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“Early Stage Coaches is not practicing medicine. Instead, the development of our program draws upon many clinical trials and studies to create activities and homework for our clients. We are following a roadmap of clues derived from relevant medical research.”

 — Brenda Maust

ESC Coaches: Standing left to right, Audery Calhoun, Barbara Bennett and Janice Bell. Seated left to right, Adie Walls (owner of Caring Senior Services and Revered Texan Personal Care Home in Lake Jackson where the ESC program is being implemented), Brenda Maust and Kris Conley.


The Nun Study is the Basis

for Alzheimer's Research

DR. DAVID SNOWDON

In 1986, Dr. Snowdon embarked on a revolutionary study of aging with 686 Catholic nuns. It developed into a study on Alzheimer’s and is the basis of what we have learned about the disease.


As nuns died and their autopsies were performed, pathologists discovered that many nuns had advanced Alzheimer’s but were still teaching and had no symptoms of the disease. Some nuns who were in late stages and bedbound were subsequently found to have the disease but with little brain damage.


Now in its 36th year, the Nun Study is ongoing. Snowdon tells the story in Aging with Grace.

Clinical Trials via PubMed

DR. MAYA HENRY

See more than 100 clinical trials on “reminiscing therapies.”


For treatment of semantic variant frontotemporal dementia, see clinical trials of Dr. Maya Henry, UT Austin

Plasticity & Cognitive Reserve

Provide Resilience

DR. BRUCE McEWEN

Dr. McEwen discovered neuroplasticity. According to Wikipedia, "Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. These changes range from individual neuron pathways making new connections, to systematic adjustments like cortical remapping. Examples of neuroplasticity include circuit and network changes that result from learning a new ability, environmental influences, practice, and psychological stress. Neuroplasticity was once thought by neuroscientists to manifest only during childhood, but research in the latter half of the 20th century showed that many aspects of the brain can be altered (or are "plastic") even through adulthood. However, the developing brain exhibits a higher degree of plasticity than the adult brain. Activity-dependent plasticity can have significant implications for healthy development, learning, memory, and recovery from brain damage."


DR. YAAKOV STERN

Dr. Stern is an American cognitive neuroscientist, and professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University. In the 1990s Stern began publishing his research on The Theory of Cognitive Reserve. 


His ideas were revolutionary then: “The idea of reserve against brain damage stems from the repeated observation that there does not appear to be a direct relationship between the degree of brain damage and the manifestation of the disease.”  

Subtypes of Alzheimer's

DR. DALE BREDESEN

Dr. Bredesen, a UCLA researcher, identified medical conditions and lifestyle habits that in the aggregate can upset homeostasis created by normal neuronal activity. Although his controversial research is observational rather than gold-standard clinical trials, many of his conclusions reflect the experience of some of us who have worked with hundreds of Alzheimer’s patients for many hours over many years.


Bredesen’s 6 subtypes of Alzheimer’s are: Inflammatory, Glycotoxic, Atrophic, Toxic, Vascular, and Traumatic. His triggers and subtypes are from his book The End of Alzheimer’s and interviews. Other recent research identifies 3 types.

Risk Factors for Alzheimer's

  1. High blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides
  2. Diabetes and obesity
  3. Age
  4. A diet of refined carbs, transfats and processed foods
  5. Nutrient depleted diets and microbiome dysregulation
  6. Sleep problems
  7. A sedentary lifestyle
  8. Head trauma
  9. PTSD and depression
  10. Smoking
  11. Chronic infection or inflammation
  12. Chronic stress
  13. Environmental toxins


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