Lifestyle Changes Improve Cognition and Help People at Risk with Alzheimer

Every year, millions of elderly in the United States are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. As early as 60 years old, a person at risk can already exhibit symptoms of early on-set Alzheimer. But according to a new research, lifestyle changes can significantly help people who are at risk.

Dr. Richard Isaacson, a neurologist and founder of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at New York Presbyterian and Weill Medical Center, revealed that personalized lifestyle intervention shows cognitive improvement and increase memory in 18 months.

This is the first study in a real-world clinic showing personalized lifestyle management that may improve cognitive function and reduce Alzheimer's and cardio vascular risk. On the other hand, some doctors in the field are requiring for more clinical trial to prove this research.

Despite the result of Dr. Isaacson's study, Dr. Randy Tanzi, co-director of Henry and McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said that there is a need for more of the same type of clinical trial. Dr. Tanzi added that it is difficult to convince the public that sleep, diet, exercise and meditation matters in this degenerative disease.

In a report published on CNN, there is an estimated 47 million Americans who are currently diagnosed and living with Alzheimer's disease but are not treated well due to the shortage of medication as of this moment. Alarmingly, some of these people experienced subtle cognitive loss.

A study published in U.S. National Library of Medicine in 2015 showed evidence that lifestyle changes such as diet, and brain training might slowdown mental decline and could possibly protect them from full-blown dementia. In addition, this confirms the study of Dr. Isaacson that aims to determine the significant effect of lifestyle intervention on cognitive function.

Dr. Isaacson and his team's study included 154 participants with ages between 25 to 86 years old. It shows in the study that physical activity and nutrition were the most important lifestyle practices and these were implemented for each individual.

In physical activity for example, an individual was given aerobics while the other is given ball balancing. On the other hand, in terms of dietary, consuming caffeinated coffee before 2 p.m. is better and no carbohydrates for 12 or more hours a day as a fasting protocol. Other lifestyle practices include alcohol intake, dairy intake, minerals and vitamins, learning something new, mindfulness, listening to music, and more.

Eighteen months later, Dr. Isaacson and his team found out that 60 per cent of participants diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment had better memory and thinking skills after the experiment. Dr. Isaacson envision that someday, patients who have symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer will come to their doctor and will go home with a personalized lifestyle practices that will help them improve their cognition.

As a matter of fact, in another article published in the MedicineNet, Bill Gates will donate $50 million for research into efforts in finding a cure against Alzheimer's Disease. This is the first time that Bill Gates funded a research for non-communicable disease because Gates found out the Alzheimer's Disease is the 6th leading cause of death in America. And it is predicted that if there will be no cure for this disease an estimated 16 million Americans will die in 2050, according to CNN.

Read More: Lifestyle changes improved cognition in people at risk for Alzheimers, study shows, and Bill Gates spends billions on global health. With Alzheimer's, his science adviser says, money is not the issue