What if dementia isn’t simply a disease of aging brain cells — but a failure of the brain’s support systems over time?

In this episode of The Brain and Mind Experts, host Tom Dent sits down with neurologist Dr. Steven Allder to explore groundbreaking discoveries changing how we think about dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep, brain injury, and long-term cognitive health.

Dr. Allder explains the brain’s recently discovered “glymphatic system” — the brain’s nighttime cleaning process that removes waste while we sleep — and why poor sleep, chronic stress, neuroinflammation, air pollution, diet, and repeated head trauma may all contribute to cognitive decline decades before symptoms appear.

The conversation also explores:

• Why dementia may begin in your 20s or 30s
• How sleep position impacts brain health
• The connection between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease
• Why repeated head injuries can overwhelm the brain’s support systems
• The role of exercise, diet, and environmental health in reducing dementia risk
• Why early detection and preventative testing could transform brain medicine

Dr. Allder also shares why he believes the future of dementia care will focus less on damaged neurons — and more on protecting the brain’s resilience and support structures before symptoms emerge.

#Dementia #Alzheimers #BrainHealth #SleepScience #Neurology #CognitiveHealth #BrainAndMindExperts #DrStevenAllder #Neuroinflammation #MentalHealth