America’s AI Action Plan, recently announced by the Trump Administration, aims to achieve U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence but overlooks a key force multiplier: investing in the American people’s human brainpower. From design to deployment, AI systems reflect and rely on the cognitive capacities of the people who build and use them. 

American ingenuity—what Lincoln called ‘the fire of genius’—has long been the engine of our productivity and progress. From the space race to Silicon Valley, it’s not just natural resources or industrial capacity that set the U.S. apart, but the cognitive, creative, and entrepreneurial capacity of our people – our brain capital.

The Administration’s stated aim of “powering a new age of American leadership in science, technology, and global influence” will not be achieved by silicon and data infrastructure alone. It must be accompanied by investments in a different kind of infrastructure – our national brain infrastructure.

Just as AI relies on chips, cloud networks, and compute power, its success ultimately depends on the human intelligence that shapes, governs, and applies it. The World Economic Forum has identified the capabilities most essential in the AI era: analytical thinking, resilience, creativity, empathy, and curiosity. These are not technical upgrades – they are human ones. Failing to build brain infrastructure means our most powerful tools may evolve faster than our capacity to direct them.

Despite enormous advances in neuroscience, the brain remains one of the least understood organs in the human body. We know that brain health and performance is shaped by everything from genetics and inflammation to early life experiences and social connection, but we lack a full understanding of how these factors interact—or how to intervene most effectively across populations. Rising rates of mental and neurological health conditions are eroding America’s cognitive resilience – threatening our nation’s capacity to learn, work, innovate, and lead. Further, we know very little about how AI itself may reshape our ability to do these things.

While the U.S. is slashing strategic investments in science, education and health, other nations are doubling down. China, for example, has dramatically expanded its national brain science agenda—accelerating brain-computer interface trials, funding neuro-AI innovation, and integrating neuroscience into its economic and defense strategies.  If America fails to act, it risks ceding not just scientific leadership, but the very foundation of AI competitiveness.

To compete with China and lead the next era of innovation, the U.S. must go beyond chips and deregulation. As many European nations already are developing, the United States needs a national brain capital strategy – a Human Intelligence “H.I.” Action Plan – that will enable us to fully flourish and lead.

Any strategy to power a new age of American leadership must expand the aperture beyond the technology that aids us – to include us. This involves prioritizing early child development and strong education systems, and embedding neuroscience-informed learning in schools. It also requires us to address the health and social risk factors that hamper cognitive resilience, scale cognitive capacity across the workforce through tools, culture and design, incentivize brain health innovation across sectors, and address rising rates of mental and neurological health conditions that plague Americans at all ages.

There is no doubt that AI holds the promise of augmenting and accelerating human productivity and scientific discoveries. But we must remember this is a collaboration. Investing in AI without equally investing in human capacity, ethics, and well-being risks collapsing the very foundation we aim to build. By nearly every meaningful measure – life expectancy, happiness, living standards, equality, cognitive resilience – Americans are falling behind. Our technological ambition must be matched by a human one.

The bottom line: we cannot build intelligent systems without fueling human intelligence. The countries that win the AI age will be those that invest not only in machines – but in the cognitive, emotional, and creative capacity of their people.

The post The Missing Piece in America’s AI Strategy: Brain Capital appeared first on Medika Life.

Both short-term and long-term exposure to wildfire smoke and other pollutants like ozone and diesel emissions can cause inflammation in the brain. We believe pollutants in the lungs cause the neurological effects. Previous research has suggested that breathing in particulate matter (PM) causes pulmonary proteolysis, creating fragmented peptides that enter the bloodstream and weaken the blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Climate Central, a non-profit group, says that every person in the US took in more harmful wildfire smoke in 2023 than in any other year since 2006. Studies show that over the last ten years, exposure has grown 27 times in the United States.

