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<p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama46/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed"> View the Show Notes Page for This Episode</a></p> <p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed"> Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content</a></p> <p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed"> Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter</a></p> <p>In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter goes into depth on the topic of brain health, starting with how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, the significance of blood-based biomarkers in diagnosis, and what the various APOE gene variants mean in terms of a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Next, Peter discusses the various strategies for preventing Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration. He touches briefly on exercise as a potent tool, but focuses more on lesser-known factors that could impact brain health, such as nutrition supplementation, lipid management, brain games, sauna, oral health, hearing loss, and more.</p> <p>If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/members/private-podcast-feed/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed">private RSS feed </a>or our website at the <a href="http://peterattiamd.com/ama46/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed">AMA #46 show notes page</a>. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=230417-pod-ama46&utm_content=230417-pod-ama46-podfeed">here</a>.</p> <p><strong>We discuss:</strong></p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease [2:45];</li> <li>Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, the C2N test, and other tools for diagnosis [7:30];</li> <li>Genetic component of Alzheimer's disease: genes that confer risk [12:45];</li> <li>Understanding your APOE status and why it's important to know [17:15];</li> <li>The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and who is at higher risk [21:15];</li> <li>Can the risk of Alzheimer's disease be decreased with behavioral changes? [24:15];</li> <li>Overview of modifiable behaviors that potentially play a role in risk reduction of neurodegeneration [30:15];</li> <li>Things that clearly impact brain health: smoking, alcohol, sleep, head injuries, blood pressure, and more [34:15];</li> <li>How nutrition impacts brain health: common diets, metabolic health, energy balance, and more [46:15];</li> <li>Comparing common diets: data showing the association between the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and specific diets [59:45];</li> <li>Supplements: EPA and DHA, vitamin D, and B vitamins [1:13:00];</li> <li>Supplements: theracurmin, cocoa flavonols, and magnesium L-threonate [1:25:15];</li> <li>Impact of exercise on brain health, minimum effective dose, and the most important types of exercise [1:33:00];</li> <li>Challenging the mind with brain games—does it impact neurodegeneration? [1:43:00];</li> <li>The data on sauna and brain health [1:49:45];</li> <li>Oral health and its association with brain health [1:52:45];</li> <li>How reducing lipids can improve brain health and prevent neurodegeneration [1:55:30];</li> <li>The potential impact of hearing loss on brain health and neurodegeneration [2:04:30]; and</li> <li>More.</li> </ul> <p>Connect With Peter on <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peterattiamd/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peterattiamd/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kGsMa0LygSX9nkBcBH1Sg">YouTube</a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Factors
Engage in multiple healthy lifestyle factors, including not smoking, getting good sleep, exercising, and maintaining good nutrition. These behaviors can significantly offset the risk of cognitive decline, with a greater impact observed in individuals with ApoE4 variants.
2. Know Your ApoE Gene Status
Determine your ApoE gene status through testing. This knowledge is important because it empowers individuals to take actionable steps to potentially delay the onset or reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Prioritize Regular Exercise
Incorporate regular exercise into your routine. The evidence is overwhelming that exercise is beneficial for brain health and preventing neurodegeneration, making it a ’no regret move'.
4. Rule Out Treatable Causes of Cognitive Decline
If experiencing symptoms of cognitive decline (e.g., memory difficulty, confusion), undergo lab tests to rule out other treatable conditions. Profound hypothyroidism or B12/B6 deficiencies can present with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Consider Comprehensive Genetic Testing
For a more thorough assessment of Alzheimer’s risk beyond ApoE4, consider whole genome sequencing. This method offers a lower error rate and identifies a broader suite of relevant genes compared to commercial snip tests.
6. Utilize C2N Score for High-Risk Patients
For individuals identified as very high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, consider using the C2N amyloid score. This plasma-based biomarker provides additional risk information and can potentially track the impact of interventions on amyloid beta ratios, though its use is still in early days.