The Evidence for Lifestyle's Role in Treating Cognitive Symptoms

Research is increasingly showing that lifestyle interventions may play a meaningful role in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Studies such as the FINGER trial in Finland and more recent POINTER trial in the US, suggest that a combination of healthy diet, regular exercise, mental stimulation, social engagement, and stress management can slow cognitive decline and sometimes improve memory and daily function in people at risk for or living with Alzheimer’s. These changes also support heart health, blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation, all of which are linked to brain health. While lifestyle interventions are not a cure, the growing body of evidence suggests they can be a powerful companion to medical treatments, helping to preserve independence and quality of life for longer. Below are summaries of some of these studies:

Effect of a Structured Lifestyle Intervention on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The U.S. POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA. 2025;334(6):513–525.

What Was the U.S. POINTER Trial?

• A large U.S. study of 2,000 older adults (ages 60–79) who were at higher risk for memory problems, but did not yet have dementia.
• The goal: see if healthy lifestyle changes can help keep memory and thinking sharp.

What Did They Do?

People were placed into two groups for 2 years:

1. Structured Program (more hands-on)

• Regular meetings with coaches
• Help setting goals and staying accountable
• Group exercise sessions, healthy meal guidance, brain games, and social activities

    2. Self-Guided Program (more on your own)

• Received health information and general advice

• Fewer check-ins, less structured support

What Did They Find?

Both groups improved in memory and thinking, but…

• The structured program helped people do a little better than the self-guided group.
• People with lower starting memory scores seemed to benefit the most.
• The program worked well for all types of people — including those with genetic risks.
• Here’s how “meaningful” the FINGER trial’s cognitive gains were, in plain terms:
  • Overall thinking ability (primary outcome): People in the lifestyle program improved ~25% more than those getting only health advice over 2 years.
    • On the test scale used, average scores rose 0.20 SD in the intervention group vs 0.16 SD in controls (a small-to-modest but real advantage). 
  • Thinking speed & problem-solving (secondary outcomes): The biggest gains were in day-to-day abilities that help with organizing, planning, and reacting quickly:
  • Executive function: 83% greater improvement vs control.
  • Processing speed: 150% greater improvement vs control. 
  • Memory: Memory didn’t show a pre-planned significant difference, though a post-hoc analysis did find a small benefit. 
• Who benefited: Benefits were seen across risk groups (e.g., genetics, demographics).
• Fewer health problems (like falls or medical events) were reported in the structured group.

What This Means for Caregivers

• Lifestyle changes do make a difference in protecting brain health.
• Support and structure matter — people do better when they have coaching, encouragement, and accountability.

Key parts of a brain-healthy routine:

• Regular physical activity
• Nutritious diet
• Social connection
• Brain exercises and learning
• Managing blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol

Takeaway

• Even small steps in daily life — moving more, eating well, staying socially and mentally active — can help protect memory.
• When possible, having a structured program or support system makes it easier to stick with and more effective.
• The lifestyle package (nutrition, exercise, brain training, social engagement, vascular risk control) produced modest overall gains and notably larger improvements in mental speed and executive skills—areas that often matter for everyday tasks like managing meds, planning meals, and staying safe.
• It’s not a cure, but it’s a safe, feasible approach that nudges cognition in the right direction over two years.
• The FINGER study is a population-level prevention strategy — “one size fits many” — focused on practical changes anyone at risk can adopt. Small studies suggest more significant meaningful changes may be made following precision medicine, an individualized prevention/treatment strategy — “one size fits one” — focused on customized interventions.

Summary of A Successful Pilot Study using a Precision Medicine Approach

Toups K, Hathaway A, Gordon D, et al. Precision Medicine Approach to Alzheimer's Disease: Successful Pilot Project. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;88(4):1411-1421. doi:10.3233/JAD-215707

What Was This Study About?

Instead of using just one drug or treatment for everyone, this study tested a personalized medical plan—a “precision medicine” approach—for people with mild memory problems or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s. Each person was tested for different health factors that might affect their memory—such as inflammation, infections, poor blood sugar control, hormone issues, nutrient deficiencies, and toxin exposures—and then received a tailored treatment plan addressing those issues

Who Took Part?

