 151 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: We saw measles outbreaks in Brooklyn and and Disneyland and Minnesota. 152 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: This seems bigger though you know that was a particular group, uh, 153 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: and it really dealt primarily with childhood vaccinations and now 154 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: this has expanded to um, you know, these adults who 155 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: I don't know for one reason or another. I think 156 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: you can understand people of color and the terrible history 157 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: of Tuskegee and some of the ways that people of 158 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: color have been abused in scientific research in the past, 159 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: and this kind of deeply ingrained mistrust of the medical community. 160 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: So I think you can appreciate that. But this is, 161 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: you know, this is a whole other ball of wax, 162 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: isn't it? Yes, it really is. And and you know 163 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: we're we're seeing some of this for or really seeing 164 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: it come to light, I should say, you know, in 165 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: a in a pretty dramatic way. Now. I think I 166 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: think I was reading the statistics this morning, Katie Kaiser 167 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: Family Foundation, forty of those in rural areas who say 168 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: they absolutely will not take the vaccine. It's not any 169 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: question of hey, I want more information, I want to 170 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: see how this plays out. They're just saying, out of 171 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: the gate they absolutely not take it. And what said, 172 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: what is the explanation? That's the curious thing, Like you said, 173 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: with some people who are vaccine hesitants, it is concerns 174 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: about safety or mistrust or you know, uh my my 175 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: grandfather was experimented on as part of Tuskegee, you know, 176 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,559 Speaker 1: things like that. With this, I think it's almost an 177 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: extension of this pandemic. Isn't even real. It's not a hoax. 178 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: Why would I take a vaccine for something that's a hoax. 179 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: I'm not scared for safety of it. I just don't. 180 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: I think the whole thing is sort of you know, 181 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: the scam demic sort of thing. So I don't know 182 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 1: if that's the case. For it's a huge percentage of 183 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: people were talking about here, so maybe there's a some heterogeneity, 184 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: you know, some variety of opinions there. But bottom line, 185 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: if if, if the numbers stay that high, we're not 186 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: going to get to hurt immunity based on vaccinating adults alone, 187 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: which is it's it's it's so. I mean, gosh, we 188 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,559 Speaker 1: wait for science to rescue us. We don't do the 189 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: basic public health practices, and then when when this truly 190 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,559 Speaker 1: extraordinary scientific achievement occurs in the form of this vaccine, 191 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 1: people don't take it. You know, if you are a 192 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: Martian coming to planet Earth and saying, so, let me 193 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: get this straight. So you didn't do anything about the virus. 194 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: You waited, created this amazing medicine, and then you don't 195 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: take the medicine to it. Just it doesn't make any sense. 196 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: It's a head scratcher for sure. When do you think 197 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: Sanjay will be able to go about our daily lives 198 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 1: without mass I think it'll be this summer, Katie, I 199 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: I really do. I mean, I know that there's people 200 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: who are painting a more dire prediction around that, but 201 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: you know, we for no other reason alone with the 202 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: warmer weather, and then you're gonna really see the blunting 203 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: despite the vaccine hesitancy that we're talking about. You are 204 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: going to see a significant blunting of people who are 205 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: getting very sick, people who are dying. And we know 206 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: that the the vaccine does seem to have good evidence 207 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: that it stops or decreases transmission. So I think we're 208 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: really going to get to a pretty good point. I 209 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: think you'll still see masks around, you know, in in 210 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: Hong Kong after Hong Kong really wasn't a mask wearing 211 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: country until after Stars and then there was this huge 212 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: psychological impact. That's why they went to mass so early 213 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: in Hong Kong, but they became a mask wearing culture. 214 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: I think you will see people who are just frightened 215 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: still want to wear masks in public places. I think 216 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: in flu season, you know, the colder months, I think 217 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: you'll see more masks. I think that may become a 218 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: a larger part of our culture. Not a dominant, but 219 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: I think a larger part of our culture. That's interesting 220 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: because I remember being in Tokyo maybe gosh, gosh, maybe 221 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: ten ten or twelve years ago and going on the 222 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,559 Speaker 1: train to Kyoto and seeing everyone wearing masks and thinking 223 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: this is so weird. Why are they wearing masks? And now, 224 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 1: of course I understand, and you're right. I think when 225 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: people are on places like public transportation, if they're in 226 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: a closed spaces with lots of strangers, Um, it actually 227 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,719 Speaker 1: makes sense, doesn't it. I mean, you know, one thing 228 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 1: we saw, as you may remember, is that the flu 229 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: numbers were way down this past season, and that you 230 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: know that that wasn't because of any increase in in 231 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: vaccination or anything. That was because of just public health behavior. 232 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: It's always worked, you know. I don't know there's a 233 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 1: metaphor for this, Katie, right, I mean we I don't know. 234 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: I guess it's true in our lives, like we'd rather 235 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 1: just take a pill for weight loss rather than go exercise, 236 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 1: and we always want the convenience. And and this is 237 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: this is another example of that. We I I was struck. 238 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: And again, we can talk about COVID all day long, 239 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: but the but the I'll never forget these these mask 240 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: researchers from Harvard, a guy named Abera Kuran. He basically 241 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: was doing all this modeling all along. We were talking 242 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: to him. He told me that if for four weeks, 243 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: and this is back, you know, October November of last year, 244 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: if for four weeks everybody just wore a high filtration 245 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: mask when they went out in public, that's it. For 246 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: four weeks, if everybody did that, it would have ended 247 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: the pandemic. Are you kidding? That's incredible. The virus would 248 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: have nowhere to go. It couldn't find a willing host. 249 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 1: I mean, you know that that that sort of that 250 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: sort of concept is something that's more than a hundred 251 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: years old. I just I just don't quite you know, 252 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: I don't know. Maybe I'm just being naive, But but 253 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 1: you hear that and you think it's amazing, right, I 254 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: think it's amazing. And yet we also know both of 255 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,599 Speaker 1: us that in the United States that couldn't happen. It 256 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: just wouldn't happen. I mean, human being survived and thrived 257 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: as a species because we're reciprocally altruistic. There's a reason 258 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: that it feels good to do good. Why should it 259 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: feel good when I do something nice for you? I mean, 260 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: what purposes that serve my evolutionary tree? I don't know, 261 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: But the reality is that it does feel good to 262 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: do good. We encoded that in some way in our 263 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: DNA and then people can't be bothered to wear a 264 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: mask to save tens of thousands of lives. I just 265 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: I'll that may be one of the greatest mysteries of 266 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: all out of this whole thing. Well, I just want 267 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: to say, on on behalf of the American public, thank 268 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: you for your coverage of this UM. I think you're 269 00:14:53,200 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: so measured and uh so eloquent and and honestly calming 270 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: in a way, and I just really appreciate all the 271 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: fantastic reporting you've done throughout this pandemic. So on behalf 272 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: of a grateful America, I would like to say thank you, 273 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: Sancho Gupta, Well, Katie, thank you, thank you, And that 274 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: obviously means a great deal in particular coming from you, 275 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: So I appreciate that you know, you get it. You know, 276 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: I mean, you're you are the standard obviously by whom 277 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: we all measure ourselves. But also you know you were 278 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: all in these black holes, right I mean, I don't 279 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: know where you are right now. As I said, I'm 280 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: in this tiny little closet. I don't you don't get 281 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: any feedback. Sometimes it's been really dispiriting because you think, Okay, 282 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: I'm a medical reporter in the middle of a pandemic, 283 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: that that is my you know, that's a job. And 284 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: at the same time, the country in which I'm reporting 285 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: arguably did the worst in the world. I mean, I 286 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: know I keep taking this in that direction, but it's 287 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: just so dispiriting. Did I did anyone listen to me? 288 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: I mean, if if, if you're the medical reporter and 289 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: presumably people are are counting on you to provide knowledge 290 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: hopefully that will inform how they behave and then we 291 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: do the worst in the world. That's that's you know, 292 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to need to reflect on that. I think, 293 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: you know, in the years to come, like what is 294 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: the real impact here? One could argue that maybe it 295 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: would have been worse, who knows, you know, but it's 296 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: pretty bad. Well, don't get too dispirited, because I think 297 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: a lot of people listen, relied on you, and actually acted. 298 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: So even though the track record was bad, your information 299 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: was good and important. So thank you. I appreciate that. 300 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: When we come back Sanja and I find some optimism 301 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: and believe it or not, brain health, that's right after this, 302 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: let's talk about keep sharp because moving forward, I think 303 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: many people like me really are interested in how to 304 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:12,719 Speaker 1: keep our cognitive and mental health at the top. And 305 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 1: I think you know, certainly, one big change in medicine 306 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: is that we as patients are not passive. It turns out, Sang, 307 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: that there is a lot of things that we can 308 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: do to keep our brains in shape, just like we 309 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: can do to keep our bodies and our organs and 310 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: other things in shape. And that's why you broke keep Sharp. 311 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: But you have a very very personal connection to this, 312 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: I guess, well, obviously because of your specialty, but particularly 313 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: about Alzheimer's dementia and are failing brain power that happens 314 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 1: as we age. Tell me about that. Well, when I 315 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: was when I was twelve thirteen years old, my grandfather, 316 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: my my mother's dad, who I was very close to, 317 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 1: um developed, you know, signs of dementia. He had had 318 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: a a stroke earlier in his life that had recovered 319 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: and was now developing. You know, just these these um 320 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: periods of time where he he really wasn't aware of 321 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: what was going on. He would sometimes, uh make a 322 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: joke that no one else was in on, you know, 323 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: and it was all these things that that I remember 324 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: really being struck by as a kid, because you look 325 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: at adults and you're not used to seeing brain power 326 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: start to diminish. And it was the first time I 327 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: saw really specific things like he could he could still 328 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: um right, but he couldn't really read. It was it 329 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: was all these things that became really fascinating in a 330 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: way for me in terms of just how does the 331 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: brain work like that? But also to see it in 332 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: a loved one to wonder, is that how genetic is that? Is? That? 333 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: Is my mom going to develop those symptoms? While I 334 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: one day all of that and then you know, fast forward, 335 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: you know, thirty forty years later, and and we're still 336 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: worrying about the exact same things, and and I haven't 337 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: really made a lot of progress in terms of being 338 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: able to deal with that. So that was that was 339 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: a large part of what I think inspired me to 340 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: to to write the book What has Happened over the 341 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 1: last forty years? Both from a, you know, a pharmaceutical standpoint, 342 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: but also more importantly, I think from a from a 343 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: lifestyle behavioral standpoint in terms of what we know and 344 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: how did that influence you to go into neurology? No, 345 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: you know it's funny, Um, it didn't. I actually when 346 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: I started medical medical school, I thought I was going 347 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: to go into pediatrics, and then I did a neurosurgery rotation, 348 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: uh during my third year of med school, and I 349 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: just sort of fell in love. So I came to 350 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: it quite late. But I was always interested in the 351 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: brain because of my grandfather, and so it felt like 352 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: a very natural fit. Let's talk about the numbers. Because 353 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: seven million Americans have some evidence of pre clinical Alzheimer's disease, 354 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: and by two sixty one new case of dementia will 355 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: be diagnosed every four seconds. SANJ, what the heck is 356 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: going on here? Well, this is this will become the 357 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: most dominant neurodegenerative disease of our time. I think that 358 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,479 Speaker 1: that part, I think is is pretty well established at 359 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: this point. But there was two things about the statement 360 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: that you just made that I thought were really important 361 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: in terms of what we can potentially do about it. 362 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: As you point out, there's probably about forty seven million 363 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: people who if you were to look at their brains, 364 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: they would have objective evidence of plaques and tangles and 365 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: things like that, but also have no symptoms. That's the 366 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: pre clinical time, right, so out a little well, it's 367 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, but I think this is ultimately good news, 368 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: and I'll tell you why. If you look at patients 369 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 1: with Alzheimer's disease and and and able to retrospectively look 370 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: at their lives and their scans and their brains, you 371 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: find we now know that that Alzheimer's starts in the 372 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: brain decades before people develop symptoms. Decades so you're starting 373 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: to see the kindling and then even plaques and tangles. 374 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: But the fundamental point that neuroscientists really started to focus 375 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: on was almost the the the analog of that, meaning, Okay, 376 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: so now you've established that you can have a brain 377 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: that has plaques and tangles but still functions normally. So 378 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: why don't we focus on that side of things instead 379 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: of saying, hey, look, let's get rid of the plaques 380 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: and tangles, and we have spent billions of dollars testing 381 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,159 Speaker 1: drugs to do that that haven't really worked. What if 382 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: we say, instead, we have established that a brain with 383 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: plaques and tangles can function normally. Let's figure out why 384 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: and see if we can basically make that an aspiration. 385 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: Do you still have objective evidence of Alzheimer's in your brain. Yes? 386 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: Is it consequential? No, because you know you you are 387 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: able to still have normal cognitive function, memory, judgment, all 388 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: the things that you associate with a healthy functioning brain. 389 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: The metaphor, in some ways, Katie would kind of be 390 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: like a heart bypass surgery. You've got a block blood vessel. 