Alzheimer’s Prevention Charity Pioneers Research On Nutrition Biomarkers To Detect Dementia Risk From Age 18

The Food for the Brain Foundation’s Cognitive Function Test will now be used to assess blood biomarkers being developed in the ‘READ OUT’ trial, a UK-based research project.

The project, headed by Professor Vanessa Raymont at the University of Oxford, is investigating the use of blood tests to improve dementia diagnosis. It’s part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge, which aims to integrate blood tests into the NHS dementia diagnostic pathways.

The Cognitive Function Test, developed by experts at the Food for the Brain Foundation, the only charity in the UK focussing primarily on Alzheimer’s prevention, has already been taken by over 200,000 people, letting them know their risk and what can be done to reduce it.

The move to prevention is essential, as despite much investment, trials of drugs designed to treat Alzheimer’s, once it has been diagnosed, have failed to produce clinically significant results, with considerable adverse effects ranging from brain bleeding, swelling and consequent death. Consequently, these drugs are not recommended or available on the NHS.

That’s why focus is moving to early diagnosis of those at risk and prevention strategies to preserve the health of the brain and prevent cognitive decline – and even improve it while still possible.

In addition to the Cognitive Function Test, the Food for the Brain Foundation is also starting a ‘DRIfT’ trial of nutrition-related biomarkers to see how they predict future risk, and what happens when you improve them.

DRIfT stands for ‘Dementia Risk Index functional Test’ and is a painless pinprick test that measures a person’s omega-3 index, vitamin D, homocysteine for B vitamins, HbA1c for blood sugar control and glutathione index as a measure of one’s antioxidant status.

“We call these four fundamental processes the ‘four horsemen of the mental health apocalypse’. This is because the brain depends on these fats, incorporated into the brain by a B vitamin dependent process, which needs a balanced glucose supply. The brain then generates oxidative ‘exhaust fumes’ from burning sugar for energy. That’s why antioxidants in vegetables and fruit are also so important, along with omega-3 from seafood or plant sources and B vitamins, for brain health.” says Patrick Holford, the charity’s founder.

Professor David Smith, former Vice Dean of Oxford University’s School of Medical Science, whose research has shown that homocysteine-lowering B vitamins stop cognitive decline and slow down brain shrinkage, says “The world is facing a devastating onslaught of dementia as populations get older and yet there is little, if any, effort by the authorities to prevent dementia. Instead of wasting resources on trying to develop a treatment, we urgently need to adopt the approach proposed by Food for the Brain and find the best ways to prevent the disease processes that lead to dementia.”

Participation in this research is open to all. So far over 4,000 people have joined the trial. Foodforthebrain.org are hoping to enrol 10,000 by the end of the year who will agree to take the online Cognitive Function Test twice a year, complete a nutrition and lifestyle questionnaire and have a before and after blood test from a home test kit. In return these important ‘citizen scientists’ will receive personalised guidance on how to reduce their future risk of cognitive decline.