• 25 adults, aged 50 to 76, with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s.
• All participants had fairly decent thinking scores at the start (MoCA score ≥19). PMCPubMed
• Everyone completed the full 9-month program

What Happened During the Study?

• Health Testing: Participants were tested for a range of things—including inflammation and blood sugar issues, possible toxins, hormone levels, nutrition, and sleep breathing problems.
• Personalized Plans: Each person followed a medically guided, individualized plan for 9 months.
• Check-Ins at 3, 6, and 9 Months: Their thinking and memory were assessed several times during the study

What Improved?

• Thinking and memory scores improved: Tests like the MoCA, the CNS Vital Signs test, and the Alzheimer’s Questionnaire showed statistically significant improvement. 
• Brain imaging looked better: MRI scans showed improvements in brain volumes (less loss), suggesting better brain health.
• No serious side effects: The program appeared safe—no one experienced serious problems related to the interventions.

What This Means 

Good News

For seniors and caregivers, this means that looking at and treating each person's unique health issues—not just Alzheimer’s symptoms—might help slow cognitive decline or even improve thinking.

Personalized care matters

The approach treats the whole person, not just the brain.

Safe so far

The program didn’t cause harm in this group.

Promising early results

These findings suggest that a larger, controlled study is justified to further evaluate this method.

In Plain English

The researchers found that by looking at each person's overall health and treating problems like inflammation, poor blood sugar control, or nutrient shortages, participants often thought a bit better after nine months—and their brain scans even looked healthier. Importantly, no one had serious harm. It’s early, but it gives hope that a tailored treatment plan—rather than a one-size-fits-all pill—might work better for some people with early Alzheimer’s.

Summary of the Ornish Study

Ornish, D., Madison, C., Kivipelto, M. et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Alz Res Therapy 16, 122 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z 

What Did the Study Do?

Doctors wanted to see if making very healthy lifestyle changes could help people with mild memory problems or early Alzheimer’s disease. They compared two groups:

• One group followed an intensive “healthy living” plan—eating a plant-based diet, exercising, doing stress-management, and joining group support sessions.
• The other group continued their usual habits for 20 weeks, without making these changes.

Who Took Part?

• 51 people with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s, average age about 73 years.
• Most stayed with the study—only two people dropped out

What Happened After 20 Weeks?

Better Thinking & Daily Abilities

• On several standard tests, included global clinician impressions and memory/function ratings, the healthy-living group improved or stayed steady, while the usual-care group got worse. One test of thinking showed nearly significant improvement. 

Biological Signs Improved

• Blood markers related to Alzheimer’s (like the Aβ42/40 ratio) went up in the intervention group and down in the usual-care group. 
• Gut bacteria (“microbiome”) also improved only in the healthy-living group. 

Greater Effort, Greater Gain

• The more closely participants followed the plan (diet, exercise, stress relief, support groups), the more they improved on both cognitive tests and biomarkers.

What Does This Mean for Seniors?

Good news

• Many participants showed signs of improvement—or at least slowed decline—in memory and functioning after just 20 weeks of lifestyle changes.
• Biological changes supported these improvements, lending strength to the results.

A Few Important Things to Know

• Study size was small (51 people), which limits how broadly we can apply the results. 

• Blinding was not possible—participants knew if they were making lifestyle changes, which could affect outcomes. 

• Short duration (20 weeks). Longer studies are needed to see if the benefits last. 

• Not everyone improved. In the lifestyle group:

  • Some improved

  • Some stayed the same

  • Some worsened

• A big reason seemed to be how well they followed the program

In Plain English

You don’t have to try this alone—but if you do follow a healthy lifestyle plan—eating well, walking, managing stress, and linking up with others—you may notice you think a little better or hold steady longer. Yes, the study is small and short—but it gives hope that what’s good for the heart might be good for the brain too.

