The spacing effect: why short, repeated sessions beat cramming
The spacing effect is one of the oldest and most replicated findings in cognitive psychology. Spaced practice yields about double the retention of massed practice.
The 7 types of memory, explained without jargon
Memory is not one system but seven, organized into short-term, long-term, and the working memory that ties them together. A field guide to the categories.
Hearing loss and dementia: what the evidence actually shows
Hearing loss is the largest single modifiable dementia risk factor in the Lancet Commission's 2024 report. Here is what the trials show, and what to do about it.
Exercise and the brain: what aerobic activity actually does
Aerobic exercise grows the hippocampus, raises BDNF, and is the single most-replicated lifestyle factor for cognitive aging. Here is what the trials show.
Blood pressure and dementia: what the SPRINT-MIND trial showed
Treating midlife high blood pressure to a target of 120 mmHg reduced mild cognitive impairment by 19 percent in the SPRINT-MIND trial. Here is what that means.
What is cognitive reserve, and how do you build it?
Cognitive reserve is the brain's capacity to keep working despite age or pathology. What the evidence shows about building it, and the honest limits.
Sleep is when memory actually moves in
Sleep and memory consolidation: how the hippocampus moves new memories into long-term storage during deep sleep, and what protects the process.
The MIND diet, honestly: what the evidence does and doesn't support
The MIND diet is a Mediterranean-DASH hybrid for cognitive aging. The 2015 observational data was strong; the 2023 RCT was null. Here is the honest picture.
The 14 modifiable dementia risk factors, explained
The Lancet Commission's 2024 list of 14 modifiable risk factors linked to ~45% of dementia cases, with what the evidence says to do about each.
Why five minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday
Why five minutes of daily memory training beats an hour on Sunday: the consolidation neurochemistry that rewards frequency over volume.