391 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: Now you you go in there and you bypass that 392 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 1: area of the blockage with a new blood vessel. Do 393 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: you still have heart disease? Yes? Is it? Is it? 394 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: Is it causing you some dysfunction? No, because you're getting 395 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: enough blood flow now to the heart. If you can 396 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: think about that same metaphor for the brain, Yes, you 397 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: have plaques, but there's so many ways to build all 398 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: these new pathways in the brain to your destination, that 399 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: little blockages due to the plaques becoming consequential. So is 400 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: there a tipping point? You know you talk about these 401 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: tangles and plaques in your brain. Um, is it just 402 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: a slow growth of plaque or slow accumulation of plaque 403 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: and increase kind of tangles that then lead you from 404 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: being perfectly functioning? You know, maybe some memory issues right 405 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: that once in a while, you you know you're not 406 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: quite as sharp as you were as you when you 407 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: were younger. But where you kind of fall off or 408 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: it's just gradual build up of this gunk in your brain, 409 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: it's it's it does seem to be a pretty gradual 410 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: build up, and you can tolerate a significant amount of 411 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: build up before you I guess as you as you say, 412 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: fall off. You know, so what exactly then pushes people over? 413 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: It's not all of a sudden you have an exponentially 414 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,199 Speaker 1: more plaque, and that leads to the problem. Maybe for 415 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: different people it's a different inflection point. But the brain 416 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 1: is actually quite resilient. I mean, that's the thing that 417 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: came out of this. Even with a lot of plaque 418 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 1: and tangle, you could actually be doing fairly well. I 419 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 1: mean the occasional memory lapse, like you say, which is 420 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: probably do more to inattention than even anything organic in 421 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: the brain, but other than that doing pretty well. And 422 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: you see societies around the world where arguably brain function 423 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: not only is it good, it may be improving as 424 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: you get older, which is so incredible, and that I 425 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: think is one of the hopeful things about this book, 426 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: that that our brains can get sharper and better as 427 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 1: we age and dementia is not necessarily an inevitable, you know, 428 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: consequence of old age. So um, you know, I remember 429 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: reading Sanjay how your brain like by the time you're 430 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: twenty three or twenty four and then your prefrontal frontal 431 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: lobe and all this thing that has to stuff that 432 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: has to do with judgment, Like after that, your brain 433 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: really stops absorbing and growing and changing. I mean that 434 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: was sort of what I always thought, and then it 435 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: was downhill from there. But but this book is really 436 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: cause for celebration in some ways, right, right, absolutely, you 437 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: know I was told the same thing. Right, You've got 438 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: a certain number of neurons in your brain, and then 439 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: you're going to drain the cash as you go through life. 440 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: Certain things is like drinking alcohol and things like that 441 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: are gonna kill more brain cells. You're never going to 442 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: get them back. I think that's what our parents told 443 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: us to keep us front drink. It works well to 444 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: some extent, but the the you know it, but that 445 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: that part of it is not true, and that that 446 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: may be one of the most fundamental new things that 447 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: we learned. And by the way, you'll appreciate this, Katie, 448 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: I'm in some ways this book, I'm acting as translator. 449 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,919 Speaker 1: I go to these neuroscience meetings because that you know, 450 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: I live this bifurcated life between medicine and media. But 451 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: I'm still going to these neuroscience meetings and they're talking 452 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: about these fascinating developments, and yet that hasn't really gotten 453 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: to the to the lay public yet. So it's about 454 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,200 Speaker 1: a ten year gap in some ways. Keep Sharp is 455 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: to just accelerate that that knowledge tree. But one of 456 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: the things that they've been talking about is exactly what 457 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: you mentioned, which is neurogenesis. Everyone's heard of neuroplasticity, which 458 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 1: basically means you can recruit neurons, brain cells from other 459 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,919 Speaker 1: areas of the brain to do new functions. This is 460 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: actually growing new brain cells, and we were told throughout 461 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: our lives that it basically happened twice. You know, when 462 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,439 Speaker 1: you were a baby in your brain was still forming, 463 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: and maybe after an injury like a stroke or traumatic 464 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: brain injury, there may be a process of neurogenesis that occurs. 465 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: But what these these neuroscientists have have really I've been 466 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 1: writing about and focused on for some time is that 467 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: at any age, a healthy brain can continue to grow 468 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: new brain cells. You really can't say that about any 469 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: other organ in the body. So it's quite incredible. The 470 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: stem cell surges, the various growth factors, all these things 471 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: that converge to allow you to grow new brain cells 472 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: at any age. That to me was deeply inspiring. It's 473 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: super exciting. But let me dis backtrack for one moment, 474 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: just so I understand the difference between neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Um, 475 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,919 Speaker 1: explain it like I'm a fifth grade Okay, So you know, 476 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: when you think of neuroplasticity, it's more like your brain 477 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: is is like plastic it's it's can be molded. So 478 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 1: let's say there's been an area of your brain where 479 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: someone had an injury or a stroke or something. You 480 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: could sort of mold another part of the brain to 481 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: to fill the game, compensate, compensate, Yeah, exactly. You know. 482 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: Take so if it was motor strength, for example, on 483 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: the right side of your body that was affected, cells, 484 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 1: brain cells that normally don't do motor function, they're not 485 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: responsible for motor function, could be recruited to do that 486 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: sort of work. Or a sense. You know, even if 487 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: you lose a sense, other senses can start to become 488 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,679 Speaker 1: heightened or even create, right. You hear that with blind people, 489 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of a heightened uh sense of 490 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: I guess all kinds of senses, right, that compensate for 491 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: the fact that you can't see exactly and that and 492 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: that is a that is a It's an amazing concept. 493 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 1: It's what sort of gives real birth to physical therapy, 494 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: to cognitive therapy. We're using these therapies to basically recruit 495 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: neurons from other parts of your brain to do something. 496 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: The human is so amazing, isn't it. It continues to 497 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,640 Speaker 1: wonder and delight me every day. And I've been thinking 498 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 1: about this for forty years, you know, I love it. 499 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: Um Neurogenesis is the growth of new brain cells. So 500 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: this this, this, this flies in the face of what 501 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: we were all told when we were young, that you 502 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: only have a certain number of brain cells and that's it. 503 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: This is basically saying you can create new brain cells 504 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: at any age. The metaphor I think that may make 505 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:34,040 Speaker 1: it more more accessible, is right now, our COVID life 506 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 1: is kind of like how our brain operates. And what 507 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 1: I mean is that you probably are at home. You 508 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: may drive to the grocery store. Maybe you drive to 509 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: a couple of different places and you but you're not 510 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 1: You're you're mostly in in just a small, small square 511 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: sort of area of place. You know how to get 512 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 1: to all those places really well. You could drive there 513 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: with your eyes closed, no problem. But but you you're 514 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: not traveling around the rest of the world. You're not 515 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: even traveling around the rest of the state right now. 516 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: That's kind of how our brains are. We use our 517 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: whole brain, but the time we're using our brains. That's 518 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: the thing. If you start to actually do things to 519 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: inspire neurogenesis in your brain, it's kind of like building 520 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: new cities and visiting those new cities in your brain. 