Summary of a Case Study Report using Precision Medicine Approach to Treat Alzhiemer's Disease 

Ross MK, Raji C, Lokken KL, et al. Case Study: A Precision Medicine Approach to Multifactorial Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism. 2021;11(Suppl 5):018.

What Was This Study About?

This report tells the story of one person with mixed dementia (Alzheimer’s plus other possible causes of memory loss) who was treated using a personalized, multi-part medical plan. Instead of using a single medication, doctors looked at many possible factors that might affect thinking and memory—and addressed each one carefully.

What Did “Precision Medicine” Mean Here?

• The doctor team examined the individual's health in detail: this included looking at liver and thyroid function, infections, toxins, hormone levels, diet, and inflammation.
• They then designed a customized plan to treat each issue—such as adjusting diet to reduce liver inflammation due to a condition called primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).PMC
• The idea was to improve brain health by addressing the many “little things” that together affect thinking.

What Happened Over 3.5 Years?

• The person showed sustained improvement in several areas:
  • Cognitive tests (measuring thinking and memory) improved.
  • Brain imaging (MRI and PET scans) showed healthier brain structure.
  • Blood tests reflected positive changes in inflammation and other markers.
  • The individual also felt and functioned better overall

What Does This Mean for Caregivers and Seniors?

Precision matters

Treating each person's unique health issues—not just the memory symptoms—can help.

Small fixes, big impact

Addressing multiple health factors like diet, liver health, and toxins can help stabilize or improve thinking.

Long-term improvement

Over more than 3 years, this person experienced real, lasting benefits.

Whole-person approach

This method treats the entire body—brain and body health go hand in hand.

In Simple Words

Rather than taking just one medicine for Alzheimer’s, doctors carefully looked at everything affecting this person—like liver health, hormones, toxins in the environment—and created a step-by-step health plan. Over three and a half years, they not only saw better scores on memory tests and healthier brain scans, but also improvements the person could feel daily. This is real hope that a personalized, whole-person approach may help more than standard treatments alone.

The Evidence for Lifestyle's Role in Treating Cognitive Symptoms

Research is increasingly showing that lifestyle interventions may play a meaningful role in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Studies such as the FINGER trial in Finland and more recent POINTER trial in the US, suggest that a combination of healthy diet, regular exercise, mental stimulation, social engagement, and stress management can slow cognitive decline and sometimes improve memory and daily function in people at risk for or living with Alzheimer’s. These changes also support heart health, blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation, all of which are linked to brain health. While lifestyle interventions are not a cure, the growing body of evidence suggests they can be a powerful companion to medical treatments, helping to preserve independence and quality of life for longer. Below are summaries of some of these studies:

Effect of a Structured Lifestyle Intervention on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The U.S. POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA. 2025;334(6):513–525.

What Was the U.S. POINTER Trial?

• A large U.S. study of 2,000 older adults (ages 60–79) who were at higher risk for memory problems, but did not yet have dementia.
• The goal: see if healthy lifestyle changes can help keep memory and thinking sharp.

What Did They Do?

People were placed into two groups for 2 years:

1. Structured Program (more hands-on)

• Regular meetings with coaches
• Help setting goals and staying accountable
• Group exercise sessions, healthy meal guidance, brain games, and social activities

    2. Self-Guided Program (more on your own)

• Received health information and general advice

• Fewer check-ins, less structured support

What Did They Find?

Both groups improved in memory and thinking, but…

• The structured program helped people do a little better than the self-guided group.
• People with lower starting memory scores seemed to benefit the most.
• The program worked well for all types of people — including those with genetic risks.
• Here’s how “meaningful” the FINGER trial’s cognitive gains were, in plain terms:
  • Overall thinking ability (primary outcome): People in the lifestyle program improved ~25% more than those getting only health advice over 2 years.
    • On the test scale used, average scores rose 0.20 SD in the intervention group vs 0.16 SD in controls (a small-to-modest but real advantage). 
  • Thinking speed & problem-solving (secondary outcomes): The biggest gains were in day-to-day abilities that help with organizing, planning, and reacting quickly:
  • Executive function: 83% greater improvement vs control.
  • Processing speed: 150% greater improvement vs control. 
  • Memory: Memory didn’t show a pre-planned significant difference, though a post-hoc analysis did find a small benefit. 
• Who benefited: Benefits were seen across risk groups (e.g., genetics, demographics).
• Fewer health problems (like falls or medical events) were reported in the structured group.

