Is It Too Late to Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease?

by Amylee Amos PhD, RDN, IFMCPLifestyle
Woman looking out of a window

Is it too late for my loved one to reverse their cognitive decline from Alzheimer’s?

It’s the question we hear every day at the Amos Institute. It’s the question people all over the world fear the answer to. Many people who contact the Amos Institute already know that Alzheimer’s can be reversed. They are familiar with the Bredesen Protocol and the fact that Alzheimer’s disease is not idiopathic. They know that Alzheimer’s disease is a protective, programmed downsizing of the brain- a response to inflammation, the withdrawal of trophic support, and exposure to toxins (1,2). Yet even with this knowledge, many people are still hesitant to embark on a program to help them reach this goal.

The hesitation for many people stems from the fear that either they or their loved one may have Alzheimer’s disease that is too far progressed to be helped by the Bredesen Protocol. For many, this fear is paralyzing and it can prevent them from taking immediate action. But the fact is that Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive symptoms can be improved at any age and at any stage of decline. In 2018, the Amos Institute and practitioners from 15 other clinical sites published an article in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinsonism that demonstrated the subjective and objective improvement of 100 patients following the Bredesen Protocol. In this paper, we document the improvement of individuals with well documented, full blown Alzheimer’s disease. In some cases, these individuals received the lowest score possible on cognitive assessments that measure Alzheimer’s severity. For example, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores range from 0 to 30. The average score for individuals with diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease is 16.2 (3). In the article, we demonstrate improvement with participants who scored as low as 0 on this assessment, meaning that individuals well into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease are still able to improve (4). By demonstrating improvement on a standardized cognitive assessment such as the MoCA, we have established that there is objective improvement. Participants in the publication with advanced Alzheimer’s also demonstrated marked subjective improvement, including improved ability to speak, regaining the ability to dress oneself, to dance, to exercise, and to socialize amongst many other improvements. This is remarkable. What our data show is that Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline can be improved at any stage, even late stages. It is never too late. There is always hope.

Though these results are encouraging, the case for early intervention is indisputable. The earlier you embark on a program to reverse cognitive decline, the greater your chance of success. If you are reading this right now and wondering if you should begin the Bredesen Protocol or if you should help your loved one get started, I implore you: start today. Do not waste one more precious day. With every day that passes during which you are not actively working to reverse cognitive decline, you are falling deeper into cognitive decline. The underlying pathophysiology that is causing your cognitive symptoms is taking a stronger hold each and every day that you do not take massive action to reverse it. Do not let fear hold you back from one more day that you could be working to reverse the damage. The chances of improvement and the degree of improvement are significantly greater the earlier the interventions are started. Your cognitive health is in your hands. To get started today, join the Amos Institute community and get started on your Cognitive Health Program.

References:

  1. Bredesen, D.E. (2014). Reversal of cognitive decline: a novel therapeutic program.Aging, 6(9): 707-719.
  2. Bredesen, D.E., et al. (2016). Reversal of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.Aging, 8(6): 1-9.
  3. Nasreddine, Z. S., Phillips, N. A., Bédirian, V., Charbonneau, S., Whitehead, V., Collin, I., … & Chertkow, H. (2005). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(4), 695-699.
  4. Bredesen, D.E., Sharlin, K., Jenkins, D., Okuno M., Youngberg, W., et al. (2018) Reversal of Cognitive Decline: 100 Patients. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 8: 450.