The recently completed, ISB-led Coaching for Cognition in Alzheimer’s (COCOA) trial shows that diet and exercise can help people suffering from dementia. Senior Research Scientist Dr. Jared Roach discussed the findings in a Research Roundtable presentation.
The multi-year Coaching for Cognition in Alzheimer’s (COCOA) clinical trial is nearly complete. The trial examined diet, exercise and cognitive training as possible non-pharmacological interventions to Alzheimer’s, with some trial members receiving telephonic coaching centered on stress, diet and exercise, as well as brain training focusing on brain speed and attention.
The impact of Alzheimer’s Disease is staggering – 6 million Americans diagnosed, a financial toll of $600 billion annually, and no effective drug treatments. ISB Co-founder Dr. Lee Hood said the traditional approach isn’t working, and we need to think about it in brand new ways.
ISB researchers and their collaborators are looking beyond the one-drug, one-solution approach that has thus far failed in Alzheimer’s disease research. Instead, they are focusing on other promising research avenues, such as the possible role of the gut microbiome in dementia.
Brain health expert Dr. Mary Kay Ross announced the creation of the Brain Health & Research Institute (BHRI) in Seattle, and a scientific collaboration with ISB. Through that partnership, BHRI will blend the practical application of medical therapies and treatment protocols with ten advanced scientific analysis now available through personalized medicine and computational biology.
