The Brain Capsule

Small doses. Big Brain Gains.

Welcome to The Brain Capsule
Your weekly digest of science-backed insights on brain health, longevity, and peak performance. One small habit at a time.

You’ve felt it — the fog, the fatigue, the sense that your mind isn’t working the way it should. And you’ve probably tried everything the internet recommends.

The Brain Capsule cuts through the noise. Written by a practicing dual board certified neurologist in general neurology and clinical neurophysiology, it’s your resource for treating your brain with the seriousness and evidence it deserves — covering sleep, focus, longevity, stress, and the neuroscience behind all of it.

Real science. Real strategies. Zero fluff.

Weekly

April 19-25, 2026

Neuroinflammation: The Fire Nobody Talks About

Neuroinflammation — chronic, low grade activation of the brain’s immune cells — is a common upstream driver of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and cognitive aging. Can it be reversed?

April 12-18, 2026

Cognitive Performance: Why Your Brain Stops Working at 2 PM

The post-lunch cognitive dip is not caused by eating. It is a hardwired circadian trough in alertness driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, occurring approximately 7-8 hours after waking regardless of meal timing.

April 5-11, 2026

Longevity Protocols: The Four Numbers That Predict How Long You Will Live

VO2 max, grip strength, fasting insulin, and CRP outperform most routine labs for longevity.

April 5-11, 2026

Sleep Architecture: Why You Wake Up Exhausted Even After 8 Hours

Sleep quality > sleep duration. Poor sleep architecture leaves you exhausted - even after 8 hours.

Tier 1

April 19-25, 2026

Neuroinflammation: The Brain Fire Nobody Talks About

Neuroinflammation — chronic, low grade activation of the brain’s immune cells — is a common upstream driver of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and cognitive aging. Can it be reversed?

April 19-25, 2026

Neuroinflammation: The Microglial Switch - When Your Brain’s Immune Cells Become Its Greatest Threat

Microglia comprise about 10-15% of all brain cells. They can shift into disease-associated states that amplify neurodegeneration rather than resolving it.

April 12-18, 2026

Cognitive Performance: Dopamine Architecture - Engineering Sustained Motivation and Deep Focus

Dopamine is not the pleasure molecule — it is the anticipation and motivation molecule. Chronically dysregulated dopamine from high-stimulation digital environments is the leading neurochemical driver of the motivation deficit epidemic in modern cognitive workers.

April 12-18, 2026

Cognitive Performance: Why Your Brain Stops Working at 2 PM

April 5-11, 2026

Sleep Architecture: Why You Wake Up Exhausted Even After 8 Hours

Sleep duration is not the same as sleep quality. Most adults cycling through poor sleep architecture wake feeling unrestored regardless of total hours in bed. The architecture was your sleep matters as much as the length, if not more.

April 5-11, 2026

Sleep Architecture: The Neuroscience of Slow-Wave Sleep - Your Brain's Maintenance Window

Slow-wave sleep is the most metabolically active period for brain restoration and is disproportionately lost with aging, stress, and alcohol use. Most adults over 40 do not get enough slow-wave sleep — without knowing it.

Tier 2

April 19-25, 2026

Neuroinflammation: Your 7 Day Anti-Neuroinflammation Protocol

This plan gives you a sequenced week of specific dietary and lifestyle changes with daily targets and a clear endpoint.

April 19-25, 2026

Neuroinflammation: The Patient Whose Depression Was a Brain Fire

Neuroinflammation does not always present as cognitive symptoms; sometimes it is psychiatric. Depression with an inflammatory signature represents a neurobiologically distinct subtype that may respond poorly to medications but better to diet and lifestyle interventions.

April 12-18, 2026

Cognitive Performance: Your 7 Day Cognitive Performance Reset

Build a structural framework for peak cognitive output — scheduling, environment, neurochemistry, and recovery — one layer per day. The improvement compounds rapidly once environment and scheduling are correct.

April 12-18, 2026

Cognitive Performance: The Surgeon Who Thought He Was Losing His Mind

Cognitive performance decline does not always mean neurodegeneration. Sometimes it means a lifestyle that has outpaced the brain's recovery capacity. The brain does not announce its decline loudly. It degrades slowly, quietly.

April 5-11, 2026

Longevity Protocols: Your 7 Day Longevity Biomarker Audit

This week you are going to measure, estimate, or order every longevity biomarker discussed this month. By day 7 you will have a complete baseline — the starting point for every optimization that follows.

April 5-11, 2026

Longevity Protocols: The Patient Whose Normal Labs Were Anything But

Standard preventive medicine is designed to detect disease, not prevent it. The difference between those two goals is where most people fall through the cracks. This case illustrates exactly how, and what catching it early can look like.

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Disclaimer

The content published in The Brain Capsule is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, diet, or wellness routine. The views expressed are based on current research and are subject to change as new evidence emerges.