What This Means for Caregivers

• Lifestyle changes do make a difference in protecting brain health.
• Support and structure matter — people do better when they have coaching, encouragement, and accountability.

Key parts of a brain-healthy routine:

• Regular physical activity
• Nutritious diet
• Social connection
• Brain exercises and learning
• Managing blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol

Takeaway

• Even small steps in daily life — moving more, eating well, staying socially and mentally active — can help protect memory.
• When possible, having a structured program or support system makes it easier to stick with and more effective.
• The lifestyle package (nutrition, exercise, brain training, social engagement, vascular risk control) produced modest overall gains and notably larger improvements in mental speed and executive skills—areas that often matter for everyday tasks like managing meds, planning meals, and staying safe.
• It’s not a cure, but it’s a safe, feasible approach that nudges cognition in the right direction over two years.
• The FINGER study is a population-level prevention strategy — “one size fits many” — focused on practical changes anyone at risk can adopt. Small studies suggest more significant meaningful changes may be made following precision medicine, an individualized prevention/treatment strategy — “one size fits one” — focused on customized interventions.

Summary of A Successful Pilot Study using a Precision Medicine Approach

Toups K, Hathaway A, Gordon D, et al. Precision Medicine Approach to Alzheimer's Disease: Successful Pilot Project. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;88(4):1411-1421. doi:10.3233/JAD-215707

What Was This Study About?

Instead of using just one drug or treatment for everyone, this study tested a personalized medical plan—a “precision medicine” approach—for people with mild memory problems or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s. Each person was tested for different health factors that might affect their memory—such as inflammation, infections, poor blood sugar control, hormone issues, nutrient deficiencies, and toxin exposures—and then received a tailored treatment plan addressing those issues

Who Took Part?

• 25 adults, aged 50 to 76, with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s.
• All participants had fairly decent thinking scores at the start (MoCA score ≥19). PMCPubMed
• Everyone completed the full 9-month program

What Happened During the Study?

• Health Testing: Participants were tested for a range of things—including inflammation and blood sugar issues, possible toxins, hormone levels, nutrition, and sleep breathing problems.
• Personalized Plans: Each person followed a medically guided, individualized plan for 9 months.
• Check-Ins at 3, 6, and 9 Months: Their thinking and memory were assessed several times during the study

What Improved?

• Thinking and memory scores improved: Tests like the MoCA, the CNS Vital Signs test, and the Alzheimer’s Questionnaire showed statistically significant improvement. 
• Brain imaging looked better: MRI scans showed improvements in brain volumes (less loss), suggesting better brain health.
• No serious side effects: The program appeared safe—no one experienced serious problems related to the interventions.

What This Means 

Good News

For seniors and caregivers, this means that looking at and treating each person's unique health issues—not just Alzheimer’s symptoms—might help slow cognitive decline or even improve thinking.

Personalized care matters

The approach treats the whole person, not just the brain.

Safe so far

The program didn’t cause harm in this group.

Promising early results

These findings suggest that a larger, controlled study is justified to further evaluate this method.

In Plain English

The researchers found that by looking at each person's overall health and treating problems like inflammation, poor blood sugar control, or nutrient shortages, participants often thought a bit better after nine months—and their brain scans even looked healthier. Importantly, no one had serious harm. It’s early, but it gives hope that a tailored treatment plan—rather than a one-size-fits-all pill—might work better for some people with early Alzheimer’s.

Summary of the Ornish Study

Ornish, D., Madison, C., Kivipelto, M. et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Alz Res Therapy 16, 122 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z 

What Did the Study Do?

Doctors wanted to see if making very healthy lifestyle changes could help people with mild memory problems or early Alzheimer’s disease. They compared two groups:

• One group followed an intensive “healthy living” plan—eating a plant-based diet, exercising, doing stress-management, and joining group support sessions.
• The other group continued their usual habits for 20 weeks, without making these changes.

