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For decades, scientists and medical doctors have struggled to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Many have lost their loved ones, watching painfully and helplessly as they deteriorate. Families have been told that there is no hope of reversing cognitive decline. Dale Bredesen, a neurologist at UCLA, has stated that Alzheimer’s “is the only one of the nation’s ten most common causes of death for which there is no effective treatment” (Bredesen, 2017). Most people view Alzheimer’s as a fearful and hopeless disease, as nothing can prevent or treat it. Governments have spent billions funding research regarding Alzheimer’s but most have been unsuccessful before now. In recent years, Bredesen has been the first to discover the unknown answers to Alzheimer’s prevention and the reversal of cognitive decline. With his discovery, Alzheimer's is no longer an undefeatable enemy (What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? | CDC, 2020).
What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Individuals who are diagnosed experience symptoms such as memory loss, an inability to interact socially, and unusual behaviors. As Alzheimer’s disease develops, synapses are destroyed, losing communication between neurons. Synapse is the “part where neurons connect and communicate with each other” (Caire et al., 2023). Communication between neurons is essential for our brain to function day to day. There are various things that can cause Alzheimer’s, the main one being amyloids. Amyloids are a “type of protein that accumulates in the brain” that target and destroy the synapse (Bredesen, 2017). Alzheimer’s disease can develop from genetics, age, diet, and lifestyle.
Prevention and Causes of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease evolves over time as a result of habits accumulated throughout one’s life. Preventing inflammation and thus the production of amyloids within the brain is an effective prevention for Alzheimer’s. Shockingly, Alzheimer’s is actually a protective response of the brain to inflammation, which can be triggered by things such as stress, poor dental hygiene, different illnesses, artificial fats (in many desserts and fast food), and sugar. By consuming less inflammation-triggering foods, the buildup of amyloid plaques will decrease which in return will help slow down the development of Alzheimer’s. However, amyloids cannot be fully prevented as they are produced and accumulated through the normal aging process.
Another effective method of preventing Alzheimer’s is strengthening the synapse from destruction by the amyloids. In order to fight off the amyloids, the brain requires hormones, trophic factors, and nutrients. Daily exercise may increase neurotrophic factors (BDNF), which help decrease amyloid production. Other nutrients such as Vitamin D and folate are crucial for strengthening synapses. By following these protocols, the chance of Alzheimer’s can be reduced.
Being Cognitively Sharp in Old Age
In 2016, compelling evidence was introduced at the Society for Neuroscience convention. When neurologists studied the brains of individuals who had passed away in their nineties, they discovered that some of them had outstanding memories until their death. It was astounding that, even though their brains contained many amyloids, they still had superior memory. It was discovered that individuals who were intellectually active in their lives had more synapses to compensate for the loss of synapses destroyed by amyloids. Thus, individuals with jobs that require more thinking may have more synapses in old age and may then be more cognitively sharp. This finding contributed greatly to the research on the prevention of Alzheimer’s (Bredesen, 2017).
Treatment of Alzheimer’s
The first-ever effective treatment of Alzheimer’s was constructed by Dale Bredensen. This treatment comes in the form of the ReCODE therapeutic program, which works to reverse mental deterioration. Brendensen’s method focuses on “[changing] one’s lifestyle and environment as a way to fight Alzheimer’s”(A New Alzheimer’s Treatment Method Is Touted as Improving Cognition, 2023). This includes tweaks in diets, exercise, sleep, and more. Bredesen's treatment does not involve prescribing a uniform drug for everyone. Instead, drugs are tailored to each patient's specific needs. For example, if an individual lacks a specific hormone that triggers Alzheimer’s, then a hormone medication would be prescribed. Each patient would have a unique set of treatments that is most effective for their circumstance. Bredesen has successfully given many patients with Alzheimer’s their lives back by reversing their cognitive decline using ReCODE, proving his program effective.
Unfortunately, ReCODE has not been implemented widely. Despite the fact that there is now a treatment for Alzheimer’s, many medical professionals continue to delay patients’ treatments until the final stages, the main reason being that many doctors are either not familiar with ReCODE or don’t consider this program a valid treatment. There are still many more doctors who preach that there are no other options than to let the disease worsen.
It is vital now, more than ever, to be familiar with the prevention and signs of Alzheimer’s in order for patients to seek medical attention and take the initiative to receive treatment early on. Taking precautions by receiving consultation and treatment from a doctor in Alzheimer’s early stages can greatly improve a patient’s quality of life. Spreading awareness of Bredensen’s discovery would greatly impact many lives. Bredesen's program is not yet known to most people, resulting in many patients unknowingly postponing their treatment and suffering more severe cases of mental deterioration. Others, unaware of the lifestyle triggers for Alzheimer’s, may be doing many things that trigger or increase the likelihood of the disease every day. Today, we are fortunate enough that there is an option of not losing our lives to Alzheimer’s, and it is our choice to take it or leave it.
References
Bredesen, Dale E. The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse
Cognitive Decline. Thorndike Press, a Part of Gale, a Cengage Company, 2021.
Caire, Michael J., et al. “Physiology, Synapse.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 2023.
Djinis, Elizabeth. “A New Alzheimer’s Treatment Method Is Touted as Improving Cognition.”
Sarasota Magazine, Sarasota Magazine, 25 Jan. 2023,
“What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Oct. 2020,
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