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.
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“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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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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