Early Detection Of Dementia Can Improve Health Outcomes

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A conversation about how to prevent Alzheimer’s with neurologist and Alzheimer’s researcher, Dr. Dale Bredesen

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is devastating to both the patient and the entire family. However, according to Dr. Dale Bredesen, who’s dedicated his career to Alzheimer’s research and prevention, preventing Alzheimer’s is entirely possible. He’s spent his life focused on one message: it doesn’t have to be this way.

Decades of research and work with patients have led Dr. Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and best-selling author, to the conclusion that early detection and lifestyle changes that target the causes of cognitive decline can improve outcomes. Through his research and his practice, he teaches people multi-targeted ways to prevent and even reverse Alzheimer’s disease.

What is Dementia & Can it Be Reversed

Dementia is the term used to describe the decline in cognitive function that causes difficulties with daily activities. Symptoms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty communicating, poor judgment, and even personality or behavioral changes. Types of dementia include Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and others.

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for most types of dementia. However, some types of dementia may be partially or even completely reversible if they are caused by underlying conditions that can be treated. These include infections, nutritional deficiencies, and brain tumors. In these cases, treating the underlying cause may improve cognitive function in people with dementia.

Recent research has shown that comprehensive changes to lifestyle (like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction) may lead to significant improvements in cognitive function and quality of life in patients with mild to moderate dementia. It is important to note that once brain cells are damaged or destroyed, it is usually not possible to reverse the damage. Therefore, early detection and treatment of dementia is crucial for the best possible outcome.

What is the Bredesen Protocol?

The Bredesen Protocol is an innovative, comprehensive program that takes a personalized and integrative approach to identify and address the root causes of Alzheimer’s disease, instead of just treating the symptoms. By focusing on optimizing nutrition, improving sleep quality, reducing inflammation, and increasing brain stimulation, the Bredesen Protocol aims to slow down and possibly even reverse cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Bredesen Protocol was developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Alzheimer’s disease. This protocol is a multi-factorial approach that addresses various factors that contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. These include inflammaging, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, and exposure to toxins. The protocol includes a range of interventions, such as dietary changes, nutrient supplementation, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep optimization. These are each tailored to the individual needs of each patient.

The Bredesen Protocol may be a key way to treat Alzheimer’s patients because it offers a holistic and proactive approach to Alzheimer’s treatment. Traditional Alzheimer’s treatments have been largely focused on symptom management or taking medications. The current treatments have had little success in slowing or reversing the progression of the disease.

The Bredesen Protocol, on the other hand, targets the root causes of the disease and aims to reverse the cognitive decline and improve the overall health of the patients. The protocol has shown promising results in clinical studies, with some patients experiencing significant improvements in cognitive function and quality of life.

Why is this Important?

The importance of the Bredesen Protocol lies in the fact that it offers a holistic and proactive approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Instead of solely relying on medication to manage symptoms, this approach encourages patients to make lifestyle changes that can positively impact their overall health and cognitive function. The protocol emphasizes the role of lifestyle factors in Alzheimer’s disease, such as diet, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene, which can be modified to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

The Bredesen Protocol is a promising avenue for Alzheimer’s patients seeking to improve their quality of life and slow down or even reverse the progression of their disease.

Bredesen Protocol Proof of Concept Trial

For decades Dr. Bredesen has been researching Alzheimer’s disease and how to prevent cognitive decline. But for the first time in a recent proof-of-concept trial, researchers, including Dr. Bredesen, used a precision medicine approach to treat Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. They identified potential contributors to cognitive decline and then targeted those specific areas therapeutically. This method of treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is known as the Bredesen Protocol.

The goal of a proof-of-concept trial is to prove effectiveness to warrant a larger, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Twenty-five patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment, with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores of 19 or higher, were evaluated for markers of the following:

• Inflammation
• Chronic infection
• Dysbiosis
• Insulin resistance
• Protein glycation
• Vascular disease
• Nocturnal hypoxemia
• Hormone insufficiency or dysregulation
• Nutrient deficiency
• Toxin or toxicant exposure (metals, organic toxicants, and biotoxins)
• Genetic predisposition to cognitive decline
• And other biochemical parameters associated with cognitive decline

Researchers found that all outcome measures revealed cognitive improvement, including: statistically highly significant improvement in MoCA scores, CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive Index, and AQ-C were documented. No serious adverse events were recorded.

This was a trial that Bredesen and his team of researchers proposed In 2011 to show that lifestyle changes can improve and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. However, at the time, the Institutional Review Board only permitted testing a single variable, rather than a multi-variable trial.

Alzheimer’s disease is not a one variable disease. Researchers instead collected anecdotal evidence of improvement in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Finally in 2019, the researchers were allowed to do a proof of concept trial of 25 patients to test if they could improve cognition. Good results from that would prove the case for a randomized controlled trial. That RCT is already underway.

Proof of Concept Trial Methodology

For each of the 25 people in the trial, researchers considered 150 different determinants from the participants’ various genetic test results. They worked with Intelex DNA to look at the following:

• Glutathione related issues
• Methylation related issues
• Thrombosis related issues
• Biochemical parameters
• Microbiological parameters
• Gut status
• And more

The goal was to get a fairly accurate map of the contributors to cognitive decline.

“You virtually never see people with just one contributor. Typically there are multiple things,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Dr. Bredesen says the science has shown what areas are priorities for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and minimizing cognitive decline. “We were very excited to see how much better the outcome was with these people than with a typical drug approach to Alzheimer’s disease.

The team studied participants for nine months, comparing their MoCA scores as the study progressed. MoCA—also known as Montreal Cognitive Assessment or the MoCA Test—is a brief test that helps clinicians detect cognitive impairments. It’s widely recognized as the most sensitive test available for detecting Alzheimer’s disease, measuring executive functions and multiple cognitive domains that are important components not measured by the MMSE.

They also looked at the following:

• CNS vital signs score
• Alzheimer’s Questionnaire (AQ) change score
• MRI volume metrics
• Gray matter and hippocampal volumes
• Brain HQ
• Whether loved ones noticed any improvement

Trial Results

At three months: Mild improvement just reaching statistical significance
At six months: Statistical significance
At nine months: Increasing improvement

“We had people who went from MoCA scores of 19 to 30, perfect scores of 30,” says Dr. Bredesen.

There were also some less dramatic improvements. Overall, 84 percent of the people improved their CNS vital science scores, 76 percent of the people improved their MoCA scores. Their MRIs and AQ change scores improved as well.

“It really supports the idea that targeting the things that are driving the decline is the way to go,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Preventing Alzheimer’s with Lifestyle Changes compared to Drugs

On average, someone with Alzheimer’s or MCI loses on average about 3.4 points on a 30 point scale per year, says Dr. Bredesen. “Whether you’re talking about MMSE or MoCA, you’re losing a little bit each year.”

The best drug to treat Alzheimer’s and MCI is Aducanumab, which was just approved in June 2021 by the FDA. In one trial, it failed completely. In another trial at one dose, it slowed the decline by 22 percent. It’s not helping people have a better cognition; it’s just slowing the decline.

“Many neurologists have said, this is not the drug we were looking for. This is a drug, but it’s not the goal,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Lifestyle Factors and the Bredesen Protocol

In contrast to existing Alzheimer’s drugs that have shown little effectiveness, lifestyle changes in the Bredesen Protocol have other positive health outcomes.

Some of the areas patients in the study saw improvement included the following:

• Better weight control
• Improved lipid profile
• Improved glycaemic profile
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Improved microbiomes
• Improved depression
• More energy
• Improved sleep

“Human beings are complex organisms. And I think we’re now understanding that there is so much more that we can do to address the physiological parameters that are driving the decline to begin with,” says Dr. Bredesen.

The key to having a chance at preventing Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline, says Dr. Bredesen, is early detection and early intervention.

The Bredesen Protocol Diet

The Bredesen Protocol diet is an essential component of the overall protocol. This diet is designed to promote healthy brain function and reduce inflammation. It is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods. The diet recommends a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado.

One of the key principles of the Bredesen Protocol diet is reducing the consumption of processed and refined foods, including sugar, white flour, and processed vegetable oils. These foods have been linked to inflammation and are known to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Limiting gluten and dairy products is also recommended because many people have sensitivities to them.

The Bredesen Protocol diet emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which is linked to brain health. It recommends eating foods that are rich in prebiotics and probiotics, such as fermented vegetables, kefir, and yogurt. The diet also encourages intermittent fasting, which has been shown to improve brain function and reduce inflammation.

Overall, the Bredesen Protocol diet is focused on promoting healthy brain function through a whole-foods, nutrient-dense diet that emphasizes reducing inflammation and improving gut health. By following this diet, patients may be able to take a big step towards slowing or even reversing Alzheimer’s disease.
Four stages of Alzheimer’s disease progression

There are four stages to people who develop Alzheimer’s disease. By the fourth stage, the patient has typically had underlying issues for two decades. Key to preventing Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline is supporting people during the first and second stages of memory loss, says Dr. Bredesen.

Presymptomatic stage: you can already pick up changes on PET scan and spinal fluid.

Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI): typically lasts about 10 years. According to Dr Bredesen, it’s easy during that time to reverse the decline, but very rarely do people do anything about it.

Mild cognitive impairment: At this point, you’re relatively late in the pathophysiological process.

Alzheimer’s disease: A patient is losing activities of daily living.

What is the fundamental nature of Alzheimer’s disease?
The fundamental nature of cognitive decline is a network insufficiency, says Dr. Bredesen. So just as a deficiency of vitamin C results in scurvy, this simply is a more complex deficiency. It’s an insufficiency of an entire network.

Over a lifetime, a patient’s brain is exposed to pathogens, such as P-Gingivalis, various fungi, herpes simplex, Lyme disease, environmental toxins and more. “Your brain is saying, okay, I’m going to go into a protective downsizing mode,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Considering the future of Alzheimer’s prevention and care, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases, Dr. Bredesen says, ”I do think the future is going to be to combine targeted drugs, along with the protocols where we can target the sources that are causing the problem.”

There is hope when it come to an MCI or dementia diagnosis

Dr. Bredesen says that when it comes to a diagnosis of cognitive decline, patients and their families are typically told that the arsenal is zero. There’s nothing that can prevent, reverse or delay the decline of Alzheimer’s disease. This means people don’t bother even checking for a genetic disposition, such as APOE genetic status.

The truth is just the opposite, according to Dr. Bredesen. The arsenal is huge, and the critical piece is knowing when to use it, how to use it, what to target and what the critical species are.

While following the Bredesen Protocol, patients will, however, sometimes improve cognitively and then plateau. In this case, there’s something missing, says Dr. Bredesen. One example from a patient, who did very well, started having problems that turned out to be undiagnosed Babesia. For others, it turns out to be leaky gut or undiagnosed toxins that were present. One recent person was under additional stress, and just removing that stress helped. “Things like meditation, which we never considered in a laboratory, turn out for some people to be absolutely crucial to getting best outcomes,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Bredesen and the team of researchers are now looking to take large sums of data for many practitioners. There are over 2000 practitioners who are trained in the Bredesen Protocol. Among them, some support dramatic improvements, while others “are getting almost nobody to get better,” says Dr. Bredesen.

Introducing the ‘Cognoscopy’

Part of early detection of cognitive decline is tracking personal health data. At 50, everyone knows to get a colonoscopy to decrease the risk of dying from colorectal cancer. Similarly, Dr. Bredesen recommends getting what he calls a “cognoscopy” at 45 or older, and perhaps younger if there’s Alzheimer’s in the family. He recommends looking for the following:

Ongoing pathogens
Ongoing toxins
The status on trophic support
Cell hormones and nutrients
The status on energetics: cerebral blood flow and oxygenation (especially for people with sleep apnea)
Mitochondrial function
Ketones
Inflammation
Gut microbiome

Dr. Bredesen expects wearables will become more prevalent as people want to monitor more health data. You can see where your glucose stands as you eat throughout the day. Those who do continuous glucose monitoring may be surprised by peaks and valleys, both of which are bad for the brain. Stress can cause glucose to spike, and meditation and deep breathing can improve it.

According to Dr. Bredesen, following blood pressure, looking at nocturnal oximetry to monitor oxygen at night and checking ketone levels are all important metrics. Of course, knowing your APOE gene status can be very helpful for this as well. ”We really have so much control over our own future,” says Dr. Bredesen.

A Future of Alzheimer’s Prevention

With results from his recent trial and his lifetime of work, Dr. Bredesen can imagine a time when Alzheimer’s disease is rare, and awareness about improving cognitive care is standard.

Dr. Bredesen’s vision of a healthier society doesn’t end with cognitive care. He’s thinking about ways technology, medicine and lifestyle changes can come together to support healthier and longer lives.

Take Google, for example, says Dr. Bredesen. They know where you shop, how you live and what you’re wondering. Dr. Bredesen imagines how that data could lead to Alexa picking up changes in the way a person is speaking. Or changes in keystrokes that indicate a slower response time and fine motor skills. “Why are we not using that same sort of technology to identify people in their earliest changes?” he wonders.

“I think for the future, having the earliest ability to recognize cognitive decline is absolutely feasible and will be the way of the future.”

Dr. Bredesen’s hope is that treating people earlier, for Alzeheimer’s prevention or earliest reversal, will make neurodegenerative diseases rare.

Citing a recent paper, Dr. Bredesen even hopes that one day scientists and doctors can reverse biological aging. A paper by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald looked at aging parameters, essentially methylated regions of the DNA that are shown to be associated very closely with biological aging. The study showed that lifestyle changes not only can improve cognition better, but also reverse the biological agent. She saw about 3.26 younger years of people who were on a protocol.

This is more good news for Dr. Bredesen. “I look forward to a day when we really make these problems rare.”

The Reversing Alzheimer’s Summit 2023

The Reversing Alzheimer’s Summit of 2023 is an online event that brings together experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment. The summit provides attendees with essential information and resources for Alzheimer’s treatment and prevention.

During the summit, attendees can learn from experts about the Bredesen Protocol diet, lifestyle changes, supplements, and other natural approaches that can help prevent and even reverse Alzheimer’s disease. They can also discover cutting-edge research, clinical studies, and success stories from patients who have used these methods to improve their cognitive function and quality of life.

In addition to the educational content, attendees can also participate in interactive sessions, live Q&A’s, and networking opportunities with other attendees and experts. The summit offers a unique opportunity for anyone interested in Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment to gain insights and knowledge from leading experts in the field.

Dr. Dale Bredesen is an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. His research on Alzheimer’s disease has led to the discoveries that today underlie the Recode report. Dr. Bredesen is the author of the New York Times bestsellers “The End of Alzheimer’s” as well as “The End of Alzheimer’s Program.”

For more information and to get more support, go to Apollo Health.