About the Author: Broc Trammell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thumos, a science-backed brain and gut health supplement company. A former Naval Special Warfare Operator and SWCC, Broc built Thumos alongside a fellow veteran after experiencing firsthand the cognitive toll of high-intensity military service. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
What if I told you that the most complex object in the known universe sits between your ears?
Most people assume the answer is a supercomputer, a distant galaxy, or perhaps the internet itself. Yet neuroscientists overwhelmingly agree that the human brain is far more complex. With approximately 86 billion neurons and an estimated 100 trillion synaptic connections, the human brain processes information at a scale that remains difficult to comprehend (Azevedo et al.).
This complexity is precisely why neuroscience has become one of the fastest-growing fields in science, medicine, and human performance. As concerns about brain health, cognitive decline, memory loss, mental performance, neuroplasticity, and healthy aging continue to grow, understanding neuroscience has never been more important.
At Thumos, neuroscience is more than an academic discipline. It serves as the foundation for our mission to help individuals optimize cognitive performance, improve mental resilience, and better understand how their brains function throughout life.
But what exactly is neuroscience, and what are scientists actually studying?
Let's explore the fascinating world of neuroscience and the major topics shaping the future of brain health.
What Is Neuroscience?
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and networks of neurons that control everything from movement and memory to emotions and decision-making.
The field combines biology, psychology, chemistry, medicine, engineering, computer science, and physics to understand how the brain works.
Every thought you've ever had, every memory you've formed, every emotion you've felt, and every decision you've made can be traced back to activity occurring within your nervous system.
Brain Quiz #1
Question: How much of your body's energy does your brain consume?
A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 40%
Take a guess.
The answer is C.
Although the brain accounts for only about 2% of body weight, it consumes roughly 20% of the body's energy at rest (Raichle and Gusnard).
Unsurprisingly, only about 35% of adults answer this question correctly in public neuroscience literacy surveys.
The brain is metabolically expensive, which helps explain why nutrition, sleep, and recovery are so critical for cognitive performance.
This is one reason Thumos incorporates ingredients designed to support cellular energy production and neurotransmitter function, helping provide the nutritional building blocks the brain requires to operate efficiently.
Neuroplasticity: Can the Brain Change?
One of the most exciting areas of neuroscience is neuroplasticity.
For decades, scientists believed the adult brain was largely fixed. Today, we know the brain continuously adapts throughout life.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to create new neural connections, strengthen existing pathways, and reorganize itself in response to learning and experience.
Every time you learn a new skill, practice a language, solve a difficult problem, or engage in strategic thinking, your brain physically changes.
Brain Quiz #2
True or False: Most brain development stops after age 25.
The answer is False.
Research consistently demonstrates that neuroplasticity continues throughout adulthood (Merzenich).
Yet surveys show nearly 60% of adults still believe brain development largely stops in early adulthood.
This misconception causes many people to underestimate their capacity for growth.
At Thumos, neuroplasticity is a core concept because cognitive performance is not fixed. The brain responds to challenge, learning, recovery, and proper nutritional support. We aim to assist with the nutritional support needed.
Ingredients commonly associated with supporting neuronal membrane integrity, neurotransmitter synthesis, and cellular communication may help create an environment where healthy brain function can thrive alongside learning and training.
Memory and Learning
Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you entered? You're not alone. Memory is one of the most heavily studied areas in neuroscience.
Scientists estimate that memory formation depends heavily on structures such as the hippocampus, which plays a central role in learning and information storage.
Research has shown that memory is not a single system. Instead, it consists of multiple systems, including:
- Working memory
- Short-term memory
- Long-term memory
- Procedural memory
- Episodic memory
The average adult processes an astonishing amount of information daily, yet the brain must constantly decide what to retain and what to discard.
Brain Quiz #3
How many new memories does the average person consciously retain from a typical day?
A) Nearly all of them
B) About half
C) A small fraction
D) Almost none
The answer is C.
The brain filters enormous amounts of information before committing experiences to long-term storage.
Studies suggest fewer than 25% of people answer this correctly, largely because we assume memory works more like a video recorder than a dynamic reconstruction process.
Because memory formation depends heavily on neurotransmitter activity, brain energy metabolism, sleep quality, and neural communication, many cognitive wellness interventions focus on supporting these foundational systems.
Attention and Focus
One of the most common searches online today is:
"How can I improve my focus?"
The question reflects a growing challenge in modern society.
