Today, Brain Defenders is officially available. After more than 40 years of research, clinical experience, and asking different questions about Alzheimer’s disease, this book feels like the culmination of everything I’ve learned about protecting cognitive health for the long term. I truly believe it’s some of the most important work I’ve done. Your brain’s future is not predetermined. You have more agency over your cognitive health than you may have been led to believe. I hope you’ll join me for this next chapter in protecting your brain. Order your copy: braindefenders.com/

What happens when AI can predict something about your future that you’d rather not know? In my conversation with @TillyNorwoodX's creator, @Elinehq, we explored some unsettling possibilities. Watch here: youtu.be/wGLyO-vfn0Q

Your age at menopause could predict your brain health years later. I recently spoke with @Preventionmag about new research examining the relationship between the timing of menopause and long-term cognitive health. The findings add to an important and evolving conversation about how hormonal changes during midlife may influence the female brain and why this period deserves far more attention when thinking about Alzheimer’s risk. Read the full article here: prevention.com/health/a74030…

If you've ever felt busy, capable, and needed, yet somehow invisible, this conversation is for you. On this episode of The Empowering Neurologist, John R. Miles joins me to explore the difference between being useful and truly mattering. It's far more than an emotional question. Feeling unseen can influence your sleep, inflammation, and even how your brain perceives threat. youtu.be/IQtn4un-wFU?si=yDtO…

Scented-candle season is here, and it’s worth thinking about what you’re putting into the air inside your home. Fragranced products can release a mixture of compounds into indoor air, especially in spaces with limited ventilation. If you love candles, consider using them less often or finding cleaner options, ventilating the room, and paying attention to the other scented products you use throughout the day.

Your brain is responding every day to the environment you create for it. What you eat, how you sleep, how often you move, your stress level, and even the people you spend time with all matter. What is one change you have made that has noticeably improved how you feel?

Feeling like you don't matter can take a toll on your brain health. On this week's episode of The Empowering Neurologist, I'm joined by John R. Miles, host of the Passion Struck podcast and author of The Mattering Effect, to explore the difference between being valued for what we accomplish and feeling valued for who we are. youtu.be/IQtn4un-wFU

Dementia is not an inevitable part of aging. A history of smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other factors can influence risk, but the choices you make today can also shape how your brain ages. The goal should be more than delaying dementia. It should be protecting brain health for life.

There is a lot of brain health advice online, and not all of it is supported by good science. I am curious: what claim, trend, supplement, or habit have you seen recently that you would like me to break down?

If you can’t drink coffee, you have other options for getting polyphenols. Polyphenols can also come from green tea, extra virgin olive oil, colorful vegetables, and other plant foods. Coffee can be part of a healthy diet, but it’s certainly not the only option.

Social isolation can take a toll on brain health as you age. Staying connected to others may help reduce stress, support oxytocin production, and protect cognitive health. What’s one thing you can do today to strengthen a social connection in your life?

No matter how old you are, it is not too late to start protecting your brain. Research shows that lifestyle changes including exercise, dietary changes, stress reduction, and cognitive activity can support cognitive function, even in your 70s, 80s, and beyond.

Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it can interfere with the restorative sleep your brain needs. In the Brain Defenders Immersion Course, which compliments what you’ll learn in the book, I explore sleep and other key factors that influence brain health. The course takes things a step further with guided videos, FAQs, self-assessments, and actionable tools to help you apply the principles to your daily life. Learn more about the course offering here: drperlmutter.com/immersion-c…

Naples, I’ll see you in November! Join me at Books On Third on November 16 for an evening discussing Brain Defenders, followed by a book signing. The event is free. Reserve your spot here: eventbrite.com/e/author-talk…

Clearing beta-amyloid is not the same as curing Alzheimer’s. The bigger question is what created the conditions for the disease to develop in the first place. That is the focus of Brain Defenders: looking earlier in the disease process and understanding what may be driving it. Learn more: drperlmutter.com/books/brain…

What if the brain’s future is shaped by more than genetics and age? I joined Dr. Amy Myers on Take Back Your Health to discuss microglia, metabolism, inflammation, hormones, sleep, and the factors that may influence long term cognitive health. youtube.com/watch?v=zBRsyeIF…

In my latest conversation with @austinperlmd, we dig into polyphenols, and why their real power has nothing to do with antioxidants. Austin also shares an early look at results from what may be the largest cognition trial ever run on a single food. Plus, a few simple cues to tell if what's on your plate is actually working for your brain. youtu.be/EFEeP4s4t9A

There are three things I generally don’t keep in my kitchen: added sugar, agave nectar, and fruit juice. Why? Because all three can deliver a significant amount of sugar or fructose without offering much metabolic benefit. If you want something sweet, look for alternatives that help reduce your overall sugar load.

Alzheimer’s is not explained by beta amyloid alone. Metabolic health also matters. Elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, excess body fat, and abnormal blood lipids are all associated with greater dementia risk. One practical place to start is reducing added sugar and sugary drinks, including fruit juice, to better support long-term metabolic and brain health.

Happy National Coffee Day! ☕️ To celebrate, get 25% off Founder’s Roast and everything at @Purity_Coffee, plus free U.S. shipping, with code PERLMUTTER. And with every bag of Founder’s Roast, $2 supports the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic. puritycoffee.com/PERLMUTTER?…

What if the biggest gap in nutrition science isn't vitamins or protein, but something we haven't even named yet? This week on The Empowering Neurologist, I got to sit down with my son, @austinperlmd, for a conversation I've been looking forward to for a while. We talk about the "dark matter" of food, thousands of molecules science is only beginning to understand. youtu.be/EFEeP4s4t9A