Pollutants from wildfire smoke are mixed together, but fine particulate matter (PM2.5) makes up most of it and is a significant health risk. A study of more than 1.2 million people in southern California over the course of ten years found that wildfire smoke raises the chance of dementia more than any other type of air pollution. Researchers indicate that wildfire smoke is more dangerous to brain health than other types of air pollution.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is air pollution from industry, cars, and wildfire smoke. These are very small drops of solid and liquid matter in the air, 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The chance of getting dementia was much higher when people were exposed to PM2.5 from wildfire smoke than when people were exposed from other sources of air pollution. Smoke from other sources increases the risk of dementia, but not as much as smoke from wildfires.

Mental Health Consequences

On days with a lot of pollution, more people go to the hospital for depression, suicide attempts, and psychotic episodes. Study after study shows that children whose mothers were exposed to high amounts of particulates while they were pregnant are more likely to have motor and cognitive problems as adults.

One study is one of the first to look at the effects of particulate matter on teens, whose brains are still growing.

Data from 10,000 pre-teens in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD), the largest US child health study, was analyzed. Two of the 21 study sites are at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Researchers looked at parent questionnaires from four different times over three years and found that for both boys and girls, each extra day of exposure at unsafe levels increased the chance that they would have depression, anxiety, and other “internalizing symptoms” up to a year later.

But wildfire smoke doesn’t only affect the immediate area. While the exact distance depends on the wind and weather, smoke from wildfires can move hundreds of miles. This wide area has an effect on the air quality in places far from the fire, and the effects can last for weeks.

Smoke from wildfires, as previously noted, can have a significant effect on health. Some of the chemicals and small particles in smoke can impact the eyes, nose, and throat, making it hard to breathe, cough, and wheeze. If someone already has a breathing problem, like asthma, these signs can get worse.

How Can You Protect Yourself

It’s important to remember how the air quality is affected by the flames in the area, even if you are miles away. These are some simple things you can do to stay away from smoke and clean the air in your home and car.

1. Spend as much time as possible inside
Do not go outside as much, especially if you are working out when the air quality is poor. Inside is the best place to be when there is smoke. Keep a close eye on local news on the air quality. They often include a color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI) to help you decide how active you should be.

2. Close all the doors and windows
All of your windows and doors should be closed to keep smoke out of your home. Weather stripping or towels can fill in holes under doors and windows if you can. If your whole-house fan or window air conditioner does not have a HEPA filter, do not use them. They can bring smoke inside.

3. Use an air cleaner
If you have an air cleaner, especially one with a HEPA filter, use it to help clean the air inside your home. You might want to use portable air cleaners in the bedrooms and living rooms where you spend the most time. Do not use things that make ozone because it can make the air quality worse.

4. Create a room with clean air
Set aside one room as a “clean air room” if keeping your whole house smoke-free is hard. A HEPA air filter should be set up in a room with few windows and doors. During times of smoke, spend most of your time in this room.

5. Know how to use your air conditioner well
If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is set to bring in air from outside and move it inside. Keep the windows closed and, your car, set your air conditioner to the recycling mode to keep smoke out of your car while you drive.

6. Stay away from things that make indoor pollution worse
When the air quality outside is a concern, it is important to cut down on indoor pollution sources as well. Do not use gas stoves, burn candles, or smoke inside. The air quality inside can get even worse, and these actions can make the environment more dangerous.

7. Put on a mask if you need to.
If you have to go outside, wear a mask to keep out small particles. Wearing N95 respirators or KN95 masks can help protect you from dangerous particles in wildfire smoke. Scarves or masks made of cloth will not keep smoke out.

8. Keep an eye on air quality
You can check the air quality in your area in real time with apps or websites. There is a simple way to tell if the air is safe to breathe with the Air Quality Index (AQI), which helps you plan your day.

9. Drink plenty of water and look after your health
It is important to stay hydrated because wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs and make it harder to breathe. Your lungs and sinuses stay moist when you drink plenty of water. For people who already have conditions like asthma, make sure they have all of their medicines on hand. Also, do not wait to call their doctor if they have trouble breathing or other signs.