521 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: It's it's it's a it's a little bit of a 522 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: simplistic metaphor, but it makes me really happy to think 523 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: about because visiting other places in your brain is an 524 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: incredibly joyous thing. You start to see patterns that you 525 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: would have otherwise missed. You connect dots, you're thinking is clearer, 526 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: and and and that's the whole concept of of of 527 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: what neurogenesis can do for you. When we come back 528 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:43,959 Speaker 1: Sanche's advice on how to keep our brains strong, especially 529 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: as we age. We'll take me on a trip, do 530 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: and how can I visit these new places in my brain? 531 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: Because this is really exciting And um, I know your 532 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: book has a lot of recommendations for ways that we 533 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: can encourage neurochantesis. So what do I do? Son J? Yeah, 534 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: so you know. The way I'll tell you the way 535 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: that I wrote the book was I took all these 536 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: these neuroscience concepts and try to make them accessible and 537 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: also help you set up a substrate for your brain 538 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: in terms of, you know, how you nourish yourself, how 539 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: you rest your brain, things like that. So the basics 540 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: are there, but your question is more about taking the 541 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,239 Speaker 1: trip and building the new brain cells. So after you 542 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: sort of you know, make sure and it's not challenging 543 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: to get to the right sort of place in terms 544 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: of your diet, you know, uh, and and the amount 545 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: of rest that you need. That's important. But the biggest 546 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: I think difference with growing new brain cells versus how 547 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: we typically think about strengthening our brain is that you 548 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: don't necessarily want to just keep doing the same things 549 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: over and over again. The whole practice makes perfect sort 550 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: of teaching the killing drill sort of teaching that a 551 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: lot of schools focus on. It's important to to understand 552 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: and and be able to learn concepts. But that's kind 553 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: of like those roads I was talking about that you 554 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: travel so well, that's like getting even better at traveling 555 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: those same roads. Now you can really do with your 556 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 1: eyes closed. Now you know it's it's it's totally second 557 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: nature to you. But if you were to do different things, 558 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:32,719 Speaker 1: totally different things, things that get you out of your 559 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: comfort zone a little bit, a totally different sort of hobby, 560 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: that's when you're starting to actually build some of these 561 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: new brain cells, create some of these new cities, create 562 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: some of the new roads, whatever, whatever metaphor you want 563 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: to apply to it. That's that's a much better way 564 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: to sort of do that versus the practice makes perfect. 565 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 1: So if practice makes perfect, change is what's going to 566 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: build the neurogenesis. It's going to build the resili and 567 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: redundancy in your brain. So I played the piano. Should 568 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: I not focus as much on the piano because I 569 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: thought about taking lessons even though I took for ten 570 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: years and I played by ear, But I enjoyed the piano, 571 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: And we actually have a beautiful piano that Jay and 572 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,479 Speaker 1: I bought each other for our birthdays back in the day. Yeah, 573 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: and but but should I learn how to play the 574 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: guitar or the viol The violence sounds just horrible if 575 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: you're not good at it. But what do you mean, 576 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,239 Speaker 1: should I try a new instrument? Yeah? You know, so 577 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:33,959 Speaker 1: I asked a lot of neuroscientists about this, because one 578 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: thing about writing a book like this is that it 579 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 1: affects everybody, right, So even the guys and gals who 580 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 1: are who are doing all this research, they're thinking about 581 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: what to incorporate into their own lives. And there are 582 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: a couple of things that sort of jumped out at me. 583 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: One is that something new is I think really important. 584 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: That's that's that that is a key, But something that 585 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: you can also use your hands with that you're actually 586 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: activating your motor motor cortex as you're doing, seems to 587 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: be even more beneficial. So so an instrument is great, 588 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: um painting, Try a new one because a new one? Yes, 589 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: I mean I mean the piano again. I want to 590 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: be careful here. I did this Bill Clinton. I was 591 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: talking to him about brain health the other day and 592 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: he got on my case because he said he loves 593 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: crossword puzzles, and he's like, so you tell me crossword 594 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: puzzles are not good for No, No, I'm not saying 595 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: don't do those things. But understand what you're accomplishing. You 596 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 1: are you are. You're paving those roads really really well 597 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: on your brain, and that is great, there's great value 598 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: in that. But if it is true that you can 599 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: build all these new roads, and the question you're asking 600 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: me is how to do that, then it would be 601 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,680 Speaker 1: it would mean doing something different. So I'm not saying 602 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: stop playing the piano, keep driving those roads, but if 603 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: you want to start going on these trips around your brain, 604 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 1: doing something different, and preferably doing it in a way 605 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: that maybe even a little uncomfortable. So if you're painting, 606 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: and I just bring up painting, because this is the 607 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: one that came up set all times among these neuroscientists. 608 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: Learn how to paint. I'm a terrible artist. Learn how 609 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: to paint, do whatever you can, and do it with 610 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 1: your non dominant hand. Yes, this was another. In fact, 611 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:13,799 Speaker 1: they went so far as to say that tonight at dinner, 612 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 1: when you're eating your dinner, try eating your meal with 613 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 1: your non dominant hand. And just see what happens. And 614 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: it's really interesting, Katie, because we think of building the 615 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: brain means reading books and gaining new knowledge, and that's true, 616 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,239 Speaker 1: but in terms of actually creating neurogenesis, it's more like 617 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: you think about a physical workout. I'm gonna do something 618 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:37,359 Speaker 1: different and I'm going to actually now focus the less 619 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: side of my brain, which normally isn't doing motor function. 620 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: That's delicate or fine. On actually doing that sort of stuff, 621 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 1: it has real relevance because again, you're you're actually building 622 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 1: these roads in these cities in your brain, and that's fun. 623 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 1: Try it. It's fun. But on a more practical level. 624 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:57,399 Speaker 1: To your original question, Let's say one day the road 625 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:01,320 Speaker 1: that you drive so well becomes locked by one of 626 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: these amyloid plaques that we're talking about, some of these tangles. 627 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: Right now, you know that road really well, but you 628 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,399 Speaker 1: know what, you don't really have other roads to get 629 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 1: from point A to point B. If you've been building 630 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: all these roads by painting with your left hand and 631 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,239 Speaker 1: spilling your food, but by eating with your non dominant hand, 632 00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: whatever it might be, you're actually building roads. This gets 633 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: back to the bypass analogy. Do you still have flacks 634 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 1: and tangles in your brain. Yes, So are these the 635 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:32,400 Speaker 1: cognitive reserves that you're talking about, Yes, the cognitive reserves, 636 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: the cognitive resiliency, which is often they often use these 637 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: terms interchangeably, but that's exactly it. We have the capacity 638 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: to to have significant cognitive reserve. We're barely tapping into that. 639 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:47,800 Speaker 1: If you look at societies around the world where people 640 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: are living into their nineties and hundreds and have hardly 641 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: any dementia. The presumption now is that if you were 642 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 1: to image their brains, they might have plaques and tangles. 