In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen podcast, Annie talks with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julie Fratantoni about how to support cognitive longevity — the ability to keep thinking clearly, learning, remembering, and making good decisions across the lifespan.
Julie explains why brain health is not just about doing crossword puzzles or downloading another brain game. Instead, she helps us think about how we use our brains all day long: how we manage attention, rest, stress, distraction, social media, multitasking, memory, and habits.
They talk about cognitive reserve, cognitive capital, brain breaks, boredom, the problem with constant scrolling, and why rest is not the opposite of productivity — it is part of how the brain learns and adapts.
Julie also shares practical ways to support memory, including emotional regulation, monotasking, active engagement with information, and giving the brain time to consolidate what it has learned.
Chapters
00:00 Meet Dr. Julie Fratantoni
02:54 What it really means to study the brain
07:17 Cognitive longevity, explained
10:10 Brain games and cognitive reserve
13:20 What the ACTIVE trial actually showed
17:36 Do brain games really help?
19:25 Why your brain needs breaks
21:24 What counts as a true brain break
23:27 Social media, scrolling, and attention
26:27 Why multitasking drains the brain
29:38 Memory starts with attention
36:34 Finding your peak performance window
40:25 Julie’s book on cognitive longevity
42:40 Habits, environment, and brain health
47:44 Why we reach for our phones
50:35 Where to find Julie’s work
Links
Dr. Julie Fratantoni’s website:
https://www.drjuliefratantoni.com/
Better Brain by Dr. Julie on Substack:
https://drjuliefratantoni.substack.com/
Dr. Julie Fratantoni on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/drjuliefratantoni/
Dr. Julie Fratantoni on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drjuliefratantoni
Brain Health Kitchen on Substack:
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/
Annie Fenn / Brain Health Kitchen:
https://www.brainhealthkitchen.com/
