Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Those experiencing cognitive problems or symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease want to know if there are ways to accurately diagnose, treat, and manage or cure the condition.
By around age 70, two-thirds of Americans experience some level of cognitive impairment, and nearly 7 million US adults 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Without effective interventions, by 2050, the number could hit 13 million, and the cost of long-term treatment and care could be nearly $1 trillion annually.
Great progress is being made in identifying who is at risk for AD before symptoms appear. There’s a newly created blood test that can accurately identify people who are positive for amyloid before they are symptomatic. Another exciting advance out of the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Vital Longevity has found that the earliest signs of developing AD include changes to brain circuits related to sensory and motor processing, and they are reliable markers of whether or not amyloid and tau proteins and tangles are present.
There are approved medications that are said to reduce cognitive decline associated with early-stage AD by attaching to and removing beta-amyloid. And there are other medications that treat AD symptoms, such as insomnia and agitation. However, none of them are effective for all patients; they can have difficult side effects, and they don’t completely halt the progression or cure the disease.
So, while the scientific inquiry goes on, where does that leave folks who are dealing with mild cognition problems, early-stage AD, or even more advanced stages of the condition? In the driver’s seat.
Lifestyle choices have a profound effect on the development and progression of AD. My mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019, has seen it progress much more slowly than usual because she is very conscientious about limiting carbohydrates and getting physical activity daily.
A Pacific Neuroscience Institute study looked at the benefits of eating a low-carb diet on cognition in folks with AD and amyloid tangles. It found that restricting carbs to 130 grams or fewer a day (something that the MIND diet does) lowers insulin levels and blood sugar, helping prevent insulin resistance and letting the body clear away amyloid buildup that may contribute to AD.
The researchers go on to advocate the MIND diet—a combo of the DASH and Mediterranean diets. One nine-year study of the MIND diet found those sticking most closely to its recommendations experienced markedly less cognitive decline than those who were the least MINDful of their diet. So, opt for:
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, an analysis of 16 studies on exercise and dementia found that 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to five days a week reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 45%. It’s thought that the benefits come from increased blood flow, a boost in the size of the brain’s hippocampus (the center of emotions and memory), and improvements in the ability of the brain to form new neurons and strengthen communication between them.
There’s also been a breakthrough in understanding the impact of mid-life stress on the development of AD. A new study in the Annals of Neurology found that mid-life stresses, such as the death of a loved one, a job loss, or money woes, are significantly linked to higher levels of amyloid proteins and a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, in men, the impact of stress caused higher amyloid buildup, and in women, it led to increased brain atrophy—that is, loss of neurons and connections between neurons in the brain. Your smart move is to practice de-stressing, mindful meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or Tai Chi.
Now that’s using—and protecting—your brain!
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