A small trial suggests wellness interventions, including exercise, may help reverse memory loss in Alzheimer’s sufferers

Since it was first discovered more than 100 years ago, Alzheimer’s disease has been without an effective treatment. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, and as the ageing population grows, so does the number of people with brain disorders. The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that next year, 850,000 people in the UK alone will suffer from dementia, and this number is set to rise to 2 million by 2051.

However, the outlook may not be quite so depressing if the findings of a small US pilot study are anything to go by. Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have discovered that lifestyle and wellness interventions have reversed memory loss in patients with Alzheimer’s disease for the first time. Although the results are anecdotal, the findings are “very encouraging”, says study author and neurology professor Dr Dale Bredesen.

Individualised intervention
As part of the trial, a group of experts put together a 36-point plan for 10 patients with Alzheimer’s. The plans included daily exercise, meditation and yoga. They also followed a strict diet, in some cases including fasting, taking supplements and obtaining an optimal seven to eight hours’ sleep a night.

Each plan was personalised, based on extensive testing to determine what was affecting brain signals in each patient. Although the programmes were complex and difficult to follow – none of the participants were able to fully adhere to them – Bredesen believes a multiple-component approach is key. “The existing Alzheimer’s drug affects a single target, but the disease is more complex,” he says. “Imagine having a roof with 36 holes, and your drug patched one very well... You’d still have 35 other leaks, and so the underlying process may not be affected much.”

Promising results
The results were promising, with nine out of 10 patients seeing improvements in three to six months. The only patient not to gain any benefit had been diagnosed with late-stage Alzheimer’s.

Such were the benefits for some participants that six people who’d been struggling at work, or who had to stop work due to cognitive issues, were able to return to their jobs. Those who stayed in employment showed improved performance. Bredesen adds: “It’s noteworthy that the major side-effects of this therapeutic system are improved health and BMI – a stark contrast to the side-effects of many drugs.”

Further research needed
Overall, the results suggest that memory loss may be reversed, and even improvements sustained, by following a therapeutic plan. Yet Bredesen cautions that further research is needed.

“The current, anecdotal results require a larger trial, not only to confirm or refute the results reported here, but also to address key questions raised, such as the degree of improvement that can be achieved routinely, how late in the course of cognitive decline reversal can be effected... and how long improvement can be sustained,” he explains.

Prior to these findings, other research studies have alluded to the benefits of exercise for cognitive function. Studies have found that physical activity can delay cognitive decline by as much as 10–15 years (see HCM Feb 10, p28); while short bursts of exercise can have an instant impact (see HCM Jan 13, p55).