Alzheimer's Universe

New Study Reveals Alzheimer's Risk Reduction

In the fight against Alzheimer’s, personal health choices may improve cognitive function and reduce risk

A groundbreaking study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, found that personalized interventions targeting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk factors may improve cognitive function over time. The results have been covered by media outlets globally including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and others.

There were 174 people enrolled in the study. Each was given an average of 21 customized recommendations based on an earlier study to address their own individual modifiable risk factors for AD. These recommendations were in the general categories of patient education, pharmacologic (e.g., prescription drugs, vitamins, supplements), and non-pharmacologic strategies (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sleep hygiene, stress management). Based on their individual risk factors, each person was given specific instructions on how to manage their own personal risk in effort to protect their brain health.

Instead of "one size fits all" suggestions, the recommendation lists were tailored per patient. Along with usual patient care practices that a doctor performs, like taking a past medical history or completing a physical examination, the study used a more comprehensive evaluation of

• (A) Anthropometrics: body composition measures such as %-body fat, muscle mass, waist-to-hip circumference ratio
• (B) Blood biomarkers of vascular and AD dementia risk:cholesterol profile; inflammatory, metabolic, and nutritional biomarkers, genetics (like APOE, MTHFR)
• (C) Cognitive performance across specific areas related to AD decline, as well as cognitive decline due to the natural aging process. We looked at memory, learning, executive function (which includes judgment and planning abilities), processing speed, attention, and language.

These measurements constitute the "ABC’s" of AD prevention and are a framework that is essential for individualizing recommendations. To further ensure accuracy, people were seen in the clinic every 6 months to assess changes across their ABC’s, and data from each follow-up assessment is used to further refine recommendations.

People were classified "higher compliance" if they followed more than 60% of recommendations overall, or as "lower compliance" if they did not. People with no evident cognitive decline at baseline were classified as the "Prevention" group, and those with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease were classified as the "Early Treatment" group.

"The APC has given us something we've never had before: hope!!"
- Dan Miller, Lauren Miller Rogen, Seth Rogen

The study found that after 18 months, the higher- and lower-compliance "Prevention" group, who had a baseline score of approximately 72 out of a 0-100 score range, had improved their scores by 4.6 and 4.5 points on average on a modified version of a cognitive test used in Alzheimer’s prevention research. The "Early Treatment" group, who had a baseline score of approximately 55, improved by an average of 4.8 points if they adhered to greater than 60% of the recommendations, while the lower-compliance patients declined by 6 points on average.

These findings suggest that addressing modifiable risk factors related to AD may improve cognitive function as well as cognitive aging. Further, people also were able to reduce their calculated AD and cardiovascular risk based on several risk scales.

One of the study participants, a 44-year old man named Steve C. stated, "Since beginning my life-changing work with the incredible staff at the APC, I have experienced tremendous change in my overall well-being. I have seen my body composition, cognitive function and sleep performance improve significantly. Not only do I feel the positive effects of the lifestyle changes every day, but I also constantly remind myself that these changes are significantly decreasing my chances of getting Alzheimer’s." Steve ends by saying, "Dr. Isaacson and his team have given me a new sense of hope!"

Steve C, Alzheimer's prevention patient Considering the prior challenges in developing effective AD treatments, focus on risk reduction and prevention, has become a priority in the research field. The ultimate goal of the study investigators is to help and reach as many people at risk for Alzheimer’s, while advancing prevention research and providing those at risk of sense of hope. The APC started in 2013 and celebrated their first 5-years of progress via a comprehensive informational brochure last year.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s prevention, sign up for a free course on AlzU.org.