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

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. *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubmerman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman *Dr. Mark D'Esposito* Academic profile: https://bit.ly/49wwPMo Lab website: https://bit.ly/3I4Sxev BrainHealth project: https://bit.ly/3SEiZ3w Publications: https://bit.ly/3T4AH1J X: https://twitter.com/mtdespo *Journal Articles* Cognitive and attentional mechanisms in delay of gratification: https://bit.ly/49zpHPL Inverted-U–Shaped Dopamine Actions on Human Working Memory and Cognitive Control: https://bit.ly/3UdfWBP Cognitive Deficit Caused by Regional Depletion of Dopamine in Prefrontal Cortex of Rhesus Monkey: https://bit.ly/4bBqMI9 Clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in “Long-COVID19”: https://bit.ly/42IuviW Estrogen Shapes Dopamine-Dependent Cognitive Processes: Implications for Women's Health: https://bit.ly/42G4xwF Ongoing dynamics in large-scale functional connectivity predict perception: https://bit.ly/3SMFT92 *Other Resources* BrainHQ: https://bit.ly/3I6y5d6 The BrainHealth Project: https://bit.ly/3I591Dm Neuroscouting: https://bit.ly/42IpZB8 *Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned* Nicotine's Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping: https://go.hubermanlab.com/GpyRhoQTYT Tools to Enhance Working Memory & Attention: https://go.hubermanlab.com/s7LQP1bsYT Dr. Matthew Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep: https://go.hubermanlab.com/psVAPrDqYT How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks: https://go.hubermanlab.com/ggl7TvJuYT *People Mentioned* Brian Levine: Professor Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto: https://bit.ly/49h05qz Matthew Walker: Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology, UC Berkeley: https://bit.ly/3UK2Ags Michael Merzenich: Professor Emeritus - Neuroscience, USCF: https://bit.ly/3T4rSoD David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel: Nobel Prize (1981): https://bit.ly/3T6SPYQ Emily Jacobs: Associate Professor of Psychology, UC Santa Barbara: https://bit.ly/3T0AaOa Art Kramer: Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: https://bit.ly/48l4982 Eddie Chang: Professor of Neurological Surgery, UCSF: https://bit.ly/3SLsjmd Karl Deisseroth: Professor and Psychiatrist, Stanford: https://stanford.io/49BQmuG Sepideh Sadaghiani: Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: https://bit.ly/48CagoF *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Mark D’Esposito 00:02:08 Sponsors: Maui Nui, Joovv & Eight Sleep 00:06:23 Brain & Frontal Lobes, Prefrontal Cortex, Executive Function 00:10:31 Frontal Lobe Development, Children 00:14:12 Rules, Context & Impulse Control; Learning & Goals 00:21:45 Focus, Improving Executive Function 00:26:04 Connections & Top-Down Signals 00:29:02 Sponsor: AG1 00:30:29 Frontal Lobe Injury; Emotional Regulation 00:37:26 Smartphones, Social Media 00:44:37 Working Memory, Dopamine 00:52:59 Sponsor: LMNT 00:54:22 Dopamine Levels & Working Memory, Cognitive Tasks, Genetics 01:00:03 Bromocriptine & Working Memory, Dopamine 01:06:21 Guanfacine, Neurotransmitter Levels, Pupil Dilation & Biomarker Tests 01:12:46 Bromocriptine, Olympics; Pharmacology & Cognitive Function, Adderall 01:19:27 Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 01:25:22 Sleep, TBI, Concussion & Executive Function; BrainHQ 01:31:57 Aging & Frontal Executive System; Brain Health 01:39:26 Tools: Brain Health & Boosting Executive Function, Books 01:47:26 Alzheimer’s Disease, Genetics, Pharmacology 01:51:48 Parkinson’s Disease, L-Dopa; Coping with Alzheimer’s; Nicotine 01:58:37 Estrogen & Dopamine, Cognition; Tool: Physical Exercise 02:04:43 Tool: Mindfulness Meditation & Executive Function 02:10:31 Brain Networks; Modularity 02:17:08 Modularity, Brain Indices 02:22:53 Psilocybin; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 02:30:16 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew HubermanhostDr. Mark D'Espositoguest

Feb 19, 20242h 32mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: February 19, 2024
Duration: 2h 32m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

