Your Brain On

• Your Brain On... Purpose (Sherzai Family Special)

  With big changes happening in the Sherzai family household, we sat down for a roundtable discussion about the concept that will shape what we’re all doing next: our purpose. In this ‘unplugged’ mid-season chat, we’re joined by our kids — Sophia and Alex! — for a wide-ranging conversation about our values and goals. How they form, how they falter, and how they evolve, in an increasingly noisy world. Together, we discuss: • The neurological and evolutionary importance of purpose • How a firm sense of purpose can help us develop better habits • The difference between ‘internal’ and ‘external’ purpose • How we can stay focused on our values in the face of modern life’s distractions • The promises and pitfalls of AI in shaping (and potentially hijacking) our sense of purpose Sophia — now heading off to Boston! — works in biomedical engineering and brain-computer interfaces. And Alex (self-proclaimed Tetris champion) is focused on the intersection of brain health and artificial intelligence. This is Your Brain On... Purpose, a Sherzai Family Special!

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• Your Brain On... Creatine

  Creatine for Alzheimer’s — let’s separate the hype from the hope. A new study has caused a stir in June 2025, but lead researcher Matthew K. Taylor told us: “ I don’t think I can recommend it to a patient that this is going to ultimately have some sort of cognitive influence.” We speak to Dr. Taylor and Dr. Russell Swerdlow in this episode, discussing: • Role of creatine in your brain, and why it matters for energy metabolism • What the 2025 study found (and why it wasn’t designed to prove effectiveness) • How scientific nuance gets lost in supplement hype • Why even promising early data must be handled with care • The vital difference between hype and hope Dr. Russell Swerdlow, MD is Director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Dr. Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD is Associate Professor of Dietetics & Nutrition at the University of Kansas Medical Center. This is... Your Brain On Creatine. SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/  ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.  ‘Your Brain On... Creatine’ • SEASON 5 • EPISODE 8 LINKS  Dr. Taylor at the University of Kansas: https://www.kumc.edu/mtaylor3.html Dr. Swerdlow at the University of Kansas: https://www.kumc.edu/rswerdlow.html REFERENCES 1. Smith AN, Choi IY, Lee P, Sullivan DK, Burns JM, Swerdlow RH, Kelly E, Taylor MK. Creatine monohydrate pilot in Alzheimer's: Feasibility, brain creatine, and cognition. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 2025 Apr;11(2):e70101. 2. Taylor MK, Burns JM, Choi IY, et al. Protocol for a single-arm, pilot trial of creatine monohydrate supplementation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Pilot Feasibility Study. 2024;10(1):42.  3. Habeck C, Risacher S, Lee GJ, et al. Relationship between baseline brain metabolism measured using [18 F]FDG PET and memory and executive function in prodromal and early Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Imaging Behav. 2012;6(4):568-83.  4. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports. Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.

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• Your Brain On... Stress

  Stress isn’t just a threat to your brain. It’s also one of its best tools for growth. We often hear that stress is bad for your brain. And it can be. Chronic, unpredictable, and uncontrollable stress can damage cognition, harm memory, and accelerate aging. But we don’t talk enough about how the right kind of stress can actually improve brain function, grow your hippocampus, and help you feel happier and more purposeful. In this episode of Your Brain On..., we explore the science of stress with two brilliant guests: Dr. Sharon Bergquist, Yale- and Harvard-trained internal medicine physician and author of ‘The Stress Paradox’ Dr. Mithu Storoni, neuroscientist and author of ‘Stress-Proof’ and ‘Hyper Efficient’ Together, we explore: • The biological difference between good and bad stress • Why ‘eustress’ (good stress) can actually build your brain • Balancing stress: not too little, not too much • How to use stress as a tool to enhance resilience and protect against aging • What brain imaging reveals about stress hormones, attention, and burnout • Practical ways to reframe, recover from, and even seek out positive stress This is... Your Brain On Stress. SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/  ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On... Stress’ • SEASON 5 • EPISODE 7 LINKS Dr. Sharon Bergquist’s website: https://drsharonbergquist.com/  ‘The Stress Paradox’: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-stress-paradox-sharon-horesh-bergquist Dr. Mithu Storoni’s website: https://www.mithustoroni.com/ Stress-Proof: https://www.mithustoroni.com/stress-proof CONNECT WITH US Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs YouTube: https://youtube.com/thebraindocs Website: TheBrainDocs.com

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• Your Brain On... Stroke

  Stroke is one of the biggest causes of death in the world — but also one of the most preventable. Up to 80–90% of strokes could be avoided with more awareness, resources, and a firmer focus on prevention over intervention. In this episode, we’re joined by renowned stroke neurologist and public health pioneer Dr. Olajide Williams, MD, MS, whose ‘Hip-Hop Stroke’ movement is a shining example of enacting culturally-sensitive community-wide healthcare change. In this episode, we discuss: • What actually causes a stroke (and how to spot one in seconds using the ‘act FAST’ acronym) • Why blood pressure is the #1 modifiable risk factor (and how stress and sleep impact it) • How social determinants like ZIP code and health literacy shape stroke risk • How Dr. Williams’ Hip Hop Stroke campaign helped kids teach their parents how to save lives • What every family should know about TIAs (‘mini-strokes’) and silent strokes Whether stroke runs in your family, or you simply want to protect your brain, this episode could change (and save) lives. This is... Your Brain On Stroke. SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/  ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. ‘Your Brain On… Stroke’ • SEASON 5 • EPISODE 6 LINKS Dr. Olajide Williams at Columbia: https://doctors.columbia.edu/us/ny/new-york/olajide-a-williams-md-ms-710-west-168th-street The Hip-Hop Public Health project: https://www.hhph.org/

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• Your Brain On... The Food Industry

  How can we eat better when we’re constantly marketed to in a way that hijacks our attention and habits? To complement the incredible discussions we regularly have about brain-healthy nutrition, in this episode, we’ve having a very important conversation about how the food industry works against our best intentions, and how we can break through the psychological barriers they use to hold us back. We’re joined by Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, whose name is practically synonymous with food policy: a pioneering nutritionist, public health advocate, and author of some of the most important books in this space, including Food Politics, What to Eat, and Unsavory Truth. In this episode, we discuss: • The neuroscience of why food choices aren’t “just willpower” • Why access, not just knowledge, is the biggest barrier to good nutrition • The importance of schools, policy, and local food programs in shaping food culture • The role of stress, fatigue, and decision overload in weakening dietary choices • Why social media is a double-edged sword for nutrition information  • How we can make a difference at the community level This is... Your Brain On The Food Industry. SUPPORTED BY: NEURO World. Help your brain thrive, now and into the future: https://neuro.world/  ‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists, and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai. Find out more about Marion Nestle’s work: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/marion-nestle ‘Your Brain On... The Food Industry’ • SEASON 5 • EPISODE 5 ——— FOLLOW US Join NEURO World: https://neuro.world/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebraindocs YouTube: https://youtube.com/thebraindocs Website: TheBrainDocs.com

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