How to Avoid Alzheimer's: The Latest Research

The mice are leading the way – let’s follow where they go

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Summer 2023 saw the publication of some exciting new research into dementia prevention. It didn’t involve any pharmaceuticals, which might explain why most of it came and went with little media attention.

On August 21^st, the journal Cell Metabolism published the results of a study that found that intermittent fasting may prevent dementia by regulating the circadian rhythm, or internal body clock.

The circadian rhythm orchestrates many of our biochemical processes, including  metabolism and hormone function. Disruption to this rhythm can result in poor sleep quality, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly 80% of people with AD experience excessive daytime sleepiness, and agitated behaviour after sunset, followed by sleep disturbances at night. These experiences are all associated with poor cognitive performance, as well as reduced white matter, an area involved in processing information.

Traditionally, it has been assumed that circadian disruptions in people with AD are a consequence of neurodegeneration, but the authors of this study now believe it may be the other way round – disruption to the circadian rhythm may be behind the development of AD.

This new view of how AD progresses came about after observing the effects of intermittent fasting on mice. The mice in question were only allowed to eat during a six-hour window each day.  A second, control group of mice were provided with food all day long. Those on the time-restricted schedule not only slept better, they also demonstrated better memory. Furthermore, they accumulated fewer amyloid protein plaques in their brains than their non-fasting counterparts. Amyloid protein plaques are another, well-known hallmark of AD.