Dr. Mark D'Esposito: How to Optimize Cognitive Function & Brain Health

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mark D'Esposito, M.D., a neurologist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. We discuss the brain mechanisms underlying cognition and the forms of memory required for focus, productivity, planning and achieving goals, and learning. We discuss neurochemicals such as dopamine and acetylcholine and how they can be leveraged to improve cognitive functioning. We also discuss concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease, and ways to restore or slow cognitive decline by using pharmacologic, lifestyle and behavioral protocols. This episode provides a modern understanding of cognition and memory and actionable tools to optimize brain health and function.

Journal Articles

• Cognitive and attentional mechanisms in delay of gratification (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)
• Inverted-U–Shaped Dopamine Actions on Human Working Memory and Cognitive Control (Biological Psychiatry)
• Cognitive Deficit Caused by Regional Depletion of Dopamine in Prefrontal Cortex of Rhesus Monkey (Science)
• Clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in “Long-COVID19” (Neuroimmunology Reports)
• Estrogen Shapes Dopamine-Dependent Cognitive Processes: Implications for Women's Health (The Journal of Neuroscience)
• Ongoing dynamics in large-scale functional connectivity predict perception (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

Other Resources

• BrainHQ
• The BrainHealth Project
• Neuroscouting

Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned

• Nicotine's Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping
• Tools to Enhance Working Memory & Attention
• Dr. Matthew Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep
• How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks

People Mentioned

• Brian Levine: Professor Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto
• Matthew Walker: Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology, UC Berkeley
• Michael Merzenich: Professor Emeritus - Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
• David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel: Nobel Prize (1981)
• Emily Jacobs: Associate Professor of Psychology, UC Santa Barbara
• Art Kramer: Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Eddie Chang: Professor of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
• Karl Deisseroth: Professor and Psychiatrist, Stanford
• Sepideh Sadaghiani: Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign