TL;DR
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Brain age isn't tied to your chronological age. Leveraging neuroplasticity can slow age-related cognitive decline.
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Cognitive reserve explains why some people show Alzheimer's pathology with zero symptoms. A healthy brain can withstand more damage before it shows.
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Brain training works through realtime feedback that catches your mind wandering, not vague "exercises,". Discover how Muse S Athena provides accurate realtime feedback.
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Simple lifestyle changes across five pillars (exercise, sleep, nutrition, mindset, brain training) can also meaningfully improve brain health at any age.
Your brain has an age, and it is not necessarily the number on your birth certificate. Let's dive into two Untangle episodes and see what Dr. Majid Fotuhi, neurologist researching brain aging and cognitive resilience, and Chris Aimone, neuroscientist and Muse co-founder who has been passionate about bringing once lab-exclusive brain tech into your home, have to say about brain age, and what actually moves it.
What is brain age?
Brain age describes the current structure and function of your brain:
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how much volume key regions have retained,
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how efficiently networks communicate,
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how well attention holds.
Chronological age is fixed, but brain age isn't.
The gap between the two is the interesting part. Two people born the same year can have meaningfully different brain structure, and Dr. Fotuhi's clinical argument is that a substantial share of that difference traces back to modifiable factors.
<long-term-perspective>
"Neuroplasticity means that our brain has an ability to change and rewire at any age... We can tap into our brain's ability to heal and grow in the absence of a concussion or a stroke, and make our brain one notch better."
— Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Untangle Ep. 562
</long-term-perspective>
Practical takeaway: Chronological age tells you how long you've been alive. Brain age describes the current state of your brain, and that responds to what you do.
Can you actually slow down brain aging?
Yes, largely thanks to neuroplasticity: your brain's ability to form new connections and adapt at any age, not just after an injury.
The older model of the brain treated adulthood as structurally finished, with decline as the only remaining direction. Neuroplasticity research replaced that picture: the brain forms new connections in response to demand across the lifespan, so the trajectory stays open to influence at 50, 60, and beyond.
<long-term-perspective>
"We can tap into our brain's ability to heal and grow in the absence of a concussion or a stroke, and make our brain one notch better."
— Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Untangle Ep. 562
</long-term-perspective>
That capacity applies to ordinary aging too. According to Fotuhi, factors like poor diet, poor sleep, and chronic stress can speed up brain shrinkage, while the same lifestyle levers, run in the other direction, are what neuroplasticity actually responds to.
<long-term-perspective>
"On average our brain, and especially the memory part of our brain called the hippocampus, shrinks by about 1% per year after the age of 50. Now, that 1% could be 2% for some people and 0.2% for others."
— Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Untangle Ep. 562
</long-term-perspective>
Does a healthy brain protect against dementia symptoms?
Yes. The Nun Study, a well-known aging study, found that some participants had the physical hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in their brain tissue while showing no cognitive symptoms while alive. The pathology was present. The impairment wasn't.
The explanation comes down to what else was going on in the rest of the brain. Researchers point to three markers of strong brain health:
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Dense connections
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Good blood flow
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Low inflammation
When these hold up, overall brain health appears to buffer against pathology that would otherwise show up as symptoms. This is the concept researchers call cognitive reserve.
Practical takeaway: Cognitive reserve is built, not assigned. A healthier overall brain can tolerate more pathology before symptoms appear.
Does brain training actually work?
Yes, and realtime feedback is what makes the practice more effective. Chris Aimone, Muse co-founder, breaks down what that actually means, since "brain training" is a phrase that usually gets used loosely.
What is brain training?
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Component |
What it is |
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Focused-attention practice |
Deliberately holding attention on a target (like your breath) and returning to it each time it drifts |
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Real-time neurofeedback |
A cue the moment your attention wanders, so drift gets caught as it happens instead of going unnoticed |
Muse S Athena is built to deliver both at once. As you practice, EEG reads your brain activity in real time and translates it into audio cues, so you know the moment you're in the zone versus the moment your mind has wandered, rather than guessing or relying on your own sense of focus. The focused-attention practice and the feedback aren't two separate steps; they happen together, in the same session.
See how Muse compares to other brain training devices
<long-term-perspective>
"Having this system that kind of real-time monitors what your brain is doing and cues you when you've gone too far off to come back allows you to get more quality practice time in. That's sort of like one really simple reason why the technology is helpful in the practice."
— Chris Aimone, Untangle Ep. 506
</long-term-perspective>
Muse data story: in a recent internal Muse Stroop task study (n=189), the strongest predictor of better cognitive control wasn't age or total hours practiced, but consistency. Consistent practitioners averaged 192ms on the task versus 219ms for sporadic practitioners (β=−54ms, p=0.048). Showing up regularly beats logging more total time.
Practical takeaway: Realtime feedback makes brain training more efficient by catching drift you'd otherwise miss. And based on our own data, consistency matters more than volume.
Does what you eat change how your brain ages?
Yes, and Dr. Fotuhi's diet answer is specific: omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA, at a dose of about 1,000mg. It's the only supplement he personally takes and the only one he recommends for brain health.
<long-term-perspective>
"When it comes to the brain, there's only one supplement I recommend and I take myself, and that's omega-3 fatty acids... I personally reviewed the literature and published an article... about the fact that people who have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease."
— Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Untangle Ep. 562
</long-term-perspective>
Nutrition is one of five pillars Dr. Fotuhi builds his 12-week brain fitness program around: exercise, sleep, nutrition, optimal mindset, and brain training. In his patient outcomes, 84% of patients in their 60s, 70s, and early 80s showed measurable improvement in cognitive function on objective testing after completing the program, alongside near-universal self-reported improvement.
Dr. Fotuhi’s 12-week brain fitness program
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Pillar |
What it involves |
Practical target |
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Exercise |
Regular movement, not extreme training |
3,000-5,000 steps a day, about 3 hours of exercise a week |
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Sleep |
Treating underlying issues (e.g. sleep apnea), not just "sleep more" |
7 hours a night |
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Nutrition |
Whole foods, minimal processed/canned food; omega-3 as the one recommended supplement |
1,000mg DHA/EPA daily |
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Optimal mindset |
Interrupting repetitive negative thought patterns; therapy when needed |
Ongoing, personalized |
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Brain training |
Personalized brain games targeting specific weak areas (memory, processing speed) |
Twice-weekly sessions in his program |
Resistant training also helps, read more here
How does Muse fit into this?
The science above stands on its own: neuroplasticity, cognitive reserve, and attention training were established well before consumer EEG existed. Muse S Athena is built to help you act on it, both during the day and overnight.
During the day, Athena's eyes-open focus training uses EEG and fNIRS together (the only consumer wearable combining both) to give you real-time feedback as you practice holding attention, the same mechanism Chris described earlier: a cue the moment your mind wanders, so you build the skill instead of guessing whether you're improving.
Overnight, Athena supports the full sleep experience rather than just one piece of it:
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Falling asleep: Sleep Assist uses real-time EEG to guide you into sleep faster
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During sleep: Deep Sleep Boost deepens your slow-wave sleep, the stage linked to your brain's overnight waste clearance and recovery
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Waking up: Smart Wakeup reads your real-time sleep stage to time your wake-up to a lighter sleep stage for less grogginess and clearer mornings.
Together, that's brain training you can act on while you're awake, and recovery support for the hours you're not.
Muse is a general wellness product. It is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or cognitive impairment. Consult a healthcare provider about memory or cognitive concerns.
What is Untangle?
The Untangle Podcast, hosted by Patricia Karpas, features conversations with psychologists, life coaches, authors, neuroscientists, meditation teachers, and other thought leaders exploring mental wellness, emotional resilience, relationships, and personal growth.
Each episode offers practical tools and science-backed insights to help listeners navigate anxiety, stress, purpose, and everyday life with greater clarity and balance.
Listen to the full episodes:
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"Is it Possible to Age-Proof your Brain and Slow Cognitive Decline?" with Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Untangle Episode 562
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"Training for Brain Health: Mental Clarity, Focus, Strength and Recovery" with Chris Aimone, Untangle Episode 506
FAQs
Q: Can your brain get younger?
Yes, neuroplasticity lets your brain form new connections at any age. Chronological age only moves one way; brain age responds to what you do.
Q: What's the difference between brain age and chronological age?
Chronological age is time since birth. Brain age reflects your brain's current structure and function: volume, network efficiency, cognitive performance. The two can diverge in either direction, and that gap is what you can influence.
Q: How fast does the hippocampus shrink with age?
About 1% per year on average after 50, though it varies by person. A 2011 PNAS study found the same 1-2% range, and that a year of aerobic exercise reversed one to two years of that loss.
Q: Why do some people have Alzheimer's pathology and no symptoms?
Cognitive reserve. A healthy brain (strong blood flow, low inflammation) can buffer against pathology. The Nun Study found some participants had Alzheimer's pathology with no symptoms while alive.
Q: Does brain training actually work?
Yes, when it's built on real-time feedback. Chris Aimone (Muse co-founder) describes it as focused-attention practice paired with neurofeedback that cues you the moment attention wanders. Muse's own data shows consistency, not age or total time, predicts better results.
Q: Do omega-3s help brain health?
Yes, as a preventive factor. A 2023 meta-analysis of 48 studies (103,651 participants) found omega-3 intake associated with a 20% lower risk of dementia and DHA specifically linked to a 24% lower Alzheimer's risk. Dr. Fotuhi recommends 1,000mg of DHA/EPA daily. Note this applies to prevention; trials in people already diagnosed with Alzheimer's haven't shown the same benefit.
Q: Can Muse help with brain training?
Yes. Muse S Athena combines EEG and fNIRS to give real-time feedback during focused-attention practice, cuing you the moment your mind wanders so you are aware and can bring it back.
Q: How does Muse support brain health beyond training?
Muse S Athena also supports overnight recovery, with EEG-powered sleep tracking and tools like Sleep Assist, Deep Sleep Boost, and Smart Wakeup designed to work with your brain's natural sleep transitions and optimize your recovery.