Who Took Part?

• 51 people with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s, average age about 73 years.
• Most stayed with the study—only two people dropped out

What Happened After 20 Weeks?

Better Thinking & Daily Abilities

• On several standard tests, included global clinician impressions and memory/function ratings, the healthy-living group improved or stayed steady, while the usual-care group got worse. One test of thinking showed nearly significant improvement. 

Biological Signs Improved

• Blood markers related to Alzheimer’s (like the Aβ42/40 ratio) went up in the intervention group and down in the usual-care group. 
• Gut bacteria (“microbiome”) also improved only in the healthy-living group. 

Greater Effort, Greater Gain

• The more closely participants followed the plan (diet, exercise, stress relief, support groups), the more they improved on both cognitive tests and biomarkers.

What Does This Mean for Seniors?

Good news

• Many participants showed signs of improvement—or at least slowed decline—in memory and functioning after just 20 weeks of lifestyle changes.
• Biological changes supported these improvements, lending strength to the results.

A Few Important Things to Know

• Study size was small (51 people), which limits how broadly we can apply the results. 

• Blinding was not possible—participants knew if they were making lifestyle changes, which could affect outcomes. 

• Short duration (20 weeks). Longer studies are needed to see if the benefits last. 

• Not everyone improved. In the lifestyle group:

  • Some improved

  • Some stayed the same

  • Some worsened

• A big reason seemed to be how well they followed the program

In Plain English

You don’t have to try this alone—but if you do follow a healthy lifestyle plan—eating well, walking, managing stress, and linking up with others—you may notice you think a little better or hold steady longer. Yes, the study is small and short—but it gives hope that what’s good for the heart might be good for the brain too.

Summary of a Case Study Report using Precision Medicine Approach to Treat Alzhiemer's Disease 

Ross MK, Raji C, Lokken KL, et al. Case Study: A Precision Medicine Approach to Multifactorial Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism. 2021;11(Suppl 5):018.

What Was This Study About?

This report tells the story of one person with mixed dementia (Alzheimer’s plus other possible causes of memory loss) who was treated using a personalized, multi-part medical plan. Instead of using a single medication, doctors looked at many possible factors that might affect thinking and memory—and addressed each one carefully.

What Did “Precision Medicine” Mean Here?

• The doctor team examined the individual's health in detail: this included looking at liver and thyroid function, infections, toxins, hormone levels, diet, and inflammation.
• They then designed a customized plan to treat each issue—such as adjusting diet to reduce liver inflammation due to a condition called primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).PMC
• The idea was to improve brain health by addressing the many “little things” that together affect thinking.

What Happened Over 3.5 Years?

• The person showed sustained improvement in several areas:
  • Cognitive tests (measuring thinking and memory) improved.
  • Brain imaging (MRI and PET scans) showed healthier brain structure.
  • Blood tests reflected positive changes in inflammation and other markers.
  • The individual also felt and functioned better overall

What Does This Mean for Caregivers and Seniors?

Precision matters

Treating each person's unique health issues—not just the memory symptoms—can help.

Small fixes, big impact

Addressing multiple health factors like diet, liver health, and toxins can help stabilize or improve thinking.

Long-term improvement

Over more than 3 years, this person experienced real, lasting benefits.

Whole-person approach

This method treats the entire body—brain and body health go hand in hand.

In Simple Words

Rather than taking just one medicine for Alzheimer’s, doctors carefully looked at everything affecting this person—like liver health, hormones, toxins in the environment—and created a step-by-step health plan. Over three and a half years, they not only saw better scores on memory tests and healthier brain scans, but also improvements the person could feel daily. This is real hope that a personalized, whole-person approach may help more than standard treatments alone.