643 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 1: If you're doing autopsy, they may be diagnosed with all Heimers, 644 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: because that's how Alzheimer's was diagnosed, was that autopsy. But 645 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,720 Speaker 1: the truth of the matter is that during their lives 646 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,280 Speaker 1: they had perfectly normal cognitive function. Before we talk about 647 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,280 Speaker 1: your twelve week program, I'm just curious in terms of 648 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: diagnostic advances and and therapeutic advances. I mean, will we 649 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: get to a point where someone can have a brain 650 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: scan and say, Okay, here's the status of your tangles 651 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: and plaques, and here's what you need to do. Because 652 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: brain imagery, you know, I've ways found it so interesting 653 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 1: even when you talk about like antidepressants and you know, 654 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: serotonin reuptake inhibitors or whatever they're called ss is. Yeah, 655 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:43,320 Speaker 1: that that you know, there was never a way until 656 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,760 Speaker 1: recently to kind of measure how the brain was reacting. 657 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 1: They would just kind of it would be very anecdotal, 658 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: you kind of throw it against the wall to see 659 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 1: what sticks. And now we have so much better brain imagery. 660 00:36:56,239 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: So will that translate into dimension all time person and 661 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,440 Speaker 1: preventative strategies that we could follow. I think, I think so. 662 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 1: I mean, we're we're making a lot of progress on 663 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: brain imaging, and you're absolutely right. I mean, the brain 664 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: has long been sort of considered this black box only 665 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 1: measured by its inputs and its outputs. You really couldn't 666 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: get a good idea of its internal machinery. But now 667 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 1: we can. I mean, I don't know that we're at 668 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,320 Speaker 1: the point yet where we can determine degree of severity 669 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,440 Speaker 1: of of dementia based on a scan, and as I 670 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 1: think we will. We think we'll get to that point. 671 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 1: I think we'll get to the point where we can 672 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: very quantifiably measure the burden of plaques and tangles and 673 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:41,840 Speaker 1: other things in the brain. But well, but Again, what 674 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,439 Speaker 1: I think is so extraordinary, Katie, is that you could 675 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 1: have two people with the exact same scan essentially and 676 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:52,359 Speaker 1: very different clinical pictures. One person may be completely debilitated, 677 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: obviously having dementia, and the other person may be functionally 678 00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:02,359 Speaker 1: cognitively normal. And again, I look, do I don't want 679 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 1: to I don't want to have flax and tangles in 680 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:06,319 Speaker 1: my brain. But mostly what I don't want to have 681 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,680 Speaker 1: is the cognitive dysfunction that comes with that. It's a 682 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: different way of thinking. It really is, like I think, again, 683 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 1: we focus so much on making someone's images look better 684 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 1: or whatever, and what the person really wants is them 685 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 1: to be better, and there are ways to do that, 686 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 1: you know, with lifestyle changes. I mean, I'm a neurosurgeon 687 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: saying this, by the way, just remember that because I'm 688 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: a specialist. That's that's what I was trying to do. 689 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 1: And yet I'm now becoming increasingly convinced that these types 690 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: of changes that we talked about in this book really 691 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:40,400 Speaker 1: can can prevent you from developing the symptoms I was 692 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 1: going to say. So you're saying that brain scans are 693 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,839 Speaker 1: just part of the story. It's sort of like it's 694 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 1: half of the story because even with them, you could 695 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 1: have these cognitive reserves developed and be very asymptomatic. Well, 696 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: let's talk about this twelve week program. Sharp take us 697 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: through this deeps because I'm all ears. It's it's twelve 698 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:07,279 Speaker 1: weeks where I basically based on how I think your 699 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 1: brain is going to change and and react to things 700 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:14,040 Speaker 1: that you're now doing that are different or new. Um, 701 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: it all sort of builds on itself. I start off 702 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 1: by really making sure you get the basics right, and 703 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 1: I'll tell you it's it's not that complicated. There are 704 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:26,160 Speaker 1: a few big messages in terms of the overall getting 705 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:29,800 Speaker 1: it the substrate right, and as you might guess, diet 706 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 1: nourishment is one of them. But but the big the 707 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:35,360 Speaker 1: big takeaway here is I think generally people know what 708 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,919 Speaker 1: a healthy diet is, and for those who don't, there's 709 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 1: some information in there about what's specifically healthy for the brain. 710 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:43,800 Speaker 1: There are some distinctions between the brain and the body 711 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: in this regard. One is one is sugar. Um. You know, 712 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: we we we talk a lot about sugar, and people 713 00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:51,640 Speaker 1: know that they shouldn't need too much sugar. We used 714 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 1: to get sugar, you know, twice a year when fruit 715 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:57,400 Speaker 1: fell from the trees. Even honey was protected by the bees. 716 00:39:57,880 --> 00:39:59,640 Speaker 1: And now we're eating a hundred and thirty pounds a 717 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,680 Speaker 1: year on average of sugar. But what was what was 718 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: a learning point for me was that the brain is 719 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 1: exquisitely sensitive to sugar. So typically you eat a lot 720 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:11,799 Speaker 1: of sugar and you think, well, that's being absorbed into cells. 721 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: I have a lot of energy, whatever it might be. 722 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:15,360 Speaker 1: These these are these are a lot of calories that 723 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:18,279 Speaker 1: are now providing the energy the brain. As soon as 724 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 1: sugar levels get beyond a certain point, and it's a 725 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: pretty narrow range, the receptors basically shut down. So you 726 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 1: could run into a situation where you're taking in a 727 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 1: lot of calories, a lot of energy, and starving your 728 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 1: brain at the same time. And that that is a 729 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:37,799 Speaker 1: situation that leads to a whole a whole cascade of 730 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,759 Speaker 1: events that you can pretty easily avoid. So that's you know, 731 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 1: as much as I talk about in the first few 732 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:48,319 Speaker 1: weeks of what to do, there are several things that 733 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,959 Speaker 1: you're told not to do just to avoid and that's 734 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,600 Speaker 1: that's more than half the battle, and they're not that 735 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:56,000 Speaker 1: hard to do. I also try to make the case 736 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:59,319 Speaker 1: for things like sleep, which you've read a lot about 737 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,120 Speaker 1: I've read a lot about, but reminding people just how 738 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:05,760 Speaker 1: metabolically active the brain is during sleep, and this wonderful 739 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,080 Speaker 1: conversation that I'm having with you right now will be 740 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:11,560 Speaker 1: encoded into my hippocampus if I get good sleep tonight, 741 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:13,480 Speaker 1: so that twenty years from now I can recall this 742 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: and remember it. A lot of times people say that 743 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:19,200 Speaker 1: they can't remember something. It's not that they can't remember that, 744 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 1: it's not that they forgot it, it's that they never 745 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 1: actually stored it in their memory centers in the first place. 746 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 1: So these are strategies to help that. But then, you know, 747 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,480 Speaker 1: sort of the midpoint of the book is really about 748 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:34,880 Speaker 1: and the the evidence based things that we know improve 749 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:38,000 Speaker 1: brain health. Starts off by asking you to define what 750 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:40,839 Speaker 1: you think a healthy brain is. What is a healthy brain? 