We are beginning to suffer through the effects of climate change and wildfires are a result. Living with these conflagrations may mean changes over a long period of time because climate change will be with us for decades, if not longer. Lifestyle changes are mandated if we expect to maintain our health when we need to interact with wildfire-induced pollution.

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One of the most blatant examples of ignorance and bias has been shown in political campaigns where stroke seems to be a central issue — it shouldn’t be. The inappropriateness of a medical professional in this area is startling.

A stroke comes in varying degrees of brain involvement, some fatal and many neither life-threatening nor totally incapacitating. Medical breakthroughs and physical and cognitive rehab today, offering new hope for stroke patients, are breaking through the wall of ignorance and bias. Even stroke patients with sight loss are now receiving further treatments. One program helps patients to retain or potentially restore stroke-vision loss.

What about the cognitive impairments of a stroke? The results here all depend on the stroke type, the damage’s extent, and where it occurred. Many have ischemic strokes caused by blood clots; an illustration can be found here. One type of stroke, a TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is a “warning stroke” that occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery for a short time. The only difference between a stroke and TIA is that with TIA, the blockage is transient (temporary).

Depending on the type of stroke, rehab can often aid the brain in accessing its extraordinary ability to utilize other areas to take over some actions. The treatments for a stroke are many and varied to address physical and cognitive difficulties. Currently, more than seven million persons in the US have had strokes, so the numbers are not minuscule. But one of the problems is that up to one-third of them don’t receive rehab. What might be the problem here?

One of the problems may be insurance coverage where services are denied because the insurance company doesn’t believe there is “medical necessity,” ask the doctor to get involved. If you believe you are being denied payment or access to a medical service that you are entitled to, you have the right to appeal the decision. If this should happen, appeal the decision or look for ways to take additional action to receive the needed services.

Disability consultants have told me that the usual rehab course is about one year, but insurance may only provide three months of coverage. If Social Security Disability benefits are received, and the consultant decides to limit benefits to three months, do not accept it. Appeal and provide yourself with a disability attorney.

What does Medicare pay for in terms of stroke rehab? Medicare reimbursement depends on the type of Medicare and co-insurance the individual has with Medicare.

The costs may vary, but one study found it can be expensive, especially if all of the stroke patient’s medical insurance isn’t sufficient. One-year costs after the start of medical specialist rehabilitation post-stroke from a societal perspective, were $70,601 and $27,473 for inpatients and outpatients, respectively. For both inpatients and outpatients, rehabilitation was the biggest contributor, yet to a larger extent in inpatients than in outpatients. Both the costs for staying in the rehabilitation facility and for all types of therapy were higher. These costs may not relate to the US since the study was conducted in Europe.

The many areas of cognitive rehab require specific interventions long enough to aid in remediation. Going back to work might be one of the things you can plan to do once recovery has begun. A few helpful hints are offered here to assist anyone recovering from a stroke.

Anyone who wants a high-profile example of a brain injury victim (and that is what a stroke can be considered) should follow former Congresswoman Gabby Gifford’s rehab after a gunshot head wound. The woman should inspire any stroke patient, whether they have had a major or minor stroke.

A stroke is not the end of everything, and one of the most potent factors working on a patient’s behalf is motivation to keep improving. The brain is a wonderful organ, so let it perform its wonders.

The post Stroke Patients Are Being Cast Aside by a Lack of Understanding and Bias appeared first on Medika Life.

Today we explore the findings of a randomized clinical trial that used simulated driving sessions for 17 participants taking CBD. First, however, let’s look at some cannabidiol basics and side effects.

Cannabidiol (CBD) basics

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical in marijuana. CBD is different from the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that induces a so-called high, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

CBD comes in oil form, but it is also available as a vaporized liquid, an extract, and an oil-based capsule. Want to use CBD? You may find the product in food, drinks, and even beauty products.

Today, the only CBD product approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration is a prescription oil known as Epidiolex. State laws regarding cannabidiol use vary by state.