The Evidence for Lifestyle's Role in Treating Cognitive Symptoms

Research is increasingly showing that lifestyle interventions may play a meaningful role in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Studies such as the FINGER trial in Finland and more recent POINTER trial in the US, suggest that a combination of healthy diet, regular exercise, mental stimulation, social engagement, and stress management can slow cognitive decline and sometimes improve memory and daily function in people at risk for or living with Alzheimer’s. These changes also support heart health, blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation, all of which are linked to brain health. While lifestyle interventions are not a cure, the growing body of evidence suggests they can be a powerful companion to medical treatments, helping to preserve independence and quality of life for longer. Below are summaries of some of these studies:

Effect of a Structured Lifestyle Intervention on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The U.S. POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA. 2025;334(6):513–525.

What Was the U.S. POINTER Trial?

• A large U.S. study of 2,000 older adults (ages 60–79) who were at higher risk for memory problems, but did not yet have dementia.
• The goal: see if healthy lifestyle changes can help keep memory and thinking sharp.

What Did They Do?

People were placed into two groups for 2 years:

1. Structured Program (more hands-on)

• Regular meetings with coaches
• Help setting goals and staying accountable
• Group exercise sessions, healthy meal guidance, brain games, and social activities

    2. Self-Guided Program (more on your own)

• Received health information and general advice

• Fewer check-ins, less structured support

What Did They Find?

Both groups improved in memory and thinking, but…

• The structured program helped people do a little better than the self-guided group.
• People with lower starting memory scores seemed to benefit the most.
• The program worked well for all types of people — including those with genetic risks.
• Here’s how “meaningful” the FINGER trial’s cognitive gains were, in plain terms:
  • Overall thinking ability (primary outcome): People in the lifestyle program improved ~25% more than those getting only health advice over 2 years.
    • On the test scale used, average scores rose 0.20 SD in the intervention group vs 0.16 SD in controls (a small-to-modest but real advantage). 
  • Thinking speed & problem-solving (secondary outcomes): The biggest gains were in day-to-day abilities that help with organizing, planning, and reacting quickly:
  • Executive function: 83% greater improvement vs control.
  • Processing speed: 150% greater improvement vs control. 
  • Memory: Memory didn’t show a pre-planned significant difference, though a post-hoc analysis did find a small benefit. 
• Who benefited: Benefits were seen across risk groups (e.g., genetics, demographics).
• Fewer health problems (like falls or medical events) were reported in the structured group.

What This Means for Caregivers

• Lifestyle changes do make a difference in protecting brain health.
• Support and structure matter — people do better when they have coaching, encouragement, and accountability.

Key parts of a brain-healthy routine:

• Regular physical activity
• Nutritious diet
• Social connection
• Brain exercises and learning
• Managing blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol

Takeaway

• Even small steps in daily life — moving more, eating well, staying socially and mentally active — can help protect memory.
• When possible, having a structured program or support system makes it easier to stick with and more effective.
• The lifestyle package (nutrition, exercise, brain training, social engagement, vascular risk control) produced modest overall gains and notably larger improvements in mental speed and executive skills—areas that often matter for everyday tasks like managing meds, planning meals, and staying safe.
• It’s not a cure, but it’s a safe, feasible approach that nudges cognition in the right direction over two years.
• The FINGER study is a population-level prevention strategy — “one size fits many” — focused on practical changes anyone at risk can adopt. Small studies suggest more significant meaningful changes may be made following precision medicine, an individualized prevention/treatment strategy — “one size fits one” — focused on customized interventions.

Summary of A Successful Pilot Study using a Precision Medicine Approach

Toups K, Hathaway A, Gordon D, et al. Precision Medicine Approach to Alzheimer's Disease: Successful Pilot Project. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;88(4):1411-1421. doi:10.3233/JAD-215707

What Was This Study About?

Instead of using just one drug or treatment for everyone, this study tested a personalized medical plan—a “precision medicine” approach—for people with mild memory problems or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s. Each person was tested for different health factors that might affect their memory—such as inflammation, infections, poor blood sugar control, hormone issues, nutrient deficiencies, and toxin exposures—and then received a tailored treatment plan addressing those issues

Who Took Part?

• 25 adults, aged 50 to 76, with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s.
• All participants had fairly decent thinking scores at the start (MoCA score ≥19). PMCPubMed
• Everyone completed the full 9-month program

What Happened During the Study?

