15 Books About Brain Health That Will Change How You Think About Memory

Remember

‘Remember’ by Lisa Genova

If you ever wanted to know why you can remember your wedding anniversary, but not where you parked your car at the grocery store, neuroscientist and acclaimed novelist Lisa Genova dives into how memories are made and why we can retrieve some and not others. Unpacking the way emotion, sleep, stress, and the context of all three are linked to cognitive health, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting guides the reader through understanding the function of memory and using it to remember more and also feel less upset when you inevitably forget. 

The XX Brain

‘The XX Brain’ by Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D.

Two-thirds of people with Alzheimer’s are women, and Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D., neuroscientist and Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at WCM/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital wanted to understand why. Through evidence- based research, The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease focuses on how estrogen protects the brain, how female hormonal health ties into dementia and depression, and what differences there are between the male and female brain. By addressing the unique challenges women and their brains face as they age, Dr. Mosconi provides actionable advice on how to keep your brain functioning at maximum capacity for a longer, healthier life. 

Your Brain, Explained

The Upgrade

‘The Upgrade’ by Louann Brizendine, MD

For women navigating the perimenopausal and menopausal phases of life, Dr. Brizendine’s The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond has a clear message: your brain changes for the better during this time, and in a way that provides you with more clarity than ever before. Based on her own experiences and those of the women she’s treated, the author of The New York Times bestselling book The Female Brain breaks down key strategies like shifting your mindset and checking your hormones for optimizing your brain health to live a longer, fuller, truly ‘upgraded’ life.

The Brain Fog Fix

Limitless Mind

Keep Sharp

‘Keep Sharp’ by Sanjay Gupta, MD

In Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age, neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, MD, distills cutting-edge research and advice from experts around the world to offer practical ways to protect brain function and keep your mind young. Dr. Gupta debunks common myths about aging and dives into learnings from “super-brained” people in their 80s and 90s. The book also offers a 12-week program with easy ways to exercise and strengthen your brain. 

You, Happier

‘You, Happier’ by Daniel G. Amen, MD

After studying more than 200,000 brain scans of people from 155 countries, Dr. Amen uses science-backed research to walk readers through the five primary brain types and seven neuroscience secrets that influence happiness. Using simple decisions and every day routines to boost mood and overall brain health, You, Happier: The 7 Neuroscience Secrets of Feeling Good Based on Your Brain Type shows how a healthier brain can in fact lead to a healthier life.

End of Alzheimer’s Program

‘The End of Alzheimer’s Program’ by Dale E. Bredesen, MD

The New York Times bestselling author of The End of Alzheimer’s lays out a specific plan to help everyone prevent and reverse cognitive decline or simply maximize brain power. Reframing the way we view Alzheimer’s, Dr. Bredesen explains how the disease is our body’s way of protecting the brain from insults like inflammation, toxins, and infections. The End of Alzheimer’s Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any Age includes the program he uses with his own patients to not only prevent but reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s, and inspiring tales from patients who have reversed cognitive decline.

Brain Health Kitchen

‘The Brain Health Kitchen’ by Annie Fenn MD

In The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food, physician turned chef Dr. Annie Fenn shares how to eat for longevity. She unpacks the science behind the connection between diet and dementia risk, and explains both the types of foods that should form the basis of a brain-healthy diet as well as foods to avoid. The book features 100 recipes, such as Smashed Raspberry Overnight Oats and Slow Roasted Salmon with Avocado Butter, that are organized around each of the neuroprotective food groups, such as berries, leafy greens, fish, and other staples of the Mediterranean diet.

Age-Proof Brain

‘The Age-Proof Brain’ by Marc Milstein, PhD

While we have no control over what genes we inherit, we can control how we live our lives, which can ultimately determine how we age. Breaking down the many parallels between our brain and body’s health, The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia provides easy-to-implement practices for how to improve memory, increase your energy, and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression as we age. Author and scientist Marc Milstein, PhD, even provides a seven-day challenge to help you jump start new brain-healthy habits.

Gendered Brain

‘The Gendered Brain’ by Gina Rippon, PhD

In The Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience That shatters the Myth of the Female Brain, Dr. Gina Rippon, a professor of cognitive neuroimaging, breaks down the stereotypes and messaging that men and women receive from an early age that tell them how their brain functions, and suggests we throw gender out the window entirely, and view the brain as the highly individualized organ it is. In doing so, she suggests we can customize our own routine to optimize our brain’s health and slow cognitive decline. 

Secret Life of the Mind

If you were ever curious where your thoughts come from, how we are able to speak multiple languages, or how babies can sense right and wrong, Dr. Sigman wrote the book on it. The Secret Life of the Mind: How Your Brain Thinks, Feels, and Decides is based on his own research in physics, linguistics, psychology, and education, he shows not only how important brain health is at every stage of life, but why understanding how our brain works is just as important for keeping it healthy.

Keep Your Wits

‘Keep Your Wits About You’ by Vonetta M. Dotson, PhD

Rooted in science and evidence-based research Keep Your Wits About You: The Science of Brain Maintenance as You Age provides a practical guide for optimizing brain function at any age. While there is no cure for dementia or Alzhemeir’s, Dr. Dotson  provides small everyday lifestyle choices that can improve memory and other cognitive abilities. From exercise, proper nutrition, sleep hygiene, to hanging around younger adults, this book is full of nuggets of wisdom for anyone looking to optimize their brain health.

Healthy Brain, Happy Life

‘Healthy Brain, Happy Life’ by Wendy Suzuki, PhD and Billie Fitzpatrick

Inspired by her own midlife revelation, Dr. Suzuki, a professor of neural science and psychology at New York University and the author of Good Anxiety, began to research the connection between the mind and body and discovered that there is a deep connection between exercise, mindfulness, meditation, and action. Focusing on ‘brain plasticity’ and the importance of starting sooner than later, Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better offers research-backed tips like, “4 minute Brain Hacks” that can improve your memory and ways you can make yourself smarter.