Your Brain On... (Sherzai Family Holiday Special)
Your Brain On
Our incredible kids Sophia and Alex Sherzai join us for a special end-of-year episode of the ‘Your Brain On...’ episode! As a family of neuroscientists — Sophia in biomedical engineering, Alex in artificial intelligence, Ayesha in vascular neurology, and Dean in behavioral neurology — we have fascinating discussions (and debates) about all aspects of life and brain health almost every day. To close out the first year of the ‘Your Brain On...’ podcast, we’re bringing that energy to the show! We discuss: • Life as a family of neuroscientists • What we’ve been working on and...
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Your Brain On... Ketogenic Diets
Your Brain On
High in fats and low in carbs, ketogenic diets were originally developed in the 1920s to treat children with epilepsy. Now, they’ve gained popularity for weight loss, and even improved cognitive function. But how much truth is there in the purported brain health benefits we see on social media? In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we separate the facts from the fads, and discuss: • What one might eat on a typical ketogenic diet • How ketogenic diets affect brain metabolism • The different ways your brain uses sources of energy — glucose vs. ketones • The latest data on...
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Your Brain On... ALS
Your Brain On
ALS, a nervous system disease, ruled the headlines in the summer of 2014 thanks to the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. How has our knowledge of the disorder evolved a decade later? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ‘Lou Gehrig's disease’ (named after the iconic baseball player), is a progressive neurological disorder which breaks down a person’s motor neurons. The main symptoms are muscle weakness and impaired physical function — mild, at first, but in the latter stages of the disease’s progression, essential processes like breathing begin to fail. Most individuals face a life...
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Your Brain On... Ketamine
Your Brain On
For decades, ketamine has mainly been used as an anaesthetic, but in more recent years, it’s gained popularity in mental health treatment. Conversations around the benefits and risks associated with its therapeutic usage ignited towards the end of 2023, when actor Matthew Perry, star of the sitcom ‘Friends’, died from the acute effects of the ketamine he was using to treat anxiety. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss: • The neurochemical mechanisms of ketamine, and its interplay with depression • What we know about the opportunities and pitfalls of using ketamine in...
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Your Brain On... Sex
Your Brain On
From the first spark of attraction, all the way to climax, sex sets off chemical fireworks in your brain. And yet, this beautiful, powerful act has become mired in shame and stigma. But through open conversation and deeper scientific understanding, we can cast off those shackles, and even embrace sex as a marker for cognitive and overall health. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’ — our Season 4 debut! — we discuss: • The neurological processes involved with sex, arousal, attraction, and desire • Why studying the cognitive effects of sexual stimuli can be so complicated • How...
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Your Brain On... Protein
Your Brain On
Protein — how much do we need? What’s the healthiest way to consume it? Can we get enough from plant-based diets? Until recent decades, protein hasn’t been quite as prominent in public health discussions as sugar and fats. However, with longer lifespans emphasizing the importance of protein for long-term health, and growing confusion around the quality and quantity of protein needed, it has become a highly debated macronutrient. In ‘Your Brain On… Protein’, we explore: • The brain health benefits (and general health benefits) of protein • Plant-based protein vs. meat...
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Your Brain On... Misinformation
Your Brain On
The digital age has made it easier than ever to access health information, but how can we know which sources to trust? Social media is saturated with misinformation. Some of it is inadvertent — many bold pseudoscientific claims seem very convincing, and anyone could be forgiven for sharing it with the best intentions. But, a more deliberate manipulation of scientific information has become commonplace, often used to push certain narratives or turn a profit. Combating this misinformation machine can feel impossible. So, we assembled five experts from different corners of the science...
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Your Brain On: A Brain Health Revolution Summit Special
Your Brain On
20 incredible conversations with leading scientists, in one hour. We’re excited to present this special installment of Your Brain On, featuring highlights from some of the speakers talking at our first ever Brain Health Revolution Summit. Our first summit, running September 30 through October 6 2024, features seven days of hour-long discussions with the scientists who are actually conducting the studies, publishing the papers, and pushing public health policy reforms that are shaping our world. No matter when you’re listening to this episode, visit for more information about the summit...