• Health Testing: Participants were tested for a range of things—including inflammation and blood sugar issues, possible toxins, hormone levels, nutrition, and sleep breathing problems.
• Personalized Plans: Each person followed a medically guided, individualized plan for 9 months.
• Check-Ins at 3, 6, and 9 Months: Their thinking and memory were assessed several times during the study

What Improved?

• Thinking and memory scores improved: Tests like the MoCA, the CNS Vital Signs test, and the Alzheimer’s Questionnaire showed statistically significant improvement. 
• Brain imaging looked better: MRI scans showed improvements in brain volumes (less loss), suggesting better brain health.
• No serious side effects: The program appeared safe—no one experienced serious problems related to the interventions.

What This Means 

Good News

For seniors and caregivers, this means that looking at and treating each person's unique health issues—not just Alzheimer’s symptoms—might help slow cognitive decline or even improve thinking.

Personalized care matters

The approach treats the whole person, not just the brain.

Safe so far

The program didn’t cause harm in this group.

Promising early results

These findings suggest that a larger, controlled study is justified to further evaluate this method.

In Plain English

The researchers found that by looking at each person's overall health and treating problems like inflammation, poor blood sugar control, or nutrient shortages, participants often thought a bit better after nine months—and their brain scans even looked healthier. Importantly, no one had serious harm. It’s early, but it gives hope that a tailored treatment plan—rather than a one-size-fits-all pill—might work better for some people with early Alzheimer’s.

Summary of the Ornish Study

Ornish, D., Madison, C., Kivipelto, M. et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Alz Res Therapy 16, 122 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z 

What Did the Study Do?

Doctors wanted to see if making very healthy lifestyle changes could help people with mild memory problems or early Alzheimer’s disease. They compared two groups:

• One group followed an intensive “healthy living” plan—eating a plant-based diet, exercising, doing stress-management, and joining group support sessions.
• The other group continued their usual habits for 20 weeks, without making these changes.

Who Took Part?

• 51 people with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s, average age about 73 years.
• Most stayed with the study—only two people dropped out

What Happened After 20 Weeks?

Better Thinking & Daily Abilities

• On several standard tests, included global clinician impressions and memory/function ratings, the healthy-living group improved or stayed steady, while the usual-care group got worse. One test of thinking showed nearly significant improvement. 

Biological Signs Improved

• Blood markers related to Alzheimer’s (like the Aβ42/40 ratio) went up in the intervention group and down in the usual-care group. 
• Gut bacteria (“microbiome”) also improved only in the healthy-living group. 

Greater Effort, Greater Gain

• The more closely participants followed the plan (diet, exercise, stress relief, support groups), the more they improved on both cognitive tests and biomarkers.

What Does This Mean for Seniors?

Good news

• Many participants showed signs of improvement—or at least slowed decline—in memory and functioning after just 20 weeks of lifestyle changes.
• Biological changes supported these improvements, lending strength to the results.

A Few Important Things to Know

• Study size was small (51 people), which limits how broadly we can apply the results. 

• Blinding was not possible—participants knew if they were making lifestyle changes, which could affect outcomes. 

• Short duration (20 weeks). Longer studies are needed to see if the benefits last. 

• Not everyone improved. In the lifestyle group:

  • Some improved

  • Some stayed the same

  • Some worsened

• A big reason seemed to be how well they followed the program

In Plain English

You don’t have to try this alone—but if you do follow a healthy lifestyle plan—eating well, walking, managing stress, and linking up with others—you may notice you think a little better or hold steady longer. Yes, the study is small and short—but it gives hope that what’s good for the heart might be good for the brain too.

Summary of a Case Study Report using Precision Medicine Approach to Treat Alzhiemer's Disease 

Ross MK, Raji C, Lokken KL, et al. Case Study: A Precision Medicine Approach to Multifactorial Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism. 2021;11(Suppl 5):018.

What Was This Study About?

