Community

Precision Medicine Reversal of Early Alzheimer’s Disease Study

When we identify and correct all of the common factors of Alzheimer's and also their unique issues, that is precision medicine!
Ann Hathaway, MD

Ann Hathaway, MD

4 Min Read

Covid-19 has killed over 600,000 Americans.  Alzheimer’s disease will result in the deaths of nearly 100 times as many currently living Americans unless medical science finds a way to stop it. For Covid 19, thankfully, we have a preventative vaccine. For Alzheimer’s disease the only currently recommended therapies are medications that may slow, but do not stop, the inevitable progression. There is no accepted prevention or cure. 

Alzheimer’s dementia is a complex neurodegenerative process and hundreds of possible contributing causes have been proposed and studied. The likelihood is high that there are multiple factors, some common to many cognitive patients and some more unique. When we identify and correct all of the common factors and also their unique issues, that is precision medicine! 

 Our research was pre-published online at MEDRXIV on May 5, 2021. It hasn’t been peer reviewed as yet. In it we report 21 out of 25 patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease showed statistically significant improvement in their cognitive function scores.  The improved performance over 9 months came from 2 different types of independently validated testing, the MoCA: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the CNS Vital Signs. The MoCA scores improved from a mean of 24.6 to 27.56, statistically significant with p=0.001. The CNS VS scores improved from an initial mean of 38th percentile up to the 63rd percentile, also statistically significant with p=0.0001.  The CNS VS tests an array of skills including verbal and visual memory, simple and complex attention, cognitive flexibility, executive function, processing speed, motor speed, and reaction time. Each patient had a study partner, usually their significant other, and the study partners reported specific cognitive improvements in 21 of 25 of our research subjects.  

The study protocol required a specific mildly ketogenic organic diet, high in low carb vegetables and unsaturated fats like avocado and olive oil, with moderate amounts of pastured eggs and animal protein. We prescribed high intensity and strength training exercise, sleep optimization, daily stress reduction and brain training. Each participant was assisted by a nutritionist, a health coach and a physical trainer who provided ongoing support and monitoring. 

Each patient had an extensive panel of blood, urine, stool and saliva testing to search for their root causes and then embarked on their individually designed precision program to optimize all parameters. 

Goals for all participants included optimal lean body mass and blood pressure, blood Hemoglobin A1c= 4.8-5.2 %, fasting insulin of 2-5.5 ulU/ml, omega 3s >8% by weight of whole blood, homocysteine <7 umol/L, CRP <0.9 mg/L; and estradiol = 50-80 pg/mL in women and free testosterone = 7-18 pg/mL in men. Each participant had extensive genetic testing including the APOE4 gene which increases AD risk, cardiovascular genetic risks, and genetic tendency to poor detoxification.  We looked for gastrointestinal dysfunction, including incomplete digestion, increased intestinal permeability and an unhealthy microbiome. Each person was evaluated for sleep apnea.  All were tested for infections including intestinal parasites, Herpes Simplex Virus, Lyme and other Tick-Borne Diseases. We checked for mold related illness and chemical toxins. Whatever abnormalities were found resulted in a program to correct, optimize or remove the problematic factors. 

Repeat lab testing for most biological parameters showed significant gains and besides improved memory and clarity of thinking people on this protocol felt better. They experienced less joint and muscle pain, less stress, more energy, and improved mood and sleep. 

We are hoping to move forward with a larger study in 2022 with 100 participants and that should give us an even better understanding of the optimal precision designed protocol to reverse, and also prevent Alzheimer’s disease. 

If you want to know more about this study you can read the full  research publication here:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.10.21256982v1

To learn more or sign up to do the ReCODE protocol check out

https://www.apollohealthco.com/clinical-trial-results-2021/

You can also find more information on my web site at AnnHathawayMD.com

Author(s)

  • Ann Hathaway, MD

    Dr. Hathaway is a graduate of the University of California San Francisco Medical School and completed residency training and board certification in Family Practice Medicine. She worked in a conventional medicine setting for many years until in1995, frustrated by the limits of conventional medicine, she discovered Functional Medicine, a system of personalized medicine that seeks to understand the underlying causes in each individual and make the necessary changes to optimize each person’s health. She’s been developing her expertise over the last 25 years and now is teaching other physicians in this field. Her practice is now focused on the functional medicine Reversal of Cognitive Decline Program (ReCODE) developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen which is successfully preventing and reversing early dementia.