Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:35 — 57.1MB)
As we move through midlife, many of us start noticing subtle shifts in our brains — maybe it takes longer to find a word, focus feels harder than it used to, or multitasking suddenly feels overwhelming. It’s easy to assume these changes are just “part of aging,” but the truth is far more hopeful: our brains are far more adaptable than we’ve been led to believe.
That’s one reason this episode feels especially important. For so many years we were told that cognitive decline was inevitable, that once certain abilities slowed down there was little we could do. But today’s research on neuroplasticity tells a very different story — one where the brain can continue to strengthen, retrain, and improve well into later life when given the right kind of stimulation.
My guest today, Dr. Tere Linzey, is a Licensed Educational Psychologist and founder of BrainMatterZ, a program dedicated to optimizing core cognitive skills like processing speed, attention, memory and executive functioning. With more than 30 years in education and research at institutions including Harvard and UC Berkeley, she has focused her work on helping people understand how the brain can be trained to function more efficiently at any age.
Together, we talk about what’s actually happening in the brain during midlife, how to tell the difference between normal aging and cognitive skills that can be improved with training, and why strengthening foundational brain functions can have such a powerful effect on confidence, focus, and everyday performance. Dr. Linzey also explains how menopause, stress and modern lifestyle pressures influence cognitive health — and what we can begin doing today to support our brains for the long term.
A few things we discuss:
• What neuroplasticity really means and how it allows the brain to improve at any age
• How to distinguish normal aging changes from cognitive skills that can be strengthened
• The impact of menopause, stress and lifestyle factors on focus, memory and processing speed
• Practical steps to support long-term brain health and cognitive resilience
If you’ve ever wondered whether the changes you’re noticing are simply aging — or something you can actually improve — this conversation will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and far more hopeful about what’s possible.