Burlingame, Calif. | July 6, 2022
News provided by Apollo Health
Over 80% of Patients Show Cognitive Improvement Using a Precision Medicine Protocol
Amid repeated failures of traditional drug trials for Alzheimer’s disease, a small pilot study using a precision medicine approach has reported promising results, improving cognitive scores in over 80% of patients. The findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Physicians at three independent clinical sites reported measurable improvements across multiple domains, including:
- Cognitive testing scores
- Brain training performance
- Partner-assessed symptoms
- MRI-based measurements of regional brain volumes
These outcomes represent a notable departure from prior Alzheimer’s trials, which have largely focused on slowing decline rather than demonstrating functional improvement.
Precision Medicine vs. Single-Drug Alzheimer’s Treatment
Study participants ranged in age from 50 to 76 years and were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia, similar to populations enrolled in recent pharmaceutical trials.
Instead of targeting Alzheimer’s disease with a single therapeutic agent, physicians pursued an individualized precision medicine strategy. Each patient underwent extensive evaluation to identify potential contributors to cognitive decline, including:
- Inflammation
- Nutrient, hormone, and growth factor deficiencies
- Gut and oral microbiome imbalance
- Metabolic dysfunction
- Sleep apnea
- Genetic risk factors (including clotting tendencies)
- Vascular abnormalities
- Pathogens and environmental toxins
Based on these findings, patients received personalized treatment protocols over a nine-month period. In several cases, cognitive scores improved from the dementia range into the normal range—an outcome rarely observed in Alzheimer’s research.
MRI Volumetric Analysis Shows Significant Brain Structure Improvements
All participants underwent computer-based regional brain volume analysis using MRI.
Key neuroimaging findings included:
- Gray matter volume increased by 0.3%, compared to the expected annual decline of approximately 2.2% in patients with MCI or dementia
- Hippocampal atrophy rates improved by 63%, a critical marker given the hippocampus’s central role in memory and Alzheimer’s disease progression
These volumetric improvements provide objective neuroimaging support for the clinical gains observed in cognitive testing.
Expert Perspective on the Trial Results
Lead author Dr. Kat Toups commented:
“I have been the Principal Investigator on more than 20 long-term clinical trials for patients with MCI and dementia where the benchmark for success was merely a slowing in cognitive decline. This trial is the first to show actual improvement in multiple domains of functioning, as well as improvements in MRI brain scans.”
Role of Neuroreader® Volumetric MRI Software
A central component of the study was quantitative brain MRI analysis. Neuroreader® volumetric software was used to objectively measure regional brain volumes, including hippocampal and gray matter changes, helping demonstrate the biological impact of a precision medicine approach to Alzheimer’s disease.
This study highlights the growing importance of digital health tools in neurodegenerative disease research, including:
- Brain training developed by Posit Science
- Online cognitive assessments from CNS Vital Signs
- MRI volumetrics developed by Brainreader and CorTechs
- The ReCODE evaluation and treatment algorithm developed by Apollo Health in collaboration with Prof. Dale Bredesen
The Future of Alzheimer’s Treatment: Data-Driven Precision Medicine
Senior author Prof. Dale Bredesen stated:
“We believe that the future of medicine, for treatment of complex chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, lies not in simplistic, single-drug medicine but rather in larger data sets and precision medicine protocols such as the one used in this trial.”
The findings support earlier published case studies involving 100 patients in whom cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s and pre-Alzheimer’s conditions was reversed.
A larger randomized controlled trial is planned and will be conducted at multiple U.S. sites, including Miami, Cleveland, Nashville, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Publication and Study Details
- Journal: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Print Issue: Volume 88, Issue 4
- Article Title: Precision Medicine Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease: Successful Pilot Project
- Publication Date: July 4, 2022
- DOI: 10.3233/JAD-215707
Study Support and Clinical Sites
The trial was supported by the Four Winds Foundation, organized by the CRO QuesGen, and conducted at:
- Functional Medicine Psychiatry and Dementia Clinic, Walnut Creek, CA – Dr. Kat Toups
- Northwest Memory Care Clinic, Ashland, OR – Dr. Deborah Gordon
- Dr. Ann Hathaway Clinic, San Rafael, CA – Dr. Ann Hathaway
Co-authors included Henrianna Chung, Dr. Cyrus Raji, Alan Boyd, Prof. Benjamin Hill, Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, Dr. Mouna Attarha, Dr. Won Jong Chwa, and Michael Jarrett.