The average knowledge worker receives hundreds of digital interruptions each day. Research from the University of California Irvine found that interruptions significantly impair attention and increase cognitive load (Mark et al.).
Attention is governed by complex networks involving the prefrontal cortex and multiple neurotransmitter systems.
Brain Quiz #4
How long can the average adult maintain uninterrupted focus on a single digital task before switching?
Most people estimate 20 to 30 minutes.
The reality is closer to 47 seconds, according to recent workplace studies (Mark et al.).
Fewer than 15% of respondents correctly estimate this figure.
This growing attention crisis is one reason neuroscience increasingly focuses on mental performance, cognitive resilience, and attention training.
At Thumos, we believe supporting focus requires a comprehensive approach involving sleep, stress management, cognitive training, nutrition, and lifestyle optimization.
Stress and the Nervous System
What happens inside your brain when you're stressed?
Neuroscientists have spent decades studying this question. When stress occurs, the brain activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to the release of cortisol and other stress hormones.
In short bursts, stress can enhance performance. Chronically elevated stress, however, may impair memory, attention, emotional regulation, and overall cognitive function (McEwen).
Brain Quiz #5
Which organ is most affected by chronic psychological stress?
Most people answer "the heart."
While cardiovascular effects are significant, neuroscientists increasingly recognize the profound impact stress has on the brain itself. Research indicates chronic stress can affect hippocampal volume, neural connectivity, and cognitive performance (McEwen).
Studies show fewer than 40% of adults recognize the brain as one of the primary organs affected by prolonged stress. This growing awareness has contributed to increased interest in nervous system regulation, resilience training, mindfulness, and cognitive recovery strategies.
Sleep and Brain Recovery
If there is one topic neuroscience has elevated in recent years, it is sleep. Sleep is not passive rest, it is active brain maintenance. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, clears metabolic waste products, regulates neurotransmitters, and supports neuroplasticity.
Brain Quiz #6
What percentage of adults fail to achieve the recommended amount of sleep?
According to the CDC, approximately one-third of U.S. adults regularly fail to obtain sufficient sleep. Yet many people continue to treat sleep as optional. The science is clear: sleep directly influences memory, focus, learning, emotional regulation, and long-term brain health. Without adequate recovery, even the most sophisticated cognitive optimization strategies become less effective.
The Future of Neuroscience and Why It Matters
Neuroscience is entering a remarkable period of advancement. Researchers are developing new methods for understanding cognitive performance, neuroplasticity, brain aging, attention, memory, and emotional resilience.
Wearable neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces, artificial intelligence, and personalized brain health tools are transforming how we understand ourselves. Increasingly, neuroscience is shifting from treating disease to optimizing performance and promoting lifelong cognitive health.
The future may allow individuals to better understand how their brains respond to sleep, stress, nutrition, exercise, and learning in real time.
Where Thumos Fits In
At Thumos, we believe the future of wellness is inseparable from brain health.
Every topic explored within neuroscience, including neuroplasticity, memory, focus, stress resilience, cognitive performance, and recovery, points to a common reality: the brain is dynamic, adaptable, and worthy of intentional care.
Our formulation was designed with this philosophy in mind. While no supplement can replace healthy habits, proper sleep, exercise, cognitive training, and stress management, nutritional support can serve as an important complement to a broader brain health strategy.
Whether you're seeking to improve focus, support memory, enhance resilience, strengthen cognitive performance, or simply invest in healthy brain aging, neuroscience provides the roadmap.
The more we understand the brain, the better equipped we become to protect it, strengthen it, and unlock its full potential.
And that journey is only just beginning.
Works Cited
Azevedo, Frederico A. C., et al. "Equal Numbers of Neuronal and Nonneuronal Cells Make the Human Brain an Isometrically Scaled-Up Primate Brain." The Journal of Comparative Neurology, vol. 513, no. 5, 2009, pp. 532-541.
Mark, Gloria, et al. "Attention Fragmentation in Digital Work Environments." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 122, no. 11, 2025.
McEwen, Bruce S. "Protective and Damaging Effects of Stress Mediators." The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 338, no. 3, 1998, pp. 171-179.
Merzenich, Michael M. Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life. Parnassus Publishing, 2013.
Raichle, Marcus E., and Debra A. Gusnard. "Appraising the Brain's Energy Budget." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 99, no. 16, 2002, pp. 10237-10239.
World Health Organization. Brain Health and Cognitive Well-Being. World Health Organization, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep and Sleep Disorders. CDC, 2024.
Alzheimer's Association. 2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer's Association, 2025.