Skip to main content

Specialties

Alzheimer’s disease and Cognitive Decline

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease accounting for up to 70% of senile dementia cases, and is on the rise in the baby boomer generation.  In the next decade it is expected that 30 million Americans will have the disease and will spend upwards of $300 billion a year on treatment and care.  Two of the main characteristics of Alzheimer disease are neurofibrillary tangles which are proteins called tau, and beta amyloid, another protein that forms plaques in the brain beginning with the amyloid precursor protein which makes up the cell membrane.  Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a steady decline in optimal brain function and memory.

Alzheimer’s disease likely begins decades before symptoms appear and there are clear genetic risk factors for the disease including: ApoE4, TREM2, CD33, NALP1 and PSI.  These genetic risk factors are epigenetically “turned on” by lifestyle and environmental factors.  One of the greatest risk factors is prediabetes.  For the ApoE4 gene, if you have 0 copies you have a 9% chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease, 1 copy, a 30% chance, and 2 copies, a 50% chance so it does behoove patients to get the blood test for ApoE4 to assess risk.

Decreased glucose in the temporalparietal area happens roughly 10 years before Alzheimer symptoms appear, which is often accompanied by decreased hippocampal volume affecting memory.  Initially there are symptoms of mild cognitive decline when patients fear: the loss of their drivers license, absence of long term care, exhausting neuropsych testing, expensive brain imaging, lumbar punctures, and loss of connection to the world.

Traditional allopathic physicians typically prescribe the drug Aricept for Alzheimer’s disease, which is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, and inhibits the hydrolysis of acetylcholine, a vital neurotransmitter in the brain largely in the parasympathetic system and neuromuscular junctions.  However, there is very little evidence that Aricept actually works to decrease Alzheimer’s symptoms which is why Dr. Dale Bredesen began the ReCODE program which stands for REVERSING COGNITIVE DECLINE. 

His program has identified 6 different types of Alzheimer’s disease including:

  • Type 1 – inflammatory due to inflammation in the brain from trauma or infection
  • Type 1.5 – glypho from glycation that results from diet high in sugar
  • Type 2 – atrophic from diminished hormones due to natural aging
  • Type 3 – toxic due to chemicals and mycotoxins ( this is the toughest to heal)
  • Type 4 – vascular
  • Type 5 – traumatic from a head injury

Each of these forms of Alzheimer’s disease presents slightly differently with labs and symptoms, so it is best to know which one is predominant, so that lifestyle changes and neuroceuticals can be initiated.

The following neuroceuticals may be helpful in reversing cognitive decline.

  • Vitamin D
  • Citicholine and DHA (helps form synapses)
  • Ubiquinol
  • mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols
  • NAC
  • Glutathione
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B1 – thiamine
  • P5P – Vit B6
  • Vitamin B12
  • methylfolate
  • Ginkgo biloba
  • Vinpocetine
  • BDNF – brain derived neurotrophic factor
  • Bacopa
  • Ashwaganda decreases beta amyloid
  • Gotu kola
  • Rhodiola
  • Pregnenolone
  • Green tea
  • Berberine
  • Alpha lipoic acid
  • Biotin
  • Zinc
  • Chromium picolinate
  • Cinnamon
  • high fiber, ZERO sugar, whole foods diet
  • plenty of fresh clean water
  • fresh clean air
  • minimal EMF exposure
  • adequate social support
  • 8 hours a night of restful sleep

There are a host of labs that can be done in order to document metabolic imbalances that are quite common with Alzheimer’s disease.  These can include:

  • Vitamin D levels
  • CRP
  • Sed Rate
  • Homocysteine
  • B12 levels
  • Folate levels
  • B6 levels
  • Beta amyloid levels
  • C3a
  • C4a
  • TGF beta
  • insulin
  • fasting glucose
  • ApoE4
  • tick borne illness tests
  • mycotoxin tests
  • gut health tests
  • hormone tests
  • Neuroquant MRI to examine hippocampal volume

Please note that this is NOT an exhaustive list of tests.  There are other tests that may be useful.

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s disease

Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease should be initiated in your 20s and 30s because lifestyle factors are known to be very significant in disease development.  Of course there is a genetic component, but personal choices impact disease development as well.  

Here are a few prevention tips for Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Resolve inflammation
  • Rectify insulin sensitivity
  • Optimize nutrients
  • Remove infections and toxins
  • Optimize the vascular system
  • Heal the gut
  • Maintain a keto heavy diet with intermittent fasting
  • Sleep 8 hours a night of restful sleep
  • Drink 2 liters of fresh clean water a day

I can help you prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease as I have been trained by Dr. Dale Bredesen who is a world leading physician in ReCODE (reversing cognitive decline).  I am ReCODE certified and am prepared to help you develop your individual treatment plan to prevent cognitive decline.

Please call my office at 206-299-2676 to make an appointment and get started on developing optimal brain health.  Your life will be much richer with a healthy brain.