Health
Can we reverse Alzheimer’s disease? Experts suggest ‘new paradigm’ for combating dementia
With more people dying from Alzheimer’s disease than ever before, experts are emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
The number of fatalities due to the disease increased by 141% between 2000 and 2021, according to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.
Also, the number of Americans living with the disease is on the rise as well — up to 6.9 million and counting.
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“As older adults — mostly baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 — are the fastest-growing segment of the population, and this same demographic is at the highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, it is not entirely surprising that the number of cases continues to grow,” Dr. James Galvin, chief of cognitive neurology and director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at The University of Miami Health System, told Fox News Digital.
The number of fatalities due to the disease increased by 141% between 2000 and 2021, according to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. (iStock)
Another factor contributing to the uptick of cases is that the disease is getting detected earlier, he noted — “due to scientific advances in knowledge, diagnostic criteria and laboratory tests that enable health care professionals to make diagnoses with greater surety and accuracy.”
Importance of early detection
Early detection and diagnosis allows the family to plan for future care at a time when the patient is able to express their wishes and desires, Galvin noted.
Also, many of the available medications to reduce symptoms are most effective when started early in the course of the disease, he added.
Patients who are diagnosed early will also have a better chance of enrolling in clinical trials for new medications and diagnostics.
Many of the available medications to reduce symptoms are most effective when started early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease, said one expert. (iStock)
“There are newer medications that have the potential for disease modification that are approved or under consideration for approval, so patients have more treatment options,” Galvin said.
The current medications largely treat symptoms and slow progression of disease — but several trials are underway to test prevention therapies.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE FOUND TO BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH MEDICAL PROCEDURES DECADES AGO, STUDY FINDS
“Specifically, these are monoclonal antibodies against the amyloid beta-protein, the building block of the senile plaques in the Alzheimer’s brain,” Galvin said.
“This is particularly exciting, because rather than being reactive after the disease starts, these new programs are proactive and could potentially have a much greater impact on public health.”
Can Alzheimer’s be reversed?
Dr. Heather Sandison, a leading expert in Alzheimer’s and related dementia care who is based in California, said that in some cases, the disease can be slowed or even reversed.
“The ways for individuals to potentially reverse Alzheimer’s vary, because the causes of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person,” Sandison, author of the upcoming book “Reversing Alzheimer’s: The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition and Protect Brain Health,” told Fox News Digital.
Early detection and diagnosis allows the family to plan for future care at a time when the patient is able to express their wishes and desires, a doctor noted. (iStock)
“Instead of thinking of one way or one of two ways, I propose an entirely new paradigm of thinking about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease — identifying them for the individual and creating a targeted, precise approach to treatment.”
One person, for example, may have Alzheimer’s that is associated with genetic predisposition, high blood sugar and a history of strokes, she noted.
“The choices you make each day about what you put in your mouth, how much you move and what time you get to bed have the biggest impact on your long-term brain health.”
Another individual may have Alzheimer’s caused by the inhalation of toxins from environmental pollution, obstructive sleep apnea reducing the oxygen supply, and a history of traumatic brain injuries.
Someone else may have all of these factors.
“We would treat these individuals differently,” Sandison said.
“The way for an individual to potentially reverse Alzheimer’s varies, because the causes of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person,” an expert said. (iStock)
Regardless of risk factors, Sandison said the best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s are to eat a diet high in vegetables, good fats and proteins, while also getting regular vigorous exercise, quality sleep and daily stress management practices.
“The choices you make each day about what you put in your mouth, how much you move and what time you get to bed have the biggest impact on your long-term brain health,” she said.
Like any complex system, the brain and body require a “homeodynamic balance” to function well, according to Sandison.
“Imbalance — too much, too little, in the wrong place, at the wrong time — will create dysfunction and, in the case of the body and brain, disease,” she warned.
“The primary causes of imbalance in the brain include toxins, nutrients, stressors, structure, infections and signaling.”
The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease has risen to 6.9 million. Like any complex system, the brain and body require a “homeodynamic balance” to function well, said one expert. (iStock)
With her reversal techniques, Sandison said she sees the best results with patients who are younger than 75, have MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) scores of 18 and above, and have a supportive network of loved ones around them, “so they can dive fully into the lifestyle changes.”
She added, “That being said, we have seen miraculous results with patients in their 80s with single-digit MoCA scores.”
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“You don’t have to be perfect, but in order to get results, you need to be willing and able to make some changes,” Sandison continued.
“If you have that, there is room for hope, no matter how much the disease has progressed.”
