Can we slow Alzheimer’s?
For most people, an Alzheimer’s diagnosis would be devastating. But Dr Daniel Gibbs is not most people – he’s a neurologist who not only has specialist understanding of the condition, but also happens to have early-stage Alzheimer’s himself.
While he admits he’s “disappointed” to have the disease, Gibbs says he’s also “fascinated” by it – and considers himself lucky. He stumbled upon his diagnosis 10 years ago, before he developed any cognitive symptoms (Gibbs took a DNA test to trace his ancestry, which revealed genetic links to Alzheimer’s). This ultimately gave him the chance to tackle it very early on.
“It’s easy to say I’m unlucky to have Alzheimer’s,” says Gibbs. “But in truth, I’m lucky to have found what I found, when I found it.”
As a result, the American neurologist, now 69, has devoted his life to researching the disease and what can be done to slow its progress. He’s now explained his findings in a new book which reveals the lifestyle choices Gibbs, and many in the dementia community, believe can help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s, particularly in its early stages.
By early, he means before there are even any symptoms (there can be changes in a brain with Alzheimer’s up to 20 years before there are any cognitive signs).
Here, Gibbs outlines six steps to help reduce the risk and slow the progress of Alzheimer’s in its very early stages.
1. Exercise
There’s overwhelming evidence that regular aerobic exercise reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and slows the progression of the disease in the early stages by as much as 50%, Gibbs says. The evidence for a beneficial effect of exercise is robust except in the late stage of the disease, when it may be too late to intervene.
2. Eat a plant-based diet
A plant-based, Mediterranean-style diet appears to reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s. The evidence is most compelling for a variant of the Mediterranean diet called the MIND diet (Mediterranean intervention for neurodegenerative delay) featuring green vegetables, berries, nuts and other foods rich in flavanols.
3. Mentally stimulating activity
While games and puzzles may be helpful, it’s important to challenge the brain with new learning, as this is thought to help develop new neuronal pathways and synapses. Examples include reading, learning to play a new musical piece, or studying a new language.
4. Social engagement
This can be hard for people living with Alzheimer’s because apathy is often a part of the disease. There’s evidence that those who remain socially active have slower progression.
5. Getting adequate sleep
This is an emerging area of research. There appears to be a cleansing of the brain of toxins, including beta-amyloid (a protein which forms sticky plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s) during sleep by the so-called glymphatic circulation. Also, sleep disorders including sleep apnoea are common in patients with Alzheimer’s and should be treated if present.
6. Diabetes and high blood pressure
Both these disorders – diabetes and high blood pressure – can aggravate Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain as well as lead to vascular dementia, a condition that often coexists with Alzheimer’s. Therefore, detecting these issues early and ensuring they’re well managed is also important.
A Tattoo On My Brain: A Neurologist’s Personal Battle Against Alzheimer’s Disease by Daniel Gibbs, £18.99.