Cannabidiol (CBD) side effects

Researchers are exploring CBD as a management tool for various conditions, including anxiety, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. Efficacy data remains limited, and cannabidiol has potential risks:

• dry mouth
• diarrhea
• diminished appetite
• fatigue and drowsiness

CBD can also alter the effects of other medicines, including the common blood thinner warfarin, a heart rhythm medication known as amiodarone, the thyroid medicine levothyroxine, and several seizure medications (including clobazam, lamotrigine, and valproate).

The stated dose and purity levels of CBD in products are unreliable. A study of 84 CBD products purchased online showed that more than one-quarter contained less CBD than stated on the level. Moreover, 18 products had the psychoactive component, THC.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and cognitive function

Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial involving simulated driving sessions.

Each subject, aged 18 to 65, did four treatment sessions and two simulated driving conditions. None had used cannabis for at least three months prior. The treatments consisted of oral CBD (15, 300, or 1500 milligrams) or a placebo. The subjects then had a washout period of at least seven days.

Researchers then conducted a driving simulation at 45 to 75 and 210 to 240 minutes after consuming CBD. A second driving test coincided with peak blood levels of CBD concentrations (about three hours after consuming 25 mg or 300 mg of CBD and about four hours after the 1,500 mg dose).

The researchers checked the subjects’ cognitive function at baseline, before the first simulated drive, and before the second simulated drive. They also asked participants about their feelings (for example, do you feel sedated, stoned, alert, anxious, or sleepy?).

Finally, the scientists checked the participants’ cannabinoid concentrations, blood pressure, and heart rate while seated.

Here are the conclusions:

• The 17 subjects appeared no more likely to weave or drive too close to a car in front of them (compared to those taking a placebo).
• Even at high doses, CBD does not appear to induce feelings of intoxication or impaired driving performance.
• CBD persisted in blood plasma for more than four weeks following the 1,500-milligram dose.

This small study indicates that a single dose of CBD did not impact specific driving aspects, at least in young, healthy adults.

My Take: Cannabidiol (CBD) and cognitive function

As more people turn to cannabinoids such as CBD for symptom relief, we will need more studies about the cognitive and real-world behavioral consequences of use.

While this study is reassuring that CBD use does not appear to impair driving, we need studies with larger sample sizes to understand the implications of CBD use better. I also worry about CBD’s interactions with other drugs.

And remember, CBD products have varying amounts of the psychoactive chemical THC. The current study examined the effects of pure non-plant-derived CBD. Finally, the research examined acute administration; we need studies examining chronic use’s implications.

The post Does CBD Affect Your Cognition? appeared first on Medika Life.

STRESS CAN PLAY HAVOC WITH YOUR BRAIN HEALTH. Today we explore how you can walk away from stress and other means to calm your brain.

One of the best stress-busters is one of the easiest for many of us: Put one foot in front of the other and walk.

Other negative contributants to cognitive well-being include too much sitting, lack of socializing, and inadequate sleep. Fortunately, we can often change our lifestyles to optimize our brain’s well-being.

Chronic stress and health

Do you ever get forgetful or feel disorganized in times of stress? I know that I have had this experience. There are these acute negative consequences of stress, but the chronic ones are in our sights today.

Chronic stress may change your brain to affect cognitive functions such as memory. Listen to Dr. Jull Goldstein, Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at Harvard Medical School:

“Stress affects not only memory and many other brain functions, like mood and anxiety, but also promotes inflammation, which adversely affects heart health.”

Acute stress, memory, and cognition

Why does stress affect our memory and thinking? Let’s get back to brain basics. Rather than thinking of the brain as one unit, conceive of it as a bunch of disparate parts that perform different tasks.

Dr. Kerry Ressler, chief scientific officer at McLean Hospital and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, explains that when one part of the brain is engaged, the other parts may not have as much energy to do their assigned tasks.