To her patients, Sandison recommends combining lifestyle recommendations with conventional medicine.
“Diet, lifestyle and functional medicine approaches are best used collaboratively with a primary care provider and neurologist on your team,” she said.
“I am hopeful that in the future, we will use the plaque-busting drugs to reduce structural changes in the brain … in combination with the multi-pronged approach to reversing Alzheimer’s.”
‘Connection over correction’
Sandison coined the “connection over correction” approach as a way of helping caregivers deal with what can often feel like an “overwhelming burden.”
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“There are complex emotions — ranging from joy and gratitude for the precious time with a loved one to grief and despair as you lose them slowly,” she said.
“The physical, financial and emotional toll adds up.”
Regardless of what risk factors someone has, experts recommend eating a diet high in vegetables, good fats and proteins combined with regular vigorous exercise to help reduce dementia risk. (iStock)
One way to reduce the burden is to accept that your loved one has changed and stop correcting them, according to Sandison.
“Focus your energy on connecting with them in a way that honors their current capacity,” she advised.
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“If they make a mistake with a word or repeat a question or miss an appointment … make accommodations and focus on the positive aspects of the day, not dwelling on or emphasizing the mistake.”
The “connection over correction” approach is a way of helping caregivers deal with what can often feel like an “overwhelming burden,” an expert said. (iStock)
Having compassion for loved ones with dementia and understanding they have a disease they cannot control can help to reframe these frustrating situations, she said.
“We all function best when we are experiencing connections with others and when we can avoid the unnecessary stress of feeling we are wrong or as if we have displeased someone,” Sandison added.
The biggest myth surrounding brain health, she said, is that nothing can be done to prevent or reverse dementia or Alzheimer’s.
“That just isn’t true,” she said. “It’s almost overwhelming how much you can do to optimize cognitive function at any stage of life.”
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Health
I Lost 215 Lbs and Transformed My Health Without GLP-1s and Only Mindset Shifts—Here Are My Biggest Tips
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On average, Americans want to live to be 91 years old, according to a recent Pew Research survey — a goal that has driven a focus on longevity-boosting practices.
Over 60% of U.S. adults use supplements and most prioritize long-term health and wellness behaviors as part of an anti-aging approach, research has shown.
In 2025, researchers revealed the following anti-aging discoveries that may help you live a longer life.
COMMON DAILY VITAMIN SHOWN TO SLOW AGING PROCESS OVER 4-YEAR PERIOD
1. Vitamin D could slow the aging process
A study by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia discovered that taking vitamin D supplements may protect against biological aging.
Research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May 2025 found that supplementing with daily vitamin D3 can reduce biological wear and tear equivalent to nearly three years of aging.
Vitamin D3 supplementation can reduce biological wear and tear equivalent to nearly three years of aging, research has shown. (iStock)
Three months later, researchers at Harvard confirmed this correlation with their own study published in the same journal.
Daily vitamin D3 supplementation was found to prevent the shortening of telomeres, the protective ends on chromosome strands, which is a hallmark of aging.
2. Meditation practices may boost longevity
An April 2025 study by Maharishi International University (MIU), the University of Siegen, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences found that transcendental meditation can significantly alleviate stress and slow down aging.
The long-term meditation practice involves silently repeating a mantra in your head to achieve deep relaxation.
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The study, published in the journal Biomolecules, found that participants who practiced transcendental meditation had lower expression of the genes associated with inflammation and aging.
“These results support other studies indicating that the transcendental meditation technique can reverse or remove long-lasting effects of stress,” co-author Kenneth Walton, a senior researcher at MIU, previously told Fox News Digital. “Lasting effects of stress are now recognized as causing or contributing to all diseases and disorders.”
Those who practiced transcendental mediation had a lower expression of genes associated with aging. (iStock)
3. GLP-1s are linked to reduction in mortality
A September 2025 study discovered that GLP-1 drugs, which are designed for diabetes and weight loss, could significantly reduce mortality for Americans.
Researchers at Swiss Re, a reinsurance company in Zurich, Switzerland, estimated that GLP-1 drugs could lead to a 6.4% reduction in all-cause mortality in the U.S. by 2045. In the U.K., more than a 5% reduction in mortality was projected over the same 20 years.
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Obesity is one factor that has “stalled progress in life expectancy,” as it is linked to 70% of the leading causes of death in high-income countries, according to the researchers.
4. Creativity and socialization could extend lifespan
In October 2025, various research investigated the impact of social engagement on longevity.
