Why a Neurologist Shifted Focus to Gut Microbes and Metabolic Function as Solutions for Brain and Mood Issues

Dr. David Perlmutter reveals how gut microbes and metabolic health influence the brain, mood, and risk for Alzheimer’s and depression.

Neurologist and bestselling author Dr. David Perlmutter explains why the key to mental health lies in the gut. He unpacks how microbial diversity, metabolic balance, and inflammation shape mood, cognition, and neurodegenerative risk. Learn how diet, uric acid, blood sugar, and exercise influence brain chemistry—and how small daily choices can protect your mind for decades.

Dr. Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author. He serves on the Board of Directors and is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.

He received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine, where he was awarded the Leonard G. Rowntree Research Award. He serves as a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including Archives of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and The Journal of Applied Nutrition. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer at symposia sponsored by institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, Columbia University, Scripps Institute, New York University, and Harvard University, and serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

His books have been published in 32 languages and include the #1 New York Times bestseller Grain Brain, The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs and Sugar, with over 1 million copies in print. Other New York Times bestsellers include “Brain Maker”, “The Grain Brain Cookbook”, “The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan”, “Brain Wash”, co-written with Austin Perlmutter, M.D., and his newest New York Times bestseller, “Drop Acid”, published in February 2022. He is the editor of “The Microbiome and the Brain”, authored by top experts in the field and published in December 2019 by CRC Press. Dr. Perlmutter has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated television programs, including 20/20, Larry King Live, CNN, Fox News, Fox and Friends, The Today Show, Oprah, The CBS Early Show, and CBS This Morning.