This explanation makes sense to me. For instance, let’s say you are in an alleyway and fear being the victim of a robbery. Your amygdala, designed to activate our survival instincts, takes charge in a “fight or flight” fashion.

The other brain structures, including ones designed to store memories or perform high-order tasks, have less energy to do their jobs. In survival mode, energy shunts to brain structures that help us to survive the moment. In this context, you would not be surprised that the stress associated with traumatic events can make us forgetful.

Chronic stress and the brain

Did you know that chronic stress can rewire your brain? Dr. Ressler explains that animals that experience stress over long periods have lower activity levels in brain parts designated for performing high-order tasks (for example, the prefrontal cortex).

On the other hand, chronic stress leads to more activity in primitive parts of the brain focused on survival (for example, the amygdala). The brain builds up the parts of the brain that handle threats, while the brain regions dealing with more complex thought become a lower priority.

Stress management

Many of us could do a better job of coping with stress. Here are some tips that may help you better manage your stress (and hopefully dodge some of its brain-damaging effects):

• Try to establish some control over your situation. While stress is not always predictable, it may help to focus on what you do have control over. Having a routine helps me quite a bit.
• Get some sleep. Stress can cause challenges with sleep, and inadequate sleep affects our brain’s higher-function regions.

5 Things You Need to Do to Get Better Sleep, Backed by ScienceA STRONG BIOLOGIC DRIVE regulates sleep, but the ability to fall asleep at your preferred time and to maintain…medium.com

“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

• Be flexible with your reactions. When I sense that I am about to get upset, I know that I have no more than a second or two before my brain’s primitive centers kick in. Stop and breathe. That driver that cut you off? Not worth reacting to. Breathe and thank yourself later. This brain hack works wonders for me. Alternatively, repeat some mantra to yourself, such as “I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay.” Done quickly, you may keep your mind in the thinking brain rather than the primitive amygdala.
• Change your mindset. We all experience some degree of stress. We need some stress to grow.
• Use lists. The day can seem overwhelming, but I love having my task list. Even better, I love crossing things off.
• Get help if you need it. Early intervention may help you avoid long-term health consequences from chronic stress.

The post How Stress Affects Your Brain appeared first on Medika Life.

That’s the view of Dr. Denise Park, the Director of the Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas at Dallas (USA).

OUR HABITS CAN HAVE PROFOUND EFFECTS on our cognitive functions. There are many contributants to our brain health, but today I want to focus on a relatively simple way you can lower your chances of suffering from cognitive decline.

First, before we talk about too much sitting, let’s quickly list some brain hacks that may lower your risk of suffering from a cognitive decline.

1. Physical activity may provide some protection for many of us. Dr. Laura Baker, a neuropsychologist at the University of Washington (in my beloved Seattle), discovered that older adults with mild cognitive impairment demonstrated improvements on tests of executive function after six months of aerobic exercise (for four days weekly).
2. Stress is associated with an increase in beta-amyloid protein, a component thought by many (but not all) to be a causal agent for Alzheimer’s dementia, at least in mice brains.
3. Mental stimulation. A 2006 meta-analysis showed fewer years of education associated [emphasis added] with a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Short sleep is associated with brain dysfunction. I have written about the link here:

Short Sleep and DementiaSleep disturbance is associated with a higher risk of dementia.medium.comUse Sleep and Exercise to Drop Your Dementia RiskToo little (or too much) sleep may increase your dementia risk. Optimizing sleep and getting some exercise may reduce…drmichaelhunter.medium.com.

First, full disclosure: I am unaware of any high-level evidence pointing to a clear cause-and-effect relationship between lifestyle interventions and improvements in cognitive impairment risk.

The US National Institutes of Health agrees, with an expert panel concluding that there is not enough evidence to support any particular modifiable factor as reducing dementia risk.

Still, many habits are associated with poorer brain health, and today I want to look specifically at the effects of sitting too much.

Sitting and the brain

“Americans Sit More Than Anytime In History And It’s Killing Us.”