A study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity found that social relationships can slow cellular aging.
A September 2025 study discovered that GLP-1 drugs could significantly reduce mortality for Americans. (iStock)
Researchers at Cornell University explored the long-term benefits of social connections on biological aging.
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“We found that strong social ties can literally slow down the biological aging process,” lead study author Anthony Ong previously said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Strong social ties appear to work in the background over many years, building a more resilient body by reducing the chronic, low-grade inflammation that is a key driver of accelerated aging.”
Social connection is a major player in extending longevity, research has shown. (iStock)
A similar study was published the same month, revealing that creative activities such as music, dance, painting and even certain video games may help keep the brain biologically younger.
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Researchers from 13 countries — including teams at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and SWPS University in Poland — analyzed brain data from more than 1,400 adults of all ages worldwide. Those who regularly pursued creative hobbies had brain patterns that appeared younger than their actual age.
Even short bursts of creative activity, such as a few weeks of strategy-based video gaming, had noticeable benefits.
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Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Bardolf and Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.
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The time of day patients receive cancer treatments could have an impact on the outcome, a new study suggests.
New research published in Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society, found that patients who received standard immunochemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) earlier in the day saw “significantly greater benefit” compared to those who got the same treatment later in the afternoon.
In the study, researchers from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University, China, analyzed data from nearly 400 patients who were treated between May 2019 and October 2023.
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All patients had ES-SCLC and received first-line immunotherapy (atezolizumab or durvalumab) along with chemotherapy, according to a press release.
“Our study found that patients who received immunochemotherapy before 3:00 PM had substantially longer progression-free survival and overall survival,” lead study author Dr. Yongchang Zhang, medical oncologist and chief director at the Hunan Cancer Hospital in Changsha, China, told Fox News Digital.
The time of day patients receive cancer treatments could have an impact on the outcome, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, earlier administration was associated with a 52% lower risk of cancer progression and a 63% lower risk of death.”
“It was quite surprising that simply changing the infusion time could lead to such substantial survival benefits for patients,” he added.
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The findings align with the idea of chronotherapy, which suggests that the body’s natural daily rhythms affect how the immune system works and how drugs act in the body.
This means cancer treatments may be more effective at certain times of day, likely because immune activity and drug processing change over the 24-hour cycle, the study suggests.
“This study should not prompt patients to delay treatment or panic about appointment times.”
Based on the findings, Zhang recommends scheduling immunotherapy infusions in the early part of the day.
“Research across multiple cancer types has shown that patients receiving immunotherapy earlier in the day experience longer survival,” he noted. “Our findings in non-small cell lung cancer, supported by both multicenter retrospective studies and prospective clinical trials, confirm this pattern.”
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Gilberto Lopes, M.D., chief of medical oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted that previous, similar studies in non-small cell lung cancer have shown better outcomes when immunotherapy is administered earlier in the day, reinforcing the idea that the immune system follows circadian rhythms that influence treatment response.
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“In that sense, the results are biologically plausible and consistent with a growing body of evidence across cancers,” Lopes, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “What is striking is that this signal now appears in small cell lung cancer, a disease where outcomes have been notoriously difficult to improve.”
All patients had ES-SCLC and received first-line immunotherapy (atezolizumab or durvalumab) along with chemotherapy. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations, as detailed in the published study. Most notably, the study was retrospective and observational, meaning it could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between timing of treatments and outcomes.
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With this type of study, Lopes said, “investigators start with an idea and go back and review patient records.” In this case, other factors can have an impact on the outcome, according to the oncologist.
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“For instance, did patients who come early in the day have a better quality of life, performance status and socioeconomic status and that is what made the difference?” he asked. “Or something else we don’t know? These results need to be confirmed prospectively to eliminate known and unknown sources of bias.”
“The next step is prospective testing, but until then, this research invites us to rethink something medicine usually ignores: timing itself,” an oncologist said. (iStock)
Zhang also pointed out that this was a single-center study including only Chinese patients. “To obtain more definitive evidence, prospective clinical trials conducted across multiple countries and diverse populations are needed,” he told Fox News Digital.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to conduct randomized trials to confirm these preliminary findings and pinpoint optimal treatment windows based on individual patients’ chronotypes (internal body clocks).
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“This study should not prompt patients to delay treatment or panic about appointment times,” Lopes cautioned. “But it raises an important, low-cost question for oncology systems: If scheduling flexibility exists, should earlier infusion times be preferred?”
“The next step is prospective testing, but until then, this research invites us to rethink something medicine usually ignores: timing itself.”
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