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Your Brain On... Having A Pet
Your Brain On
What are our animal companions thinking? And how does our friendship with them change their brains, and our brains? We all wish we could communicate with our pets. Though we may never share a language, modern neuroscience has enabled us to ethically understand the cognitive anatomy and emotional signals of other animals like never before. In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss what we’ve learned so far, including: • The neurological phenomena that leads to domestication and, in turn, animal companionship • How oxytocin studies have signified that, yes, our dogs do love us...
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Your Brain On... Coffee
Your Brain On
What does the most-purchased beverage in the world — coffee — do to your brain? Five centuries after its discovery, coffee is deeply entrenched in our diets on a global scale. More than half the U.S. population drinks coffee daily. We wake up with coffee, and catch up with friends over coffee. Historically, coffee has been heralded as an inspiring muse. But many headlines have warned us about the adverse effects of coffee. Is there truth in the supposed risks, or can we keep sipping away without a worry? In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss: • What caffeine does to...
info_outlineFat can have a bad reputation, but certain fats are essential for the healthy functioning of your brain.
Between government guidelines, fad diets, and our endless social feeds, nutrition advice overload has left us all a bit lost with how to incorporate healthy fats into what we eat.
In this episode, we discuss:
• The different kinds of fats (saturated vs. unsaturated) and which ones we actually need to consume
• The myth that “because your brain is primarily made of fat, it thrives on a high-fat diet”
• How the cardiovascular damage caused by saturated fats can increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia
• All the tasty ways you can get more healthy, unsaturated, essential fats into your meals
We welcome esteemed nutrition scientist Dr. Alan Flanagan back to the show, to explore the history of research into the impact of fats and how it shaped one of the most robust bodies of evidence in all of science.
We’re also joined by Dr. Danielle Belardo, renowned cardiologist and science communicator, to talk about the interplay between heart health, brain health, and fats, the controversy around statins, the low-down on LDL cholesterol, and the future of cardiovascular interventions.
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neuroscientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
‘Your Brain On... FATS’ • SEASON 2 • EPISODE 4
LINKS
Dr. Alan Flanagan:
Alan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenutritionaladvocate
Alinea Nutrition: https://www.alineanutrition.com/
Dr. Danielle Belardo:
Dr. Belardo’s website: https://www.daniellebelardomd.com/
Practical, Evidence-Based Approaches to Nutritional Modifications to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35284849/
FOLLOW US
Join the NEURO Academy: NEUROacademy.com
Instagram: @thebraindocs
Website: TheBrainDocs.com
More info and episodes: TheBrainDocs.com/Podcast
REFERENCES
Scientific articles discussed in this episode:
Mensink, Ronald P., and World Health Organization. Effects of saturated fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins: a systematic review and regression analysis. World Health Organization, 2016.
Okereke, Olivia I., et al. “Dietary fat types and 4‐year cognitive change in community‐dwelling older women.” Annals of neurology 72.1 (2012): 124-134.
Simian Diet paper: Kendall, Cyril WC, and David JA Jenkins. “A dietary portfolio: maximal reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with diet.” Current atherosclerosis reports 6.6 (2004): 492-498.
Solomon, Alina, et al. “Midlife serum cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia three decades later.” Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders 28.1 (2009): 75-80.
Morris, Martha Clare, et al. “Dietary fats and the risk of incident Alzheimer disease.” Archives of neurology 60.2 (2003): 194-200.
Keys, Ancel, Joseph T. Anderson, and Francisco Grande. “Prediction of serum-cholesterol responses of man to changes in fats in the diet.” Lancet 273 (1957): 959-966
Anitschkow, N. N., and S. Chalatow. 1913. Ueber experimentelle Cholesterinsteatose und ihre Bedeutung fur die Entstehung eini- ger pathologischer Prozesse. Zentralbl. Allg. Pathol. 24: 1–9.
Keys, Ancel, et al. “The seven countries study: 2,289 deaths in 15 years.” Preventive medicine 13.2 (1984): 141-154.
Sherzai, Ayesha Z., Alexander N. Sherzai, and Dean Sherzai. "A systematic review of omega-3 consumption and neuroprotective cognitive outcomes." American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 17.4 (2023): 560-588.
Rajan, Kumar B., et al. "Statin Initiation and Risk of Incident Alzheimer Disease and Cognitive Decline in Genetically Susceptible Older Adults." Neurology 102.7 (2024): e209168.
Olmastroni, Elena, et al. "Statin use and risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies." European journal of preventive cardiology 29.5 (2022): 804-814.