Ayesha Sherzai and Dean Sherzai

Ayesha Sherzai and Dean Sherzai
OccupationsBehavioral neurologists, vascular neurologist, authors, medical educators
EmployerCharles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Known forAlzheimer's prevention research; NEURO framework; TheBrainDocs
Websitethebraindocs.com

Ayesha Sherzai and Dean Sherzai are American neurologists specializing in neurodegenerative diseases. They are the authors of The Alzheimer's Solution (2017) and The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution (2021), both published by HarperOne.

Ayesha Sherzai currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the INSPIRE program at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, and Dean Sherzai serves as Executive Director of Clinical Research, Director of Community Core, and Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience in the same department.[1][2] They previously co-directed the Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Loma Linda University and then the Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.[3] Their clinical work centers on what they describe as the NEURO framework (Nutrition, Exercise, Unwind, Restorative Sleep, and Optimize), a lifestyle-based protocol for reducing Alzheimer's risk.[4]

They appeared as expert commentators in the 2024 Netflix documentary series You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment (2024).[5]

Early lives and education

Ayesha Sherzai completed a dual residency in preventive medicine and neurology at Loma Linda University, and a vascular neurology fellowship at Columbia University/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.[1] She received the American Heart Association's Trudy Bush Fellowship Award in 2015 for her research on cardiovascular disease in women.[1]

Dean Sherzai earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, completed a neurology residency at Georgetown University, and undertook a fellowship in experimental therapeutics at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health. He subsequently completed a behavioral neurology and dementia fellowship at the University of California, San Diego.[2][3] He also holds a PhD in Healthcare Leadership from Andrews University and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Loma Linda University.[2]

Career

Academic and institutional positions

Ayesha and Dean Sherzai held faculty positions at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center before joining Loma Linda University, where they co-directed the Brain Health and Alzheimer's Prevention Program.[3] They subsequently moved to Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, where Ayesha Sherzai serves as Clinical Associate Professor and Dean Sherzai as Executive Director of Clinical Research.[2][1]

Research

Their research focuses on modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, particularly lifestyle intervention approaches including diet, exercise, cognitive engagement, stress management, and sleep optimization.[4]

Books

The Alzheimer's Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age was published by HarperOne in September 2017.[4] The book presents a lifestyle-based approach to Alzheimer's prevention organized around five domains: nutrition, exercise, cognitive engagement, stress management, and sleep.

The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline was published by HarperOne in March 2021.[6] It reached the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller lists.[6]

Public health and policy work

From 2003 to 2005, Dean Sherzai served as Afghanistan's Deputy Minister of Health, appointed by President Hamid Karzai. In this role, he helped oversee the implementation of a Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS), a public health delivery model designed for post-conflict reconstruction. The Lancet described the Afghan BPHS as a potential model for healthcare rebuilding in fragile states.[7]

During this period, Sherzai developed a women's empowerment model embedded within the healthcare system, which was subsequently published in Health Care for Women International and the Harvard Review.[8]

Media appearances

The Times (London) published a feature profile on the Sherzais and their approach to Alzheimer's prevention through lifestyle intervention.[9]

Both Sherzais appeared as expert commentators in You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment, a four-episode Netflix documentary series released in January 2024 that followed identical twins eating different diets as part of a Stanford University study.[5] The series won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Program in October 2025.[10] Within the series, the Sherzais administered cognitive assessments to measure neurological effects of dietary changes.[5]

They have been featured as guest experts on a range of health and science podcasts and media, including The Rich Roll Podcast (three appearances),[11] The Mel Robbins Podcast,[12] the ZOE Science & Nutrition Podcast,[13] and the BBC Good Food Podcast, where they were the featured guests in an episode on brain health.[14] Dean Sherzai has been quoted as a neurology expert in CNN health reporting.[15] Both have produced video content for AARP.[16]

Ayesha and Dean have spoken at the Aspen Ideas Festival.[17]

Public engagement

The Sherzais maintain a public health education platform under the name The Brain Docs, which includes social media channels and a podcast. Their work under this name is aimed at translating neuroscience research for general audiences.

Selected works

Books

  • The Alzheimer's Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age. HarperOne. 2017. ISBN 978-0-06-266647-5.
  • The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline. HarperOne. 2021. ISBN 978-0-06-299695-4.

Articles

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Ayesha Sherzai — Faculty Directory". Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Dean Sherzai — Faculty Profile". Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
  3. 1 2 3 Wagner, Cassandra (2019-11-08). "The fight against Alzheimer's". Loma Linda University News. Loma Linda University.
  4. 1 2 3 Sherzai, Ayesha; Sherzai, Dean (2017). The Alzheimer's Solution. HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-266647-5.
  5. 1 2 3 "You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment". OPS Productions. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  6. 1 2 Sherzai, Ayesha; Sherzai, Dean (2021). The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution. HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-299695-4.
  7. ↑ "Health and money in Afghanistan". The Lancet.
  8. ↑ Mitroi, L. R.; Sahak, M.; Sherzai, A. Z.; Sherzai, D. (2016). "The women's health care empowerment model as a catalyst for change in developing countries". Health Care for Women International. 37 (3): 273–289. doi:10.1080/07399332.2014.926903. PMID 24945243.
  9. ↑ "Is there a cure for Alzheimer's disease?". The Times.
  10. ↑ "2025 Daytime Emmys: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. October 2025. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  11. ↑ "Episode #589: Optimize Your Brain: Team Sherzai". The Rich Roll Podcast (Podcast). {{cite podcast}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. ↑ "Episode #385". The Mel Robbins Podcast (Podcast). April 9, 2026. {{cite podcast}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  13. ↑ "Why 90% of Alzheimer's Cases Are Preventable". ZOE Science & Nutrition Podcast (Podcast).
  14. ↑ "Eating for brain health with Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai". BBC Good Food Podcast (Podcast). 13 July 2021.
  15. ↑ "Is Alzheimer's disease preventable?". CNN. June 2015.
  16. ↑ AARP video features: "5 Ways to Rewire Your Brain at Any Age" and related segments. aarp.org.
  17. ↑ "Dean Sherzai — Speaker". Aspen Ideas Festival. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
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