How to Improve Memory & Delay Alzheimer's with Nelson Dellis - The James Altucher Show Recap

Podcast: The James Altucher Show

Published: 2026-03-17

Guests: Nelson Dellis

What Happened

Nelson Dellis, a six-time USA memory champion, discusses the critical role of memory training in potentially delaying Alzheimer's disease. Inspired by his grandmother's battle with Alzheimer's, Dellis delved into memory techniques, believing they can help prevent or slow the disease. Alzheimer's is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, with no known cure, making memory training an essential tool in combating its progression.

Memory competitions are rigorous, often involving tasks like memorizing entire decks of cards or long strings of numbers. Nelson Dellis has achieved impressive feats, such as memorizing 10,000 digits of Pi and his personal best of 405 digits in five minutes in speed numbers competitions. The current world record for this event is between 600 and 700 digits.

Dellis's book, 'Everyday Genius', offers practical techniques to improve memory and cognitive skills. It introduces methods such as speed reading, which focuses on absorbing information efficiently rather than just reading quickly. Using a finger to guide eye movement can increase reading speed, and reading the first and last sentences of paragraphs can help grasp the main ideas faster.

Visualization is a powerful memory technique Dellis highlights, involving creating vivid, associative images in the mind to aid retention. Active recall and note-taking, such as underlining and highlighting, are effective strategies for reinforcing memory. By organizing notes by chapter and revisiting them, one can establish stronger neural connections for long-term memory retention.

The episode also touches on the intriguing world of remote viewing, where individuals attempt to gather information from a distance. Initially skeptical, Dellis learned from a remote viewing coach and experienced success, leading him to believe that the brain can act as a receiver of information. He claims to have predicted outcomes in horse races with about 60% accuracy, even winning a significant sum by betting on an underdog.

Throughout the discussion, Dellis emphasizes that mental training, akin to physical exercise, can have a positive impact on general memory improvement. While younger individuals often dominate memory competitions, age is not a barrier to participating or benefiting from memory techniques. Dellis himself offers private coaching and corporate speaking engagements to share these valuable skills.

Key Insights

• Nelson Dellis was motivated to explore memory techniques due to his grandmother's Alzheimer's, believing that mental training can slow the disease's progression. Alzheimer's remains one of the top 10 causes of death in the US without a cure.
• Memory competitions test participants' abilities to memorize complex data, such as numbers and cards. Nelson Dellis's personal best is memorizing 405 digits in five minutes, while the world record sits between 600 and 700 digits.
• 'Everyday Genius', a book by Nelson Dellis, provides insights into improving memory and cognitive skills. It includes techniques like speed reading and visualization to enhance information retention and recall.
• Remote viewing is a practice that involves predicting information from a distance, which Nelson Dellis explored with initial skepticism. He claims to have achieved a 60% accuracy rate in predicting horse race outcomes using this method.