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Just started reading this book, anyone else read it? It sounds so promising. Although I'm not sure if it could help my Mom who's in moderate plus Alzheimer's. Makes me wonder if I should be concerned about me?
Genetic testing etc.
Anyone read it?
Thoughts?

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I haven't read it, but I did watch a program on PBS (I think) on dementia, including the issue of genetic testing. One woman who was caring for her mother tested positive, but I can't speak to the specific results, i.e., if she tested positive as LIKELY developing Alzheimers, or if she tested positive for actually developing it.

I think another question would be if someone did test positive and it appeared as though there was a familial likelihood, what does that suggest about the cause of Alzheimers? That opens a wide area for research.

And how would someone change, or not change his/her life if genetic testing revealed a likelihood of developing it?

There are similar issues with genetic testing for cancer.
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What did it test for, specifically? My mom was screened for a trial drug that included some DNA testing. They were testing for the APO€4 gene. My mom tested positive so could not participate in the trial. They had all the volunteers that they needed that were tested as positive. They also had a group that did not have the APO€ 4 gene.

I learned from that process that people both with and without APO€4 may develop dementia. So having a specific gene does not necessarily indicate that dementia will develop.
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Dr. Bredesen certainly has impressive credentials. This is not a scam by someone who got his degrees out of a crackerjack box.

JJ, let us know when you finish reading it, and especially if you decide to try the recommendations.
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Thanks for the feedback....Dr. Bredesen recommends a list of multiple tests, including the APOE gene test. Depending on where you fall in your results, then you make diet, sleep, lifestyle, supplement changes etc. It's overwhelming to me, haven't finished reading. Apparently there are multiple root causes for Alzheimer's, not a "one medicine fix all" solution. They have identified 36 "holes in the roof" that need to be addressed, and the reason medicines haven't had much success is because they only patch one hole.
He says there are 3 main types:

Type 1 is Inflammatory and occurs more often in people who carry one or two of the APOE4 alleles, tends to run in families. If you carry two copies of this allele, your risk is 50% or higher of developing Alzheimer's (My maternal grandfather had Parkinson's
Both his children (my Mom & Uncle) have Alzheimer's)

Type 2 is atrophic, and also occurs more frequently in people who carry the APOE4 alleles. Symptoms start about a decade later, and no evidence of inflammation.

Type 3 is atypical and can be tied to toxic exposure with unusually low levels of zinc in the patients.

I'll keep reading...
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How drastic are the lifestyle changes he prescribes? Since this is new, I don't suppose there have been any tests to determine how effective his recommendations are. It is too soon to say, "making these lifestyle changes reduces your chances of developing ALZ by x%. If as you read you discover that there have been such tests, come back and correct me!

How is the state of APOE4 diagnosed? Is it a blood test?
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JJ, do you recall how low "unusually low " levels of zinc are, i.e., specific levels? I think I might have to buy this book.

One thing that I've wondered about is a common denominator such as the bad foods - sugar, etc. Were these addressed generally, or as inflammatory foods specifically?

Was there any discussion of toxins in water, air and foods, specifically insecticide residue from commercially grown produce?
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jeannegibbs, there is a ton of info on the APOE4 website, I believe it is a 23 and me off-shoot. I just finished reading the page for when one is considering to test or not.
One thing I am considering personally, is what lifestyle changes can I make now that are good for me regardless....which ones am I willing to make?

The book is new, but the research is not really new. Dr. Bredesen also has a website.

He is having trouble getting the medical community to back him with testing because it's a protocol rather than one or two medicines. I do not know if he has any hard data/stats of proof, but his book is filled with stories of patients who saw reversal of cognitive impairment and improvement on scans etc.

Right now it's just the tip of the iceberg for me in terms of reading and research...
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Garden Artist: according to the book...
Too much copper and too little zinc are associated with dementia.
Your blood levels of both copper and zinc should be 100mcg/dL or a 1:1 ratio.
He goes into very specific details on the areas and tests, but in general he mentions:
inflammation
genetics
infections
homocysteine levels
fasting insulin levels
hormones (thyroid)
toxic exposure
immune system
microbiome
leaky gut
blood brain barrier
body mass index
prediabetes
volumetrics (as related to scans, MRIs)
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watch this video for a relatively easy to understand synopsis;
Fine Tuning Bredesen's Protocol by Deborah Gordon MD
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JJ, thanks for those details. Certainly a lot of categories to consider.
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I watched that video. Thanks for sharing.

I think I take a lot of pills. OMG -- the number of supplements recommended is incredible!

This applies only to ALZ, not other kinds of dementia. If you test at very low risk for ALZ, that doesn't mean you won't get vascular, frontal, lewy body, etc.

Thinking about it, I don't think I would want the test until there were reliable treatments available.

It sounds like Bredesen has tried his approach on first 10 and then 100 people. That is certainly enough to justify lots of further study, but, in my mind, 110 people don't "prove" anything.
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Jeannegibbs, yep....all that info is overwhelming! I decided that I don't need to make a decision right now, and in the meantime I'm going to continue researching and paying closer attention to all the medical news etc. Perhaps there are lifestyle changes I can make that aren't too drastic that will be good for me regardless, and for now I will approach it that way...
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