The Tailored Brain: From Ketamine to Keto, to Companionship, a User’s Guide to Feeling Better and Thinking Smarter

There are plenty of solutions for improved cognitive function out there, but not all of them are effective, contends journalist Willingham (Phallacy) in this searching guide to better brain health. Willingham begins with a look at how the brain used to be understood (it was once viewed as “a repository of the soul”) and homes in on six specific brain functions: global cognition, social cognition, stress and anxiety, attention and memory, mood, and creativity. Various programs and products on the market are evaluated: there are supplements, which are unregulated by the FDA; brain-training exercises, which may increase IQ (though IQ “varies based on context”); and the keto diet, which shows “hints” of improvement in anxiety; among others. In nearly every case, her conclusions are similar: there’s not enough credible data indicating that any of the interventions have a lasting impact, and the studies themselves are poorly designed. Checklists of Willingham’s own suggestions for beneficial actions round out most chapters, though they tend to be cursory, such as breathing exercises and advice to engage in regular exercise. Willingham effectively punches holes in unproven practices, but the lack of a positive direction leaves this work feeling lacking. (Dec.)