How to Improve Your Memory & Cognitive Function at Any Age | Dr. Alan Castel

Dr. Alan Castel, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and one of the world's foremost experts on human memory and cognitive aging. We discuss what science actually tells us about how to improve our learning ability and memory at any age. We also discuss how memory works, why all planning and imagination about the future is based on the past, false memories, and how to leverage curiosity, emotion, and self-testing retrieval practice to stamp in memories for the long term. We discuss what "superagers"—people who actually improve their cognitive capacity with age—do differently than everyone else. This episode is for anyone interested in the science of memory and tools to maintain and improve your memory across the lifespan. Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/5RRf5z9 Thank you to our sponsors AG1: ⁠https://drinkag1.com/huberman⁠ Wealthfront*: ⁠https://wealthfront.com/huberman⁠ Helix Sleep: ⁠https://helixsleep.com/huberman⁠ Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman⁠ Lingo: ⁠https://hellolingo.com/huberman⁠ Huberman Lab Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Dr. Alan Castel Lab website: https://castel.psych.ucla.edu Book (Better with Age): https://global.oup.com/academic/product/better-with-age-9780190279981 *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Alan Castel 00:02:41 What Is Memory?, Reconstruction & Metacognition 00:04:49 Mnemonics, Remembering Names & Deeper Learning 00:08:22 The Penny & Apple Logo, Noticing vs Seeing, Learning Through Mistakes 00:10:43 Sponsors: Wealthfront & Helix 00:14:05 Neuroplasticity, Frustration, Curiosity & Mindset 00:17:42 Maintaining vs Learning New Things, Habits, Novelty & Emotional Memory 00:24:28 "Mental Photographs," Photo-Taking & Imagining the Future 00:29:28 Eyewitness Memory, the Ronald Cotton Case, Confidence vs Accuracy 00:35:07 Medium-Term & Prospective Memory, Hotel Fire Exits 00:40:28 Sponsor: AG1 00:41:47 When Habits Turn Lethal, Aviation & Human Error 00:49:01 Why Memory Changes With Age; Alzheimer's & the Nun Study 00:52:34 Exercise & Hippocampal Volume, Falls & Balance 00:57:14 SuperAgers & Athletes; Regret, Balance & Being Driven 01:12:08 Sponsor: Function 01:13:45 Age Stereotypes, Subjective Age & Positive Age Beliefs 01:20:02 Goals & Plans, Scams; Anterior Midcingulate Cortex & SuperAgers 01:26:23 Culture, Resilience, Blue Zones & COVID 01:29:18 Adversity, the Positivity Effect & Intergenerational Learning 01:36:31 Sponsor: Lingo 01:38:00 Limitations & Purpose; Time, Family & Connection 01:44:58 Deliberately Building Memories; the ABCs of Successful Aging 01:51:02 Following Your Interests; Castel's Path & Older Adults 01:57:16 Mental Simulations, Curiosity Studies & Selectivity 02:01:19 Socioemotional Selectivity Theory; Steve Jobs & Lifespan 02:07:10 The Secret to Successful Aging; State vs Trait Curiosity 02:11:04 Scams & AI Voice Cloning 02:14:31 John Wooden, Wisdom, Love & Balance 02:17:41 Learning Through Mistakes; Does the Brain Get Better With Age? 02:25:00 Conclusion, Better With Age 02:26:00 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter _*This experience may not be representative of other Wealthfront clients, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success. Experiences will vary. Andrew Huberman receives cash compensation from Wealthfront Brokerage for paid testimonials in his podcast, creating a conflict of interest. The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The base APY is 3.30% on cash deposits as of January 30, 2026, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. If eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.05% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period. Additional terms and conditions apply, which can be found on Wealthfront.com/Huberman. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to program banks, where it earns the variable APY. Same-day withdrawal or instant payment transfers may be limited by destination institutions, daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo, the RTP® Network, and FedNow® Service. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Investment advisory services are provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value._ Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer