Lisa Mosconi

In a knowledge economy, brainpower has value. And like other assets, it’s worth protecting. Yet, the topic of brain health rarely comes up in board rooms, corporate meetings or even around the dinner table.

World-renowned clinical neuroscientist, neuro-nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D., has been slowly changing that by teaching the science behind brain health to organizations, communities and scientific peers.

In her popular bestselling 2018 book “Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power” (Avery/Penguin Random House), Mosconi explains the connection between diet and cognitive function. Drawing from her extensive knowledge of neuroscience, as well as her many years studying Alzheimer’s, the book sought to change the way people eat as an essential aspect of brain health, brain aging and overall well-being. Her latest research points to how certain foods may even help reduce the risk of getting COVID-19.

Mosconi’s book, “The XX Brain” (Penguin Random House, 2020) – which became an instant New York Times bestseller – highlights the differences between male and female brains, particularly as they relate to the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“In the past, the female brain received astonishingly little attention and was rarely studied by medical researchers, resulting in a wealth of misinformation about women’s health,” says Mosconi. “Until recently, medical research focused on ‘bikini medicine,’ assuming women are essentially men with breasts and tubes. The book confronts this crisis by revealing how the two powerful X chromosomes that distinguish women from men impact the brain.”

Author of “The Menopause Brain: New Science Empowers Women to Navigate the Pivotal Transition with Knowledge and Confidence” (Avery, March 2024), Mosconi is director of the Women’s Brain Initiative and associate director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College/New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Also an associate professor of neuroscience in neurology and radiology, she is nearly 20 years into studying what is still a relatively nascent field of medicine. Leading the charge toward finding a cure, Mosconi is considered a global authority on Alzheimer’s early detection, risk assessment and prevention.

Investing in the XX Brain

It’s no secret that women make up a significant percentage of the global workforce, and with commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion on the rise, those numbers are poised to go up.

What may be less obvious to organizations, says Mosconi, are the unique attributes and health needs of women, especially during menopause. Considering the high cost of hiring, training and keeping employees, and the burdensome effects of chronic illness on the economy, what role can organizations play in protecting this valuable segment of their workforce?

“It begins with awareness, education and more research into female-specific health conditions,” says Mosconi. “By understanding the unique biological changes that specifically affect women, organizations are in a better position to promote sensitivity and remove stigmas. For example, our research shows that while menopause triggers changes in a woman’s body, it does not affect her cognitive health, dispelling any myths around job performance.”

Smart leaders realize the health of any organization is inextricably tied to the health of its employees. Mosconi’s research, insights and real-world perspectives offer managers a unique opportunity to build stronger, more productive organizations by protecting the distinctive brainpower that drives their business forward.

In addition to her roles at Weill Cornell Medical College/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Lisa Mosconi is adjunct faculty member at the Department of Psychiatry at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine and the Department of Nutrition at NYU Steinhardt School of Nutrition and Public Health. Prior to that role, she was an assistant professor of the NYU Department of Psychiatry, where she founded and directed the Nutrition & Brain Fitness Lab and served as the director of the Family History of Alzheimer’s disease research program.

Mosconi has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious medical journals, including Nature Medicine, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, the Journal of the Medical Association, and the British Medical Journal; several book chapters in scientific books, including Imaging the Aging Brain (Oxford University Press), Brain Imaging: Translational Tools for CNS Drug Discovery, Development and Treatment (Elsevier) and the New Encyclopedia of Neuroscience (Elsevier).

Over the course of her career, she has received several Federal and non-Federal grants, as well as private donations to support her research. She has been recognized with numerous scientific awards, including the Young Investigator in Neurosciences Award (Society for Nuclear Medicine), two Best Clinical Investigation prizes (Springer, the Society for Nuclear Medicine, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine) and two Most Cited Paper of the Year awards (Springer and European Association of Nuclear Medicine).

Mosconi’s work has been presented at over 100 international conferences leading to press coverage on TV and radio networks worldwide, including CNN, CBS, NBC, The Today Show, and The Doctors, and interviews with major print media including The Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Psychology Today and several international outlets.

She holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience and nuclear medicine and is a certified integrative nutritionist and holistic health care practitioner.

Lisa Mosconi is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group^®.