CIRS/Type 3 AD and Generalized Brain Atrophy per Dr. Bredesen

[TheBrain]

I've typed up the following text from Dr. Bredesen's The End of Alzheimer's. It wasn't until I came across this information again that it sunk in. In subsequent posts, I'll also share some other tidbits on the same topic from a couple of interviews of Dr. Bredesen.

It [Type 3 Alzheimer's] affects many brain areas, not only or even predominantly the hippocampus with MRIs showing that regions throughout the brain have atrophied (shrunk). (p. 106)

Knowing which regions, if any, are shrinking can help identify whether Alzheimer’s is present, which subtype is most likely, and whether the prognosis is better or worse. For example, generalized atrophy is more typical for type 3 (toxic) Alzheimer’s disease, whereas atrophy confined to the hippocampus is more typical for types 1 and 2. (p. 118)

Dr. Bredesen says that people with SCI, MCI, and early Alzheimer’s that are not type 3 are the forms of cognitive decline that generally respond best to the ReCODE protocol. He adds:

The type 3 subtype of AD has proven to be the most difficult to treat successfully, although even with this subtype, the earliest stages (SCI) are often readily reversible. However, once type 3 AD is recognized, the treatment becomes more complicated because the toxic source(s) must be identified and removed, any organisms involved must be dealt with, and the ongoing immune response must be quieted. We have nonetheless had success with some type 3 patients, in particular those with high levels of mercury. Treating that reverses cognitive decline fairly quickly, making this an exception to the usual results in type 3. (p. 245)

He also says that the best responders to the ReCODE protocol generally include:

people who have no brain atrophy on MRI, or in whom the atrophy is restricted to the hippocampus. When there is widespread brain atrophy, people typically have difficulty with understanding concepts, organizing, word finding, and more. They may also become more passive and child-like. This pattern occurs more commonly with type 3 Alzheimer’s, although it may also occur late in other types. When this atrophy is absent, the response to the ReCODE protocol is in general more successful.” (p. 245)

[TheBrain]

Here's a relevant paragraph from an article Mercola wrote (dated August 27, 2017) based on his interview of Dr. Bredesen:

Type 3, toxic ('vile') Alzheimer’s: These are patients with toxic exposures. Many will have chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) markers, even though most do not fit the official criteria for CIRS. ‘They act like CIRS patients (in their labs, not necessarily symptoms) with dementia,’ Bredesen explains.

They will typically have high transforming growth factor beta and complement component 4A; low melanocyte-stimulating hormone; high matrix metallopeptidase-9; human leukocyte antigen-antigen D related qs (associated with bio toxin sensitivity), yet they rarely have the pulmonary complaints, rashes, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue typically associated with CIRS. ‘When you treat those, then they get better. Without treating them, they continue to decline,’ Bredesen says.

Mercola's article based on his interview of Dr. Bredesen: ReCODE: The Reversal of Cognitive Decline

Here's the interview transcript in PDF format.

Both Mercola's article and the interview transcript are worth reading. You can watch the video of the interview at the top of the page for the article.

[TheBrain]

Here's a link to Dr. Gupta’s interview of Dr. Bredesen titled Inhalational Alzheimer’s and Mold Illness with Dr. Dale Bredesen. You can download the slides from this page. The transcript is on this page as well, as text. (I created a PDF of the page to capture the transcript.)

The whole interview is interesting, but here's the relevant excerpt I want to post here:

Dr. Gupta: In patients who have CIRS or Inhalational Alzheimer’s who have significant cerebral atrophy, what approach do you suggest they take if after six months or a year of intranasal VIP and having done the rest of the steps of the Shoemaker Protocol, [they're] still not finding that their cerebral atrophy is improving?

Dr. Bredesen: Yeah, so, I think the first thing we find is that, if people are not getting improvement, there is something else that hasn’t been identified. So you want to find out. One of the common things is, for example, we had one woman who did well but wasn’t back to perfect yet. And so we said, we’re missing something. She ended up having Babesia that had been undiagnosed for 10 years.

She had had a tick bite 10 years before. She had been treated for her Lyme, but she had never been treated for Babesia. She’s now being treated for Babesia and she’s doing better. So, the first thing is to look for other things that may be contributors that may have been missed. The second thing is compliance. Frequently, we find that people are not complying with these. And we recognize it’s not easy to do all these things.

The third thing is, are you achieving optimal levels of these various things? Again, you don’t want to be at the low end. We want to make sure that your B12 is over 500, want to make sure that your homocystine [has] come down. We want to make sure that these various things are all critical. Is your gut still leaky? Is your rhinosinal microbiome altered? This is turning out to be an important area. Some people actually have found, as you know, that actually using kim chi juice as part of optimizing your microbiome, your rhinosinal microbiome.

I think there’s going to be more and more interest in the nasal and sinus microbiome, because this has such access, ultimately, to your central nervous system. So it’s tweaking these things. If you’ve looked at all of these things and you’re still not getting improvement, then ultimately, the question is whether you should be involved in one of the stem cell trials. And as you know, there are now more and more stem cell trials specifically.

Again, we would recommend don’t do it by itself as a mono therapy. But combining all the things that actually support your neural growth.

Bold emphasis mine.

[Julie G]

Wow, Brain. You've looked at this from many directions. Are you now considering stem cell treatment? Are you confident that you've addressed everything else? FWIW, I continue to be impressed with your intact cognition despite many challenges. I'm sending you lots of love as you navigate these difficult decisions. -xo

[TheBrain]

Wow, Brain. You've looked at this from many directions. Are you now considering stem cell treatment? Are you confident that you've addressed everything else? FWIW, I continue to be impressed with your intact cognition despite many challenges. I'm sending you lots of love as you navigate these difficult decisions. -xo

Julie, thanks for sending me lots of love. I'll happily take all I can get.

I'm not considering stem cell treatment at this time. At this juncture, this treatment is giving me one last thing to try if nothing else I do works—unless my next NeuroQuant results show I better do something fast. Some months ago, I saw a documentary that included an episode on stem cell therapy. The results were stunning. So the stem cell treatment gives me lots of hope.

At this point, I'm continuing my mold treatment (though, frankly, the mycotoxins might mostly be out of my body by now). I still need to do more to clean up my house. We recently did a HERTSMI-2 test, and our score was 12 (down from 18). It needs to be <11, so it feels like we're close. Dr. Ackerley suggested I get the DNA Connexions test done to rule out Lyme and any co-infections. I would need to try VIP first (Dr. Bredesen suggests for six months), though I'd be shocked if that alone could repair the damage to my brain.

Unfortunately, my FM PA doesn't prescribe VIP. It sounds like I'll have to go to the very expensive CIRS/Bredesen-trained clinic of doctors that is a 2 1/2-hour drive away. I'll probably aim to see Dr. Sonia Rapaport.

In the meantime, I have an appointment on November 6th with a board-certified psychiatrist/neurologist at Duke's memory disorders clinic. I want to know if I officially have Alzheimer's, so I'm hoping for an imaging or spinal tap test to show whether I do or don't. I'd probably pass any cognitive testing. Maybe my large hippocampus (95th percentile for my age and gender) is protecting my cognition and buying me some time.

I'll also look into brain rejuvenation protocols to see if there's more I can do. But if I add any new supplements, I'll need to take out an equal number. I simply can't ask my digestive system or my liver to do more.

This is not fun...

[SusanJ]

Sometimes it just feels like we're running multiple marathons, with no time to just sit and be, without the supplement juggling, doctor visits, house issues and the like. Sending many hugs to you, Brain.

[TheBrain]

Thank you, Susan. And hugs back. I thought my most difficult marathon (dealing with the mold) was going to end soon. I was so excited to see my second urine mycotoxins test results, which were much improved from the first test. But then the brain atrophy became a new marathon.

I’ve started envisioning myself as a healthy, cognitively intact old woman who is writing her next book, engaged with friends, playing badminton with the ladies and pool with the gentlemen. The past two nights, these images have helped me get back to sleep. This strategy came from deep within two nights ago. I’m sticking with it.

[SusanJ]

You are one smart cookie. I can see your vision coming true!

[buck3Maureen]

Hi Brain,

This is from my perspective/experience and not to try and influence anyone away from something that works for them.

I was fortunate to get to perhaps the last seminar that dr B held in Sonoma. I knew I had declining cognitive health and the tests that I did prior to going confirmed MCI (25 out of 30 on the SAGE test) . In my one on one interview Dr.B confirmed I had type 3. I was terrified. I began taking oodles of supplements, added the fasting and knocked out lots of carbs, added a lot more exercise and meditation ( I had just started plant based diet and so stuck to it.) I tried to read and understand Dr. Shoemaker's book and failed. I found a Dr. that was trained in his methods though and began doing all the tests and taking the colestyramine. I did this for a few months and found it very difficult since taking something three times a day on an empty stomach while shortening your window for eating and trying to down a lot of supplements that you had to take with food,was challenging to say the least. Finally I searched on line to read of any success stories of people doing this and found none. I asked my Dr. and he said that he had just begun this and so had no success stories.

So since then I have dropped everything with regard to clearing out toxins except a homemade sauna that I try and use twice a week. I also dropped a lot of supplements that were not doing what they were intended to help. I have retaken the SAGE and now score 29 out of 30 after three years. All of the very scary cognitive problems have gone away.

So finally my point is that the therapy that I was using for type 3 was causing me a lot of stress and I lost faith in it. I am open to evidence that it works but perhaps other aspects of Dr. B's program can be enough for some type 3's.

Maureen

[floramaria]

I’ve started envisioning myself as a healthy, cognitively intact old woman who is writing her next book, engaged with friends, playing badminton with the ladies and pool with the gentlemen. The past two nights, these images have helped me get back to sleep. This strategy came from deep within two nights ago. I’m sticking with it.

Powerful medicine, TheBrain, Powerful medicine! and right from within you!
Since you seem to be open to every avenue of healing, may I can offer a suggestion?

Yes! Stick with it. Keep that healthy, cognitively intact old woman in your mind and in your intention.
In Qigong, which is basically Chinese energy medicine, there is a distinction between imagination and Intention (Yi). Intention involves activating your will. (Maybe not the best thing to do while you are trying to get back to sleep where maybe the soothing quality of the vision alone serve you best. ) If can can also take time during the day to bring to mind that beautiful and empowering personal image, which as you said, arose from deep within, then relax, take a few deep breaths, and send your intention, from both your heart and your mind to add energy to that image, that could also "strengthen the medicine". Not forcing or striving but just adding the quiet power of your personal will to this image which arose in you spontaneously. doesn't need to be long. I am a big fan of "meditation on the fly" . v30 seconds or a minute, if that is all you have. longer if that works for you.
Offered with love and encouragement.
You are very inspiring in your bravery and persistence in the face of such difficult challenges.