Top papers/articles/media posts of 2020

[TheresaB]

As you may know, our organization - ApoE4.info sponsors a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/apoe4.info where current articles, research papers, videos/podcasts/presentations, and other areas of ApoE4 interest are posted every day. Here’s a retrospective look at the articles/papers/media that held the most reach in 2020:

Posted January 18, 2020
Want an Affordable Cognoscopy? Ask Your Doctor to Order These 33 Tests
Many of us are fans of Dr Dale Bredesen, neurodegeneration researcher for over 30 years, he has published on reversing cognitive decline, and wrote the book “The End of Alzheimer’s”. He coined the term, “cognoscopy” a series of tests to identify areas of brain health concern for an individual. And take note, deficits vary individually, so it’s important to identify the proper targets for each person. Some people seek Bredesen trained practioners to get a cognoscopy and guide them through their health journey. Others choose a “do it yourself” approach. Here’s an article that might help those DIYers.

Posted January 26, 2020
Can lithium halt progression of Alzheimer's disease?]
"In a new study, a team of researchers has shown that, when given in a formulation that facilitates passage to the brain, lithium in doses up to 400 times lower than what is currently being prescribed for mood disorders is capable of both halting signs of advanced Alzheimer's pathology and of recovering lost cognitive abilities."

Posted January 28, 2020
A precision approach to end Alzheimer's Disease | Dale Bredesen | TEDxManhattanBeach
Recently released, a short video (9.5 minutes) by Dr Dale Bredesen. Dr Bredesen is an internationally recognized expert in neurodegenerative diseases. He graduated from Caltech, earned his M.D. from Duke University, served as chief resident in neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) before joining Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner’s laboratory at UCSF as an NIH postdoctoral fellow. He was founding President of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and was Adjunct Professor at UCSF before returning to UCLA to direct the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, and as Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine. He is the author of the book, "The End of Alzheimer's" and author/co-author of many published papers. For more information or to watch more detailed presentations by him, visit our webpage ApoE4.info, go to the wiki and click on "The Bredesen Protocol (ReCODE)™ explained for laypeople" link.

Posted February 17, 2020
Alzheimer’s disease and glucose metabolism
You may have recently seen the posted clips of Dr Peter Attia as conducted by Dr Rhonda Patrick. Did you know Dr Attia has his own page where he conducts many in-depth interviews himself? This link goes to a short article that Dr Attia wrote on Alzheimer’s Disease being a metabolic disease. Metabolism is the process where your body makes energy from food, a metabolic disease is when chemical reactions in your body disrupt this process. This article isn’t very long but it cites links to some studies and two interviews (Richard Isaacson and Francisco Gonzalez-Lima) that discuss Alzheimer’s as a metabolic disease if you want to learn more about this. Also, regarding ApoE4, he wrote, “A different line of research shows that different variants of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) allele affect glucose metabolism in the brain in mice. Essentially, mice with two copies of the APOE2 variant are more efficient at utilizing glucose than APOE4 mice, which could help explain the associated protection of the APOE2 variant, and elevated risk of APOE4 seen in study after study in the US population.”

Posted October 9, 2020
The effect of insomnia on development of Alzheimer’s disease
“Studies have shown that sleep deprivation (SD) and insomnia are associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease [AD] and may have an impact on the symptoms and development. Thus, sleep disorders have decisive effects on AD; this association deserves more attention in research, diagnostics, and treatment, and knowing this relation also can help to prevent AD through screening and proper management of sleep disorders. This study aimed to show the potential role of SD and insomnia in the pathogenesis and progression of AD.”

Posted January 12, 2020
In Alzheimer research, glucose metabolism moves to center stage
We’ve often talked about slowed glucose uptake in the brain. This impaired brain fuel function seems to be heightened in ApoE4 carriers, although it can happen to anyone. But this idea is not new. The nickname “Type 3 Diabetes” for Alzheimer’s was coined in 2008. Evidently, we may be hearing even more about this in the future. According to this article, “Researchers suspect that reduced glucose metabolism, often present in brain scans of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementias, may have a bigger role in dementia pathology than previously thought.” So stand-by. In the meantime, keep maintaining practices that encourage insulin sensitivity.

Posted Feb 16, 2020
What New Research Says About Melatonin and Sleep
Sleep is important to us ApoE4s, so it’s probably fair to say some of us supplement with melatonin to aid with sleep. But according to this article, “Some of the most broad and potent benefits of melatonin may lay outside the sleep realm.” Scientists are learning more about the protective and therapeutic benefits of melatonin in fighting the most significant chronic diseases of our time: heart disease, cancer, dementia, diabetes.

Posted Feb 8, 2020
Fasting, Longevity and the Mitochondrial Connection
Very good, accessible article on mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in many diseases including Alzheimer’s. This makes sense since mitochondria are referred to as the “powerhouses of the cell” and so much of Alzheimer’s is bioenergetic degradation. With respect to fasting, this article explains, “So the ancient wellness practice of intermittent fasting essentially gets rid of the old mitochondria and at the same time stimulates new growth. This process of renewing your mitochondria may play a huge role in the prevention of many of the diseases we currently have no acceptable treatment.” You may need to register to access the entire article, sorry about that, but registering seems to come with no negative ramifications, as in additional spam and Medium does publish some very good, relevant articles.

Posted Apr 27, 2020
Coconut Oil’s Health Halo a Mirage, Clinical Trials Suggest
Have you heard ApoE4s should stay away from coconut oil but you consume it anyway or you haven’t made up your mind about it? The authors of this paper did not separate ApoE4s but generally found coconut oil health benefits are overblown and consumption should be limited. What are your thoughts on coconut oil?

Posted January 19, 2020
Hormone Exposure and Risk for Dementia Later in Life
More evidence that hormone replacement therapy protects women from cognitive decline. A new study suggests that timing is critical and beginning within FIVE years of menopausal onset is optimal. This is a good reason to work closely with your gynecologist, tracking levels, as you approach menopause. (You may need to create a free account to see the full article.)

[Plumster]

Thank you, Theresa!

[Julie G]

Thanks for migrating this over, Theresa. Deep bow!

[Matisse]

Thank you for the summary Theresa!

[MarcR]

Awesome list, Theresa - much food for thought here!

[floramaria]

As you may know, our organization - ApoE4.info sponsors a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/apoe4.info where current articles, research papers, videos/podcasts/presentations, and other areas of ApoE4 interest are posted every day. Here’s a retrospective look at the articles/papers/media that held the most reach in 2020:

I hadn’t looked at this until today, Theresa. Thanks for posting the links here. I rarely make it over to the FB page so this is really helpful.