That’s the headline I recently stumbled across. Do you sit too much? In the United States, the average American adult sits more than at any other time in history.

As a radiation oncologist, I have a relatively sedentary job. Do you? According to the American Heart Association, these types of jobs have increased 83 percent since 1950.

We sit. A lot.

Did you know that physically active jobs comprise less than 20 percent of work in the USA? This low number is down from approximately half of jobs in 1960.

And, Johns Hopkins researchers contend that “physically active jobs now make up less than 20% of the U.S. workforce, down from roughly half of jobs in 1960.” The typical office worker sits a remarkable 15 hours daily. And then we sit on our commute home.

And there is this: Too much sitting can offset the health benefits of working out.

All of this sitting can do a job on our brains. A 2018 PLOS One study reports that sitting too much is associated with changes in a brain region central to memory.

University of California, Los Angeles (USA) researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to peer into the brain’s medial temporal lobe (MTL), a zone that creates new memories. The research subjects ranged in age from 45 to 75 years.

They compared the scans with the average number of hours an individual sat each day. Those who sat for the most prolonged time had thinner MTL regions. Unfortunately, such brain changes can be precursors of cognitive decline and dementia.

Sitting and the brain — An action plan

I recommend moving after 30 minutes of sitting to all of my able patients. Many of us have reminders on our wrists: My FitBit device buzzes periodically to remind me to get up and move.

I recall a New York Times piece that suggested we exercise for three minutes every half hour to counter the harmful effects of sitting too long. Walk around the office or home. Climb stairs. Stretch. Just move. Even as few as 15 steps during mini-breaks can improve our blood sugar control.

The post One Simple Way to Protect Your Brain appeared first on Medika Life.

This well-written article examines ways you might soothe your brain. Today, I will focus on three means to soothe your brain.

I want to review these approaches to stress reduction, with an eye to the underlying evidence suggesting we can benefit from the practices.

1. Stress reduction: Reconnect

Are you bombarded with information? From the Internet, television, the car radio, and more? If so, you may be suffering from information overload.

Combining social isolation, a common phenomenon during the COVID pandemic, we get a toxic combination with information overload.

If we feel disconnected from others, we may experience a faster cognitive decline rate than those who don’t feel lonely. Loneliness also makes us more likely to lose the ability to care for ourselves and can be associated with early death.

People who feel lonely (disconnected from others) have faster rates of cognitive decline than people who don’t feel lonely. Loneliness also raises our risks of losing the ability to take care of ourselves and early death.

How might loneliness do its dirty work? Here are some potential mechanisms:

• an association with physical activity
• poorer sleep
• higher blood pressure
• elevated levels of inflammation

2. Stress reduction: Practice mindfulness

With the ongoing pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and inflation soaring, you may be experiencing higher stress levels. If you want to drop the stresses of daily life, you might want to try mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness practices can reduce stress by facilitating our return to the present (when we are distracted).

We have long known the benefits of meditation. At Harvard Medical School, Dr. Herbert Benson taught about the benefits of mindfulness — including lower blood pressure, heart rate, and brain activity — as early as 1975.

In 2011, Harvard Medical School neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazar was the first to document that mindfulness meditation changes the brain’s structure, including the gray matter and regions associated with the sense of self, memory, and the regulation of emotions.

In the New York Times article, Nkechi Njaka suggests that we “take advantage of the transitional moments of the day to practice mindfulness — when you wake up, right before or after a meal or when you change your physical location, for example — so that you can start to form a routine.”

3. Stress reduction: Reduce information overload

I sometimes get caught up in a seemingly unstoppable news cycle. Do various media bombard you? It might be time to reconsider your news consumption in this noisy world.

Here’s the recommendation of Cal Newport, the author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World:

Pick one or two reliable sources of information and read them at a specific time each day. He adds that we should take a 30-day break from technologies [such as social media].

Instead of scrolling through Tik Tok videos, consider listening to some of your favorite music or taking a walk amongst the trees.

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