751 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:43,239 Speaker 1: We know what a healthy heart is, it pumps a 752 00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 1: certain amount of blood out with each beat. What is 753 00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:48,000 Speaker 1: a healthy brain? You know? And and I spend a 754 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:52,319 Speaker 1: little bit of time talking through talking the reader through 755 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: how they define that, because it is different for different people. 756 00:41:55,880 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: Robert Zapolski, who is this evolutionary biologist, I was interviewing him, 757 00:42:00,239 --> 00:42:02,160 Speaker 1: and he and her forget. He said to me that 758 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,600 Speaker 1: a healthy brain is a is a is a brain 759 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:08,120 Speaker 1: that has a bigger circle of you, is what he said, 760 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:10,960 Speaker 1: which basically means you let more people into your circle. 761 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:14,719 Speaker 1: Now why is that relevant. Well, it's relevant in you know, 762 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 1: ancient times because you were more likely to be protected 763 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:20,439 Speaker 1: by the group. But now it's this idea of what 764 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:25,640 Speaker 1: true connection does for for protection of the brain. And 765 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:29,000 Speaker 1: and and now to your earlier point, measurable. You know, 766 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:31,600 Speaker 1: a lot of what we talked about is based on 767 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: objective data that we couldn't collect some time ago. But 768 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 1: I will tell you something fascinating because I find this 769 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,520 Speaker 1: this topic really interesting. But there's this loneliness researcher named 770 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:44,880 Speaker 1: Stephanie Cacciope. She's an oregan. I know. I at the 771 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: in Chicago. Her husband was one of the pre eminent 772 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:52,200 Speaker 1: scientists about memory, and then he died, died, I know. 773 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 1: And now she's an oregan. And I talked to her 774 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,560 Speaker 1: from time to time. It's been tough, as you might imagine. 775 00:42:57,600 --> 00:42:59,640 Speaker 1: And she's by herself an Oregon, which you know, has 776 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: a loneliness. Researchers through this pandemic has been such a 777 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:05,440 Speaker 1: significant thing for her. But she said this thing to 778 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,040 Speaker 1: me that I'll never forget, and and and I talk 779 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:09,640 Speaker 1: a little bit about it in the book, which is 780 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 1: we talk about connection, like right now, you and I 781 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,399 Speaker 1: get to zoom and have this call about you know this, 782 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 1: this conversation that's very interesting to me. Most connections that 783 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,440 Speaker 1: we have with friends, maybe even family to some extent, 784 00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:25,520 Speaker 1: are pretty cursory. How you doing, I'm doing fine. How 785 00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:28,600 Speaker 1: you doing, I'm doing fine. You know. It's it's how 786 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:31,280 Speaker 1: do you get to a level of more profound connection, 787 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:34,319 Speaker 1: because it wasn't. As you've well heard, it's not about 788 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:36,600 Speaker 1: the number of connections you have. It's about the quality. 789 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:39,440 Speaker 1: But what does that mean quality? And one thing Stephanie 790 00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:44,120 Speaker 1: said to me was a sort of shortcut to building 791 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:48,440 Speaker 1: the quality and the high intensity connection is to be vulnerable, 792 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:52,680 Speaker 1: to ask for help, to share your problems, which is 793 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:55,440 Speaker 1: totally counterintuitive to how I think about things. I would 794 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:59,040 Speaker 1: rather not burden somebody with things. But I took it 795 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:00,759 Speaker 1: to heart. And I was talking my parents, who are 796 00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:03,440 Speaker 1: in their late seventies in Florida through this pandemic, and 797 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 1: we were having those conversations how you do and how 798 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,040 Speaker 1: the girls. That was the conversation for months, and I 799 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,279 Speaker 1: said to them, I asked them a question about a 800 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:13,640 Speaker 1: problem I was having one of my cars that my 801 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:16,640 Speaker 1: wife's car had some smoke coming from the hood. They're 802 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:20,120 Speaker 1: both engineers, and for days, Katie, we started to have 803 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,719 Speaker 1: these really interesting conversations about cars, about their history of 804 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:27,480 Speaker 1: being interested in engineering, in all this stuff, figure out 805 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:32,440 Speaker 1: the way to build the meaningful connection um that that is. 806 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 1: That is probably one of the most critical points, and 807 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:38,080 Speaker 1: and they're there pretty easy ways to do it. I 808 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 1: think the point is connection, deep connection is good for 809 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:45,040 Speaker 1: your brain, yes, and good for you, and I think 810 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,279 Speaker 1: you know it's good for you in general. So the 811 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,319 Speaker 1: last part of the twelve week program, I'll just tell 812 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:53,320 Speaker 1: you quickly, is more about what we started talking about initially, 813 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:56,160 Speaker 1: which is, then, how do you create Now that I've 814 00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:59,600 Speaker 1: primed your brain for neurogenesis, giving you all the right 815 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,759 Speaker 1: amounts of the right hormones, not too much epinephrin, but 816 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:06,440 Speaker 1: enough oxytocin, and all that sort of is happening by 817 00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 1: going through the first few weeks of the program, Now 818 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: how do you build the new brain cells? And that 819 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:12,640 Speaker 1: gets to a lot of what we're talking about in 820 00:45:12,719 --> 00:45:16,400 Speaker 1: terms of that cognitive reserve. You know, actually, um uh, 821 00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 1: doing these different types of activities, doing similar activities in 822 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,040 Speaker 1: a totally different way, doing things with different people, doing 823 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:28,239 Speaker 1: them in at different times, eliminating certain things completely from 824 00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:31,120 Speaker 1: your regiment for a while, adding in something totally unrelated. 825 00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,400 Speaker 1: It's it was fascinating to me. I tried it. I 826 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:38,160 Speaker 1: based this entire thing on my conversations with these neuroscientists 827 00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:41,320 Speaker 1: who all tried it and written about it and published 828 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: it in journals. It's fun, It's a fun ride. I 829 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:47,440 Speaker 1: was gonna say, so, give me some ideas real quickly 830 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:49,799 Speaker 1: before we go about things I could do. Should I 831 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:53,400 Speaker 1: take a pottery class, Should I learn Italian? Should I 832 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:56,279 Speaker 1: pick up the guitar? What should I do? I think that, 833 00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, I think the two big ingredients are it's 834 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,239 Speaker 1: would be something you really haven't done before. This isn't 835 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:05,359 Speaker 1: about trying to again build a two lane highway where 836 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:07,840 Speaker 1: you're used to driving one. This is about getting to 837 00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:12,439 Speaker 1: you know, to Italy instead of staying in New York 838 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 1: or or going somewhere even different in Argentina, you know, 839 00:46:15,719 --> 00:46:19,280 Speaker 1: totally different. If you can do something that involves your 840 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:22,840 Speaker 1: your your hands, like pottery or painting. Even better, that 841 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:25,759 Speaker 1: was something that came up over and over again. And 842 00:46:25,800 --> 00:46:28,160 Speaker 1: then the second ingredient, I guess, and this is a 843 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: little bit more vague, is that it's it's good if 844 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:33,880 Speaker 1: it makes you a little uncomfortable. I And I know 845 00:46:33,960 --> 00:46:37,120 Speaker 1: that sounds almost euphemistic or too easy or too simple, 846 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:40,560 Speaker 1: but the whole point is that when you start to 847 00:46:41,239 --> 00:46:45,440 Speaker 1: release certain hormones in the body, like some stress hormone, 848 00:46:45,440 --> 00:46:49,600 Speaker 1: stress can be good. It really helps that process of neurogenesis. 849 00:46:49,640 --> 00:46:52,000 Speaker 1: So a little bit of discomfort with something totally new, 850 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:56,280 Speaker 1: preferably using your hands, that's a pretty good prescription. Before 851 00:46:56,320 --> 00:47:00,000 Speaker 1: we go, can you tell me about foods that are 852 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:03,080 Speaker 1: healthy brain foods? I know that you hear about fish, 853 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:07,640 Speaker 1: you hear about nuts, you hear about extra virgin olive oil. 854 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:10,400 Speaker 1: Are all those things sort of good brain food? And 855 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:13,360 Speaker 1: what else should I be eating other than staying away 856 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,759 Speaker 1: from the cupcakes? Yeah? Nor Yes, definitely the sugar thing 857 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:19,920 Speaker 1: I mentioned already, So I mean that's just that's just 858 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,560 Speaker 1: a I think you could accomplish sev of all the 859 00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:28,040 Speaker 1: other things by basically just eliminating added sugar from your diet. 860 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,560 Speaker 1: But I think the adage what is good for the 861 00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:34,600 Speaker 1: heart is good for the brain remains true. But I 862 00:47:34,640 --> 00:47:37,719 Speaker 1: think with the brain there are a few a few distinctions. 