Prevention and Treatment Strategies Overview - BrainMind Alzheimer's Prevention Series

Video 8: Prevention and Treatment Strategies Overview
In collaboration with BrainMind, Dr. Isaacson introduces various prevention and treatment
strategies for Alzheimer’s disease

Currently, there are no treatments or methods that prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease.
However, we can use evidence-based multimodal strategies to tackle Alzheimer’s.

About Dr. Richard Isaacson:
Dr. Richard Isaacson is the founder and former Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at the Weill Cornell Memory Disorders Program. He is currently the director of Brain Health at the Atria Institute. A leading expert on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Dr. Isaacson is passionate about providing the latest evidence-based options for treatment and risk reduction. His research focuses on individualized clinical management of AD using emerging principles of precision medicine. He also oversees a robust AD therapeutics and education research program.

What is targeted, individualized Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment plans?
1. Pharmacologic Strategies
2. Non-Pharmacologic Strategies

Pharmacologic Strategies:
1. Drugs: FDA approved drugs that can attenuate some of the symptoms related to
Alzheimer’s Disease such as
a. Drugs for vascular diseases
b. Off-label form drugs that are beneficial to treat Alzheimer’s related risk factors or
symptoms (i.e. antidepressant for those with depression or medications to enhance sleep)
2. Vitamins: specific nutrients your body needs to survive
a. Usually attained by food
b. Some vitamins may need to be used in higher levels and specific forms to protect
brain health over time.
3. Supplements (a.k.a. Nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, etc.)
a. Intended for normal, healthy individuals
b. Used in the individualization of care and to reduce specific risk factors and offer optimal brain health
c. No prescribable, available over the counter
d. May or may not have an impact on biological impact on the disease but not specifically used for the treatment or cure of any conditions
4. Medical Food: clinical dietary management of specific aspect of cognitive decline

Non-Pharmacologic Strategies:
1. Physical Exercise:
a. Different from physical inactivity (sedentary lifestyles) or physical activity (moving around through the day)
b. How to promote brain health, slow brain aging, and reverse the negative effects of Alzheimer’s through physical exercise?
i. Definitively reduce the accumulation of amyloid in the brain
2. Nutritions
a. What do you eat?
i. Dietary Patterns (i.e. Mediterranean or ketogenic diet)
ii. Single/Multiple Nutrients food (i.e. Omega-3 containing food, vitamins, etc)
b. How should you eat?
i. Time-estricted Eating
ii. Intermittent Fasting
3. Cognitive Engagement: learning something new
4. Cognitive Stimulation
5. Brain Training
6. Musical Activity (i.e. Musical Therapy)
7. Stress Reduction
a. Stress fast-forward brain aging by increasing cortisol level and inflammation
b. Via meditation, mindfulness activities
8. Sleep Hygiene
a. Different stages of sleep and the total amount of sleep contributes to the
Alzheimer’s risk
b. Regular patterns
9. Managing Medical Risk Factors
a. Managing vascular risk factors, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes,
smoking, obesity, etc.
b. Hearing loss affects memory consolidation and can lead to faster cognitive
decline
10. Psychosocial Interactions
a. i.e. having a purpose in life

Takeaways:
Combinations of safe, evidence-based multidomain interventions individualized for the person at risk will give the best chance of success.