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. *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubmerman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman *Dr. Mark D'Esposito* Academic profile: https://bit.ly/49wwPMo Lab website: https://bit.ly/3I4Sxev BrainHealth project: https://bit.ly/3SEiZ3w Publications: https://bit.ly/3T4AH1J X: https://twitter.com/mtdespo *Journal Articles* Cognitive and attentional mechanisms in delay of gratification: https://bit.ly/49zpHPL Inverted-U–Shaped Dopamine Actions on Human Working Memory and Cognitive Control: https://bit.ly/3UdfWBP Cognitive Deficit Caused by Regional Depletion of Dopamine in Prefrontal Cortex of Rhesus Monkey: https://bit.ly/4bBqMI9 Clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in “Long-COVID19”: https://bit.ly/42IuviW Estrogen Shapes Dopamine-Dependent Cognitive Processes: Implications for Women's Health: https://bit.ly/42G4xwF Ongoing dynamics in large-scale functional connectivity predict perception: https://bit.ly/3SMFT92 *Other Resources* BrainHQ: https://bit.ly/3I6y5d6 The BrainHealth Project: https://bit.ly/3I591Dm Neuroscouting: https://bit.ly/42IpZB8 *Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned* Nicotine's Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping: https://go.hubermanlab.com/GpyRhoQTYT Tools to Enhance Working Memory & Attention: https://go.hubermanlab.com/s7LQP1bsYT Dr. Matthew Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep: https://go.hubermanlab.com/psVAPrDqYT How Psilocybin Can Rewire Our Brain, Its Therapeutic Benefits & Its Risks: https://go.hubermanlab.com/ggl7TvJuYT *People Mentioned* Brian Levine: Professor Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto: https://bit.ly/49h05qz Matthew Walker: Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology, UC Berkeley: https://bit.ly/3UK2Ags Michael Merzenich: Professor Emeritus - Neuroscience, USCF: https://bit.ly/3T4rSoD David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel: Nobel Prize (1981): https://bit.ly/3T6SPYQ Emily Jacobs: Associate Professor of Psychology, UC Santa Barbara: https://bit.ly/3T0AaOa Art Kramer: Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: https://bit.ly/48l4982 Eddie Chang: Professor of Neurological Surgery, UCSF: https://bit.ly/3SLsjmd Karl Deisseroth: Professor and Psychiatrist, Stanford: https://stanford.io/49BQmuG Sepideh Sadaghiani: Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: https://bit.ly/48CagoF *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Mark D’Esposito 00:02:08 Sponsors: Maui Nui, Joovv & Eight Sleep 00:06:23 Brain & Frontal Lobes, Prefrontal Cortex, Executive Function 00:10:31 Frontal Lobe Development, Children 00:14:12 Rules, Context & Impulse Control; Learning & Goals 00:21:45 Focus, Improving Executive Function 00:26:04 Connections & Top-Down Signals 00:29:02 Sponsor: AG1 00:30:29 Frontal Lobe Injury; Emotional Regulation 00:37:26 Smartphones, Social Media 00:44:37 Working Memory, Dopamine 00:52:59 Sponsor: LMNT 00:54:22 Dopamine Levels & Working Memory, Cognitive Tasks, Genetics 01:00:03 Bromocriptine & Working Memory, Dopamine 01:06:21 Guanfacine, Neurotransmitter Levels, Pupil Dilation & Biomarker Tests 01:12:46 Bromocriptine, Olympics; Pharmacology & Cognitive Function, Adderall 01:19:27 Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 01:25:22 Sleep, TBI, Concussion & Executive Function; BrainHQ 01:31:57 Aging & Frontal Executive System; Brain Health 01:39:26 Tools: Brain Health & Boosting Executive Function, Books 01:47:26 Alzheimer’s Disease, Genetics, Pharmacology 01:51:48 Parkinson’s Disease, L-Dopa; Coping with Alzheimer’s; Nicotine 01:58:37 Estrogen & Dopamine, Cognition; Tool: Physical Exercise 02:04:43 Tool: Mindfulness Meditation & Executive Function 02:10:31 Brain Networks; Modularity 02:17:08 Modularity, Brain Indices 02:22:53 Psilocybin; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 02:30:16 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host
Dr. Mark D'Esposito
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Dr. Mark D'Esposito, How to Optimize Cognitive Function & Brain Health | Dr. Mark D'Esposito explores train Your Brain’s CEO: Dopamine, Focus, and Lasting Cognitive Health Andrew Huberman and neurologist Mark D’Esposito explore how the prefrontal cortex underpins executive function, working memory, and our sense of self. They explain how frontal lobe ‘rules’ and goals guide behavior across contexts, how sleep, stress, technology, and injury degrade these systems, and why even mild concussion is real brain damage to frontal networks. D’Esposito details the role of dopamine and other neuromodulators in working memory, showing that both too little and too much dopamine impair cognition, and that individual biology must guide any pharmacologic enhancement. They also cover concussion, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and emerging tools—cognitive training, exercise, mindfulness, neuromodulation, and network-level brain biomarkers—to optimize and preserve brain function across the lifespan.

RELATED EPISODES