Background
Mary* was experiencing memory/thinking problems for about 6 years. Difficulty attending to details, increasingly flustered at work, losing words, and increasing trouble with names. Mary notes: “I feel dumb a lot.” Life-long attention issues. Mary recently developed difficulty sleeping and started prescription medication to help her sleep at night. Generally healthy her whole life, aside from some stomach aches and constipation in youth. Family history of Alzheimer’s.
Mary’s stated health goal is to “be fully functioning and not feeling like I am going to be in a nursing home by the time I am 60 years old.”
A mid-level executive, Mary was responsible for millions of dollars in client accounts. Her increasing cognitive challenges left Mary concerned that her younger counterparts would outpace her. She reported forgetting where she was going occasionally when on the road, and sometimes showed up for appointments on the wrong day. Her worst episode had occurred a few years ago: while running on the same path she had been jogging for years, Mary came to a fork in the path and had to pause for several seconds; she wasn’t sure which way to go!
Discovery Assessment
Mary received a Discovery Assessment of Cognitive Health at Kemper Cognitive Wellness. This extensive assessment includes a comprehensive review of lifetime history of health, cognitive testing, a qEEG brain map, and lab testing of over 100 biomarkers for chronic disease including cognitive decline.
Diagnostic Testing Results
Mary’s lab work revealed:
- targeted nutritional deficiencies
- a significant decline in hormone function
- a copy of ApoE4, the genetic marker for Alzheimer’s disease
Mary’s standardized memory and cognitive evaluation testing results were concerning test results as well, indicating impairment with what’s called preclinical or prodromal Alzheimer’s.
She had been struggling with attention/distraction which, according to some studies increases the risk of Alzheimer’s by 6-fold.
Plan of Action
Dr. Bergman started Mary on supplements, a good diet, regular meditation, hormone replacement therapy, and prescription medication to reduce viral load associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Mary’s Health Status 3 Months Later
Mary is doing well. She is reporting “big improvements” and more energy. Among her cognitive improvements, Mary has improved focus and regained executive functioning skills to “get more things done.” And of course, she’s not getting lost anymore. Mary got better and her health goal was realized in 3 months!
After 6 months on the program, Mary repeated cognitive testing and was no longer in dangerously low ranges – in fact, she scored average to above average across all cognitive domains!
Key Points
- Mary is an otherwise “healthy” person who been conscientious about her health for most of her adult life. It’s important to note that she had changes in her brain consistent with major brain damage, seen in less than 5% of people (as measured by standardized cognitive testing).
- She improved significantly in 3 visits with the doctor, feeling better than she has in years. Mary is now on a maintenance program.
- Mary’s case is sinister and more prevalent than many people realized. A diagnosis of dementia in people younger than 65 is on the rise. What can you do to protect yourself?
- Mary’s symptoms indicated changes were occurring in the brain—this is the time to do something. It’s important to act quickly if you or a loved one is noticing marked changes in cognitive function.
Client Testimony
“When I first came to Kemper Cognitive Wellness, I feared I was going to be in a home (like my mother who passed from Alzheimer’s) in 3 years. I was struggling with memory and staying organized at work. I even got lost once on my familiar jogs. I basically had the very early signs of Alzheimer’s.
In less than 4 months, working with Kemper Cognitive Wellness, I noticed big cognitive improvements. It was a relief to have someone looking at my health and listening to my concerns. My hormones were negatively impacting my cognitive wellbeing. I am able to focus at work and to get more things done. I have less overwhelm and worry, and an uplifted mood.”
About Kemper Cognitive Wellness
Kemper Cognitive Wellness is a functional medicine practice with special expertise in brain health, memory and cognition. Our dynamic team partners with you to identify the root causes of your cognitive condition, along with customized, multi-modal interventions.
Leveraging the science behind Precision Wellness, our comprehensive approach reveals the data that connects the dots to reveal the true origins of your symptoms and concerns – including cognitive issues ranging from insomnia, “brain fog” and memory loss, to depression, anxiety and ADHD. Kemper Cognitive Wellness stands alone in helping those seeking to break through to better health – to optimize body, mood and mind.
Call today for more information and to schedule your Discovery Assessment of Cognitive Health.
216/337-1400
*Names are changed to protect privacy