This report tells the story of one person with mixed dementia (Alzheimer’s plus other possible causes of memory loss) who was treated using a personalized, multi-part medical plan. Instead of using a single medication, doctors looked at many possible factors that might affect thinking and memory—and addressed each one carefully.

What Did “Precision Medicine” Mean Here?

• The doctor team examined the individual's health in detail: this included looking at liver and thyroid function, infections, toxins, hormone levels, diet, and inflammation.
• They then designed a customized plan to treat each issue—such as adjusting diet to reduce liver inflammation due to a condition called primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).PMC
• The idea was to improve brain health by addressing the many “little things” that together affect thinking.

What Happened Over 3.5 Years?

• The person showed sustained improvement in several areas:
  • Cognitive tests (measuring thinking and memory) improved.
  • Brain imaging (MRI and PET scans) showed healthier brain structure.
  • Blood tests reflected positive changes in inflammation and other markers.
  • The individual also felt and functioned better overall

What Does This Mean for Caregivers and Seniors?

Precision matters

Treating each person's unique health issues—not just the memory symptoms—can help.

Small fixes, big impact

Addressing multiple health factors like diet, liver health, and toxins can help stabilize or improve thinking.

Long-term improvement

Over more than 3 years, this person experienced real, lasting benefits.

Whole-person approach

This method treats the entire body—brain and body health go hand in hand.

In Simple Words

Rather than taking just one medicine for Alzheimer’s, doctors carefully looked at everything affecting this person—like liver health, hormones, toxins in the environment—and created a step-by-step health plan. Over three and a half years, they not only saw better scores on memory tests and healthier brain scans, but also improvements the person could feel daily. This is real hope that a personalized, whole-person approach may help more than standard treatments alone.

What Was the U.S. POINTER Trial?

• A large U.S. study of 2,000 older adults (ages 60–79) who were at higher risk for memory problems, but did not yet have dementia.

• The goal: see if healthy lifestyle changes can help keep memory and thinking sharp.

What Did They Do?

People were placed into two groups for 2 years: 

Structured Program (more hands-on)

• Regular meetings with coaches

• Help setting goals and staying accountable

• Group exercise sessions, healthy meal guidance, brain games, and social activities 

Self-Guided Program (more on your own)

• Received health information and general advice

• Fewer check-ins, less structured support

What Did They Find?

Both groups improved in memory and thinking, but…

• The structured program helped people do a little better than the self-guided group.

• People with lower starting memory scores seemed to benefit the most.

• The program worked well for all types of people — including those with genetic risks.

• Benefits were seen across risk groups (e.g., genetics, demographics).

• Fewer health problems (like falls or medical events) were reported in the structured group.

What Improved—And What Didn’t

• Executive function (skills like planning, decision-making, and focusing) showed the clearest benefit: the structured group had better improvement than the self-guided group by 0.037 SD per year.

• Memory and processing speed didn’t show significant differences between the groups.

• So, structured support seemed especially helpful for tasks that involve organizing, staying focused, and thinking clearly—not necessarily remembering lists or doing things faster.

What This Means for Caregivers

• Lifestyle changes do make a difference in protecting brain health.

• Support and structure matter — people do better when they have coaching, encouragement, and accountability.

Key parts of a brain-healthy routine:

• Regular physical activity

• Nutritious diet

• Social connection

• Brain exercises and learning

• Managing blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol

Takeaway

• Even small steps in daily life — moving more, eating well, staying socially and mentally active — can help protect memory.

• When possible, having a structured program or support system makes it easier to stick with and more effective.

• The lifestyle package (nutrition, exercise, brain training, social engagement, vascular risk control) produced modest overall gains and notably larger improvements in mental speed and executive skills—areas that often matter for everyday tasks like managing meds, planning meals, and staying safe.

• It’s not a cure, but it’s a safe, feasible approach that nudges cognition in the right direction over two years.

• The POINTER study is a population-level prevention strategy — “one size fits many” — focused on practical changes anyone at risk can adopt. Small studies suggest more significant meaningful changes may be made following precision medicine, an individualized prevention/treatment strategy — “one size fits one” — focused on customized interventions.