863 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:41,359 Speaker 1: One is, if an apple a day keeps a doctor away, 864 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:45,480 Speaker 1: then berries are what's good for the brain. Berries really 865 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:48,000 Speaker 1: good data around berries. Really start to add berries into 866 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:50,120 Speaker 1: your diet. I think that's one of the big ones. 867 00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,759 Speaker 1: And while most of the neuroscientists did not advocate a 868 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:58,600 Speaker 1: caloric restriction diet, necessarily a calorie reduced diet overall to 869 00:47:58,680 --> 00:48:00,719 Speaker 1: the extent that you can do it. We create a 870 00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:05,319 Speaker 1: lot of metabolic byproducts from from overeating, and a lot 871 00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:09,280 Speaker 1: of those metabolic byproducts get accumulated in the brain. So 872 00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:13,240 Speaker 1: if you can cut down on the amount of energy 873 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:15,440 Speaker 1: that has to be metabolized in that way, you can 874 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:18,239 Speaker 1: make a lot of progress. Even though berries may be 875 00:48:18,520 --> 00:48:21,040 Speaker 1: good for your brain. You don't believe in this whole 876 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:25,200 Speaker 1: idea of supplements or superfoods, do you, now? I you know. 877 00:48:25,239 --> 00:48:27,280 Speaker 1: I think super food first of all, is a really 878 00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:30,479 Speaker 1: vaguely defined term. As part of this book, I asked 879 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:31,920 Speaker 1: a lot of people, and I even talked to your 880 00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:34,560 Speaker 1: friend Mark Hyman about this as well. It's it doesn't 881 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:38,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't have a really objective meaning. There are some 882 00:48:38,200 --> 00:48:40,719 Speaker 1: foods that are maybe better than others. But I think 883 00:48:40,719 --> 00:48:44,040 Speaker 1: the thing about supplements that struck me was was the 884 00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:49,440 Speaker 1: idea that for certain people who have deficiencies, then supplementing 885 00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:52,360 Speaker 1: that part of their diets important. But you know, Katie, 886 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:55,120 Speaker 1: in this country, and I'm not advocating this, but in 887 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:58,520 Speaker 1: this country, even the standard American diet, like if you 888 00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:02,400 Speaker 1: go to a McDonald's, even the food is largely fortified, 889 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:05,960 Speaker 1: you know, with all these different vitamins and micronutrients and 890 00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:08,080 Speaker 1: things like that. That that is a decision that our 891 00:49:08,200 --> 00:49:11,799 Speaker 1: US d A made decades ago to fortify food so 892 00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:16,279 Speaker 1: that people wouldn't develop basic nutritional deficiencies. So oftentimes we're 893 00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:19,600 Speaker 1: supplementing something that doesn't need to be supplemented. A lot 894 00:49:19,640 --> 00:49:23,080 Speaker 1: of a lot of the approaches more in terms of 895 00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:25,600 Speaker 1: what you're not eating versus what you are eating, and 896 00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:27,560 Speaker 1: that that you know that holds up to be true. 897 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:30,920 Speaker 1: So berries I single out because they are one of 898 00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:34,320 Speaker 1: these foods whose active ingredients are particularly good at crossing 899 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:38,480 Speaker 1: the blood brain barrier, particularly good at creating these scaffoldings, 900 00:49:38,520 --> 00:49:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, for the neurogenesis that we talked about earlier, 901 00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:45,520 Speaker 1: So I put that high on the list. But what 902 00:49:45,600 --> 00:49:47,560 Speaker 1: about you know, I see this stuff in the drug 903 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: store and I'm like, Oh, should I be taking like 904 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:53,160 Speaker 1: privig in or should I be taking what is it like? 905 00:49:53,239 --> 00:49:57,080 Speaker 1: Almost isn't it like jellyfish to run derivatives and stuff? 906 00:49:57,120 --> 00:50:00,520 Speaker 1: And I'm like, should I be doing that? Well? You know, 907 00:50:00,560 --> 00:50:03,160 Speaker 1: I the privileged one is interesting because you know, Eric 908 00:50:03,239 --> 00:50:05,600 Speaker 1: Kendell is very involved with this, and he's a very 909 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:09,880 Speaker 1: prominent neuroscientists did a lot of the original jellyfish research 910 00:50:10,120 --> 00:50:13,040 Speaker 1: basically trying to figure out where the memory stores were 911 00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:17,600 Speaker 1: in jellyfish, how jellyfish remembered, and isolating those stores and 912 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:22,080 Speaker 1: basically creating a supplement. It's a fascinating idea. I don't 913 00:50:22,080 --> 00:50:24,319 Speaker 1: know that it really works. I mean, it's very hard 914 00:50:24,360 --> 00:50:26,200 Speaker 1: to study this sort of thing. You know, it takes 915 00:50:26,239 --> 00:50:29,960 Speaker 1: decades long studies to prove that something like that's improving memory. 916 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:32,799 Speaker 1: What we do have is is decades long data on 917 00:50:32,920 --> 00:50:36,879 Speaker 1: societies around the world where dementia is essentially so rare 918 00:50:36,920 --> 00:50:39,480 Speaker 1: that it's reportable. You know, if somebody developed dementia, you'd 919 00:50:39,480 --> 00:50:42,440 Speaker 1: report that in the medical journal. But my my point 920 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:45,400 Speaker 1: is though that with these we don't need to have 921 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:48,600 Speaker 1: the supplements. We know it's possible to be done because 922 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:51,880 Speaker 1: we see it having already transpired real time and large 923 00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:56,319 Speaker 1: societies across the world, and in those societies, you know, 924 00:50:56,560 --> 00:51:00,640 Speaker 1: I took the neuroscientific data that we had and tried 925 00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:04,640 Speaker 1: to see, are are they in some ways applying that unwittingly? 926 00:51:04,840 --> 00:51:07,719 Speaker 1: I mean they didn't read these papers obviously, but were 927 00:51:07,719 --> 00:51:11,520 Speaker 1: they sort of just by default essentially following that that 928 00:51:11,680 --> 00:51:15,160 Speaker 1: right diet, following that right amount of movement, following the 929 00:51:15,200 --> 00:51:17,440 Speaker 1: right amount of rest. So movement, for example, I'll just 930 00:51:17,480 --> 00:51:20,120 Speaker 1: tell you this was an interesting one. If you look 931 00:51:20,160 --> 00:51:24,440 Speaker 1: at movement, it's probably the only thing that has has 932 00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:27,680 Speaker 1: the longest amount of evidence behind it in terms of 933 00:51:27,719 --> 00:51:31,080 Speaker 1: actually creating neurogenesis. All of this is new research, but 934 00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:34,080 Speaker 1: that that's sort of the oldest new research. But what 935 00:51:34,160 --> 00:51:38,000 Speaker 1: was fascinating to me was that what does movement mean 936 00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:41,520 Speaker 1: to people? Right? I use the word movement instead of exercise, 937 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:46,400 Speaker 1: because what they found was that moderate movement, brisk walking 938 00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:50,319 Speaker 1: that tended to be a lot better for neurogenesis than 939 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:54,280 Speaker 1: intense exercise. Now, why would that be Well, it turns 940 00:51:54,320 --> 00:51:58,839 Speaker 1: out that when you briskly exercise, you're releasing a lot 941 00:51:58,840 --> 00:52:01,879 Speaker 1: of what is known as brain derived neurotrophic factor. That's 942 00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:04,000 Speaker 1: kind of like the miracle grow for for your brain. 943 00:52:04,239 --> 00:52:07,880 Speaker 1: As was described, if you are intensely exercising, you also 944 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:11,680 Speaker 1: tend to release a lot of epinephrin and epinefrin is 945 00:52:11,719 --> 00:52:14,880 Speaker 1: actually a blocker. It's a it's a cascade blocker of 946 00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:18,319 Speaker 1: what b d NF, this neurotrophic factor does. I know, 947 00:52:18,360 --> 00:52:21,800 Speaker 1: I'm throwing a lot of language at you, but I'm FOLLI. 948 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:25,640 Speaker 1: Intense exercise may be great for your heart and you know, 949 00:52:26,120 --> 00:52:29,239 Speaker 1: maybe even weight loss, whatever your goals. Maybe, but for 950 00:52:29,320 --> 00:52:34,000 Speaker 1: your brain, intense exercise actually is not good and you 951 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:36,960 Speaker 1: find that can actually be a little bit destructive by 952 00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:41,239 Speaker 1: releasing these stress hormones that block the beneficial effects that 953 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:43,759 Speaker 1: exercise should have on your brain. I never knew that, 954 00:52:44,280 --> 00:52:46,880 Speaker 1: and it so like I think. I go for a 955 00:52:46,920 --> 00:52:49,480 Speaker 1: walk as often as I can with Rebecca. Now, that 956 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:51,799 Speaker 1: wasn't something I did. I was out there thinking, I 957 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:54,560 Speaker 1: got forty minutes, I'm gonna go hard. That was my 958 00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:57,319 Speaker 1: sort of approach, and sometimes I still feel the need 959 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:01,680 Speaker 1: to do that. But walking is great. Brisk here here, 960 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:03,279 Speaker 1: here's the best way to do it. If you want 961 00:53:03,280 --> 00:53:05,560 Speaker 1: to just make it for your brain. Take a brisk 962 00:53:05,600 --> 00:53:09,000 Speaker 1: walk would a close friend or family member and talk 963 00:53:09,080 --> 00:53:12,120 Speaker 1: about your problems, and that sort of brings all these 964 00:53:12,160 --> 00:53:14,239 Speaker 1: things together in some ways that we've been talking about. 965 00:53:14,360 --> 00:53:17,320 Speaker 1: Take your take your you're very smoothie with you, and 966 00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:21,160 Speaker 1: you've pretty much nailed it. I'm curious about social media 967 00:53:21,320 --> 00:53:23,520 Speaker 1: and the way we live our lives. You know, we're 968 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:29,320 Speaker 1: constantly distracted, we have constant incoming information, our attention spans 969 00:53:29,440 --> 00:53:33,080 Speaker 1: have shortened. I read a fascinating study a while ago 970 00:53:33,239 --> 00:53:35,759 Speaker 1: that said the part of your brain I think it's 971 00:53:35,760 --> 00:53:38,680 Speaker 1: a hypocampus you can correct me if i'm wrong, responsible 972 00:53:38,800 --> 00:53:44,520 Speaker 1: for for creativity. It only fires up when you're bored. 