In this conversation, Professor George Paxinos discusses the importance of brain health and the factors that can postpone dementia. He stresses the role of exercise, good eating habits, and the emphasis on heart health in delaying the onset of dementia. Professor Paxinos also talks about his work in mapping the human brain and spinal cord, and the significance of understanding the brain's structure for research and medical interventions. In this dynamic conversation,  we discuss the concept of the soul and its relationship to the brain, and the potential for reversing or curing dementia. 

Key Takeaways

• Neuroscientists have identified factors that can postpone dementia, with exercise being the most significant.
• Mapping the brain is like creating a Google map in 3D, providing coordinates for studying and understanding brain function.
• The brain is where our pleasures, gestures, pain, grief, and tears originate.
• Exercise, good eating habits, and heart health are key factors in postponing dementia.
• Mapping the human brain and spinal cord provides valuable information for research and medical interventions.
• Reversing or curing dementia is currently far in the future, but slowing down its progression is possible.
• There is a connection between gut health and brain health, although further research is needed.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Brain Health
02:19 Postponing Dementia: Exercise and Heart Health
07:36 Mapping the Human Brain and Spinal Cord
10:26 The Brain and the Soul: Consciousness and Identity
45:22 The Gut-Brain Connection: Gut Health and Brain Health