Dr. Nussbaum Promotes Brain Health as Lifelong Choice During Church Talk

About 200 people gathered recently at the San Marco Catholic Church Parish Social Hall to hear parishioner and renowned neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum deliver a hopeful message: brain health is not pre-determined. It can be shaped by lifestyle and daily choices.

Addressing a crowd largely made up of parishioners and members of the church community, Dr. Nussbaum shared with the attendees that taking proactive steps to protect their brains through five key pillars: nutrition, socialization, physical activity, mental stimulation, and spirituality can build brain resilience across the lifespan and possibly delay the onset of cognitive decline. For more than 20 years, Dr. Nussbaum has delivered lectures nationally and internationally on brain health and cognitive wellness. His focus on prevention was shaped early in his career during what he described as a seminal moment treating his first Alzheimer’s patient. Rather than concentrating solely on managing disease, he chose to shift his work toward promoting lifelong brain health.

“I decided I wanted to give people hope,” Dr. Nussbaum told the audience of his move toward focusing on brain health. “I’m in the space I’m supposed to be in,” he added.

During his talk, Dr. Nussbaum emphasized that brain health extends beyond memory and cognition. “Our thought process is part of brain health,” he said, noting that mindset and emotional regulation can influence neurological well-being. As the recently appointed chair of the Champagne Center for Brain Health and Director of the Memory Assessment Center for MDR Your Brain Health Matters, Dr. Nussbaum explained that our brains have plasticity — the ability to adapt and change — throughout life. While most people will experience some form of mild cognitive impairment as part of normal aging, he said, those moments should not automatically be viewed with alarm.

“Learn to give yourself grace as you age and have slip-up moments,” Dr. Nussbaum said. “Laughter and having a sense of humor, taking a deep breath, are all ways to cope.”

An international leader in brain health and a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist with certification in both clinical psychology and geropsychology, Dr. Nussbaum translated neuroscience into practical, relatable terms, mixing humor and everyday experiences as well as avoiding clinical jargon. He encouraged attendees to eat a nutrient-rich diet, remain socially connected, stay physically active, and continually challenge their minds. He did a deep dive on spirituality, noting its vital role in emotional and spiritual health, sharing how it can help to reduce stress and foster purpose in life — both protective factors for the brain.

Audience members listened attentively as Dr. Nussbaum suggested getting a yearly cognition check to have a baseline to work from. “We check everything from the neck down,” he said humorously, adding that brain health is a dynamic process, as are other parts of the human body.

As the evening concluded, Dr. Nussbaum reiterated that brain health is not simply about avoiding disease but about cultivating vitality, resilience, and hope. For those gathered at San Marco Catholic Church, the message was clear: aging may be inevitable, but how we support our brains along the way can be within our control.