973 00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:47,400 Speaker 1: And that's why you have so many great ideas when 974 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:50,920 Speaker 1: you're in this shower, when you're not distracted, or when 975 00:53:50,960 --> 00:53:53,239 Speaker 1: you're taking a long walk and you don't have your 976 00:53:53,239 --> 00:53:56,279 Speaker 1: phone with you. And I'm curious the impact of all 977 00:53:56,360 --> 00:54:02,920 Speaker 1: this mental stimulus or stimuli has on nerroa genesis and 978 00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:06,080 Speaker 1: keeping our brains healthy. You know, yeah, okay, that that 979 00:54:06,160 --> 00:54:08,200 Speaker 1: that's a It's a great topic and I approach it 980 00:54:08,280 --> 00:54:10,560 Speaker 1: as a person who wrote this book frankly, also as 981 00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:14,279 Speaker 1: a dad three teenage girls, because and this is conversation 982 00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:17,000 Speaker 1: topic number one in our household all the time. And 983 00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:18,920 Speaker 1: I'll tell and I'll tell you two things that actually 984 00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:21,200 Speaker 1: came out of a dinner time conversation I recently had. 985 00:54:21,800 --> 00:54:24,960 Speaker 1: Um And I try not to be too preachy with 986 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:27,560 Speaker 1: with my girls, although sometimes I can say I don't 987 00:54:27,640 --> 00:54:29,480 Speaker 1: use this line often, but I can say I did 988 00:54:29,560 --> 00:54:32,040 Speaker 1: write a book about that. The girls hate it when 989 00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:34,200 Speaker 1: I do that, but it's true, and I can use 990 00:54:34,200 --> 00:54:36,000 Speaker 1: that as a wild card to actually get them to 991 00:54:36,040 --> 00:54:40,080 Speaker 1: listen to what I'm saying about the fact that when 992 00:54:40,080 --> 00:54:43,160 Speaker 1: you are distracted like that and you think maybe even 993 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:47,000 Speaker 1: you are multitasking, the brain is actually not that good 994 00:54:47,480 --> 00:54:51,120 Speaker 1: at multitasking. It actually requires a lot of energy to 995 00:54:51,280 --> 00:54:54,759 Speaker 1: shift back and forth between things, between scrolling through your 996 00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,480 Speaker 1: social media feed, trying to have a conversation, trying to 997 00:54:57,520 --> 00:54:59,560 Speaker 1: look your dad in the eye when he's talking to you, 998 00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:03,000 Speaker 1: whatever might be. It's a it's hard to transition back 999 00:55:03,040 --> 00:55:05,480 Speaker 1: and forth between all these things. We think we're being efficient, 1000 00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:08,160 Speaker 1: and we're not, because the amount of energy it takes 1001 00:55:08,200 --> 00:55:10,719 Speaker 1: to actually make the switch is a lot higher than 1002 00:55:10,760 --> 00:55:13,040 Speaker 1: we realized. That's kind of novel thinking because you know, 1003 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:15,759 Speaker 1: it's always been about multitasking. How many things can I 1004 00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:18,479 Speaker 1: do at the same time. But the second thing, which 1005 00:55:18,480 --> 00:55:20,600 Speaker 1: I think is, you know I worry about the most, 1006 00:55:20,640 --> 00:55:22,680 Speaker 1: and I think is what you're saying as well. Is 1007 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:26,040 Speaker 1: that leaving aside just the content on social media for 1008 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:28,920 Speaker 1: a second, and just the fact that it's so incessant, 1009 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:34,120 Speaker 1: Like you're saying, we talk about stress and on the 1010 00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:37,240 Speaker 1: brain and on the body. Stress in and of itself 1011 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:40,520 Speaker 1: is not the enemy. I mean, in fact, we need stress. 1012 00:55:40,680 --> 00:55:43,080 Speaker 1: I was a little nervous to do this podcast with 1013 00:55:43,120 --> 00:55:45,200 Speaker 1: you today because I have so much respect for you. 1014 00:55:45,239 --> 00:55:46,920 Speaker 1: But it makes me a little stressed because I have 1015 00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:49,200 Speaker 1: that nervousness. But it's good. I need that because I 1016 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:53,280 Speaker 1: prepared for this. But the problem is that we can't 1017 00:55:53,400 --> 00:55:57,160 Speaker 1: get a break from the stress. Social media screens, the 1018 00:55:57,160 --> 00:56:00,000 Speaker 1: incessant nature of it make it very difficult for us 1019 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:03,560 Speaker 1: to ever turn the stress off. We don't want to 1020 00:56:03,560 --> 00:56:05,640 Speaker 1: turn it off completely or never have it. That would 1021 00:56:05,640 --> 00:56:10,600 Speaker 1: not be a worthy or or possible goal. But we 1022 00:56:10,640 --> 00:56:13,160 Speaker 1: don't get breaks from it. And that's what I worry 1023 00:56:13,200 --> 00:56:16,320 Speaker 1: about the most. With with my girls, myself to some extent, 1024 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:18,480 Speaker 1: although I'm much more aware of it. But that's what 1025 00:56:18,520 --> 00:56:21,600 Speaker 1: I worry about, Katie. So you're saying that it's really 1026 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:25,480 Speaker 1: important to put the phones down, put them away, even 1027 00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:29,359 Speaker 1: studies that show if it's on a table, it's distracting 1028 00:56:30,080 --> 00:56:33,439 Speaker 1: by its very presence, because you can't have a deep, 1029 00:56:33,600 --> 00:56:37,560 Speaker 1: focused conversation with that thing in your line of sight, 1030 00:56:38,040 --> 00:56:42,000 Speaker 1: right that that that the distraction, just the presence of it, 1031 00:56:42,360 --> 00:56:44,839 Speaker 1: whatever it may be, it takes you away from from 1032 00:56:44,880 --> 00:56:47,279 Speaker 1: being in the moment. And again, I know some of 1033 00:56:47,320 --> 00:56:50,120 Speaker 1: this sounds so euphemistic, but and maybe you've heard it 1034 00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:52,879 Speaker 1: all before, but now the data is there. I mean, 1035 00:56:53,160 --> 00:56:56,160 Speaker 1: I mean, the smartphone has only really been around since 1036 00:56:56,200 --> 00:56:59,080 Speaker 1: two thousand five, Katie. I mean you think about that 1037 00:56:59,200 --> 00:57:02,839 Speaker 1: fifteen years, and it's not that long, and we've had 1038 00:57:02,880 --> 00:57:05,880 Speaker 1: some of the biggest behavioral shifts ever recorded in human 1039 00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:10,960 Speaker 1: history during that time. You talk about kind of constant stress, 1040 00:57:11,040 --> 00:57:13,799 Speaker 1: and you need stress in them recovery. I guess that's 1041 00:57:13,800 --> 00:57:17,160 Speaker 1: because your your brain is producing too much cortisolve, right, 1042 00:57:17,240 --> 00:57:20,240 Speaker 1: I mean, the stress hormone or is it doing a 1043 00:57:20,240 --> 00:57:24,280 Speaker 1: lot of other stuff of physiologically. I think I think 1044 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:27,840 Speaker 1: the thing that that is becoming clear is that the 1045 00:57:27,880 --> 00:57:31,880 Speaker 1: absolute amount may not be as important as how long 1046 00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:34,600 Speaker 1: your selves are are sort of exposed to the to 1047 00:57:34,680 --> 00:57:38,360 Speaker 1: the stress hormone, you can have these amazingly high spikes. 1048 00:57:38,560 --> 00:57:42,720 Speaker 1: And they saw this, uh in people fighter pilots, people 1049 00:57:42,720 --> 00:57:45,360 Speaker 1: who are in these incredible situations for periods of time, 1050 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:48,360 Speaker 1: really high spikes, so high in fact, that the blood 1051 00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:50,280 Speaker 1: vessels in the back of their eyes would change. They 1052 00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:53,640 Speaker 1: would have to account for blurinus of vision because they're 1053 00:57:53,640 --> 00:57:57,960 Speaker 1: they're they're a benefference spikes so high. But when they 1054 00:57:58,160 --> 00:58:02,520 Speaker 1: weren't in that situation, they had incredibly low levels of stress, 1055 00:58:02,720 --> 00:58:06,400 Speaker 1: really high heart rate variability. Heart rate variability is a 1056 00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:09,439 Speaker 1: really interesting measure of this because if you have high 1057 00:58:09,520 --> 00:58:13,240 Speaker 1: heart rate variability, that's good. That means that means your 1058 00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:15,880 Speaker 1: your your blood vesseles aren't clamped down by all the 1059 00:58:15,920 --> 00:58:18,960 Speaker 1: stress hormones. They're they're kind of loose and can the 1060 00:58:19,360 --> 00:58:23,560 Speaker 1: variability is good. And so it wasn't the spikes in 1061 00:58:23,560 --> 00:58:26,920 Speaker 1: in cortisol, epineffer and other stress hormones as much as 1062 00:58:26,920 --> 00:58:31,240 Speaker 1: it was them staying plateaung at an at an unreasonably 1063 00:58:31,280 --> 00:58:35,320 Speaker 1: high level. Interesting when it comes to stress. In closing, 1064 00:58:35,360 --> 00:58:38,120 Speaker 1: because I've kept you far too long Sunday, but I 1065 00:58:38,120 --> 00:58:41,040 Speaker 1: could talk to you all day. Is what is the 1066 00:58:41,120 --> 00:58:46,600 Speaker 1: impact of this year plus of really for many people, 1067 00:58:46,920 --> 00:58:52,160 Speaker 1: this constant stress, And how is that going to, in 1068 00:58:52,200 --> 00:58:57,880 Speaker 1: your view, affect us in terms of collective trauma? You know, 1069 00:58:57,960 --> 00:59:00,680 Speaker 1: we we have we have pretty pretty good data on 1070 00:59:00,840 --> 00:59:04,360 Speaker 1: what these stress hormones in prolonged periods of time due 1071 00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:07,720 Speaker 1: to the brain um we've you know, we're, we're. That's 1072 00:59:07,760 --> 00:59:11,000 Speaker 1: been documented now in all sorts of different studies. Nothing 1073 00:59:11,080 --> 00:59:14,200 Speaker 1: quite like this, obviously, because this is so unique, and 1074 00:59:14,240 --> 00:59:17,040 Speaker 1: that's why I still preface by saying I don't know 1075 00:59:17,120 --> 00:59:19,360 Speaker 1: for sure. With great humility, I try and answer some 1076 00:59:19,400 --> 00:59:24,520 Speaker 1: of these questions, but I think there will be an impact. 1077 00:59:24,560 --> 00:59:27,720 Speaker 1: But I think that we've also learned that we can 1078 00:59:28,280 --> 00:59:31,040 Speaker 1: grow new brain cells, though we can recover from that. 1079 00:59:31,720 --> 00:59:35,600 Speaker 1: We can create situations where it doesn't become such a 1080 00:59:35,680 --> 00:59:39,800 Speaker 1: incessant memory that that it basically leads to post traumatic stress, 1081 00:59:39,840 --> 00:59:42,480 Speaker 1: which is a real concern as well. There will be 1082 00:59:42,520 --> 00:59:46,000 Speaker 1: people that have significant amounts of post traumatic stress, but 1083 00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:49,320 Speaker 1: our ability to treat that, to recognize it is better 1084 00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:52,320 Speaker 1: than before, and our ability to to build new brain 1085 00:59:52,360 --> 00:59:57,160 Speaker 1: cells to help compensate. Is better than before, so impact significant, 1086 00:59:57,200 --> 01:00:01,760 Speaker 1: but solutions you know emerging as well. So it is 1087 01:00:01,840 --> 01:00:05,880 Speaker 1: possible to heal. I hear you say it is possible 1088 01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:09,040 Speaker 1: to heal, and and we we we've seen it before, 1089 01:00:09,320 --> 01:00:16,479 Speaker 1: you know, with other even other pandemics. A huge thank 1090 01:00:16,520 --> 01:00:19,480 Speaker 1: you to my friend Dr Sanjay Gupta, who you can 1091 01:00:19,520 --> 01:00:23,680 Speaker 1: watch on CNN or listen to on his daily podcast 1092 01:00:24,040 --> 01:00:28,480 Speaker 1: Coronavirus Fact or Fiction. His new book, by the way, 1093 01:00:28,560 --> 01:00:31,520 Speaker 1: is called Keep Sharpe, How to Build a Better Brain 1094 01:00:31,720 --> 01:00:33,840 Speaker 1: at any age. And I want you all to know 1095 01:00:34,000 --> 01:00:45,080 Speaker 1: I just ate breakfast using my left hand. Next Question 1096 01:00:45,080 --> 01:00:47,440 Speaker 1: with Katie Kurik is a production of My Heart Media 1097 01:00:47,560 --> 01:00:51,600 Speaker 1: and Katie Kurk Media. The executive producers Army, Katie Curic, 1098 01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:56,360 Speaker 1: and Courtney Litz. The supervising producer is Lauren Hansen. Associate 1099 01:00:56,400 --> 01:01:01,160 Speaker 1: producers Derek Clements, Adriana Fassio, and m Lee Pinto. The 1100 01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:04,760 Speaker 1: show is edited and mixed by Derrick Clements. For more 1101 01:01:04,760 --> 01:01:07,600 Speaker 1: information about today's episode, or to sign up for my 1102 01:01:07,680 --> 01:01:11,280 Speaker 1: morning newsletter wake Up Call, go to Katie Currect dot com. 1103 01:01:11,320 --> 01:01:13,960 Speaker 1: You can also find me at Katie Currect on Instagram. 1104 01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:17,560 Speaker 1: And on my social media channels. For more podcasts from 1105 01:01:17,600 --> 01:01:21,560 Speaker 1: I heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 1106 01:01:21,960 --> 01:01:24,160 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.