New hope for brain health

Dr Michael Cannell has been helping patients navigate cognitive decline using the Bredesen Protocol and Functional Medicine approaches for years.  In this blog, we explain why this comprehensive approach offers new hope for brain health.

New approach to cognitive decline

We’ve all experienced those moments: when you walk into a room and forget why, or perhaps a familiar name sits stubbornly on the tip of your tongue, or maybe you can’t juggle quite as many tasks as you once could. This is all part of normal ageing.  Your brain’s processing speed naturally slows down a bit, just as your body doesn’t move quite as quickly as it did when you were 20 years of age.

However, there is a line when memory problems start interfering with daily life.  In concerning situations, you forget important appointments, struggle with familiar tasks, or when family members express genuine concern about changes they’re seeing. These signs may point to mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, both of which deserve attention.

The good news is that there are ways to help your brain, and slow or reverse cognitive decline.

Why the old approach hasn’t worked

 For decades, researchers have searched for a single drug that could stop or reverse Alzheimer’s disease. So far that search has not been successful; despite billions invested in pharmaceutical research, no single therapy has produced lasting improvements. This has left dementia as one of the most feared diagnoses of our time and the leading cause of death in the UK.

A breakthrough: understanding the “Why?”

 Dr Dale Bredesen, who is internationally recognised as an expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, has being working on groundbreaking research and discovered something revolutionary. Cognitive decline isn’t a simple, single-cause disease; it’s a complex condition triggered by multiple imbalances in your body.  These imbalances can be identified, addressed, and in many cases, corrected.

To use an analogy, think of your brain as a boat with multiple leaks. Traditional medicine has been trying to plug just one hole while water pours in from a dozen others. Dr Bredesen’s approach, which is called the Bredesen Protocol or ReCODE Programme, identifies all the leaks and plugs them simultaneously.

Read Dr Bredesen’s 2014 paper: Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program

The results have been extraordinary and controversial. In 2018, Dr Bredesen published research showing cognitive improvement in 100 patients using his protocol. His results were not just slowing decline but actual reversal of symptoms in many cases. His book, The End of Alzheimer’s, documents this journey from laboratory discovery to real-world healing.

Dr Bredesen uses an approach similar to Breakspear Medical, which focusses on finding the whys behind the symptoms, rather than just masking the symptoms.

What’s causing the problem?

 Dr Bredesen’s research identified multiple metabolic factors that can trigger brain changes, such as disturbances in micronutrients, hormone levels, sleep quality, and environmental exposures. This is the same approach that Breakspear Medical has been practicing for over 40 years in treating environmental illness. What Dr Bredesen has now proven for cognitive decline is what we’ve long understood: the body’s systems are interconnected, and healing requires addressing the root causes and not just the symptoms.

At Breakspear Medical, we can carefully screen patients for:

• Insulin resistance: your brain’s ability to use glucose properly affects everything from memory formation to the clearing of toxic proteins.
• Inflammation and infections: chronic inflammation, whether from hidden infections, gut problems, or immune dysfunction, can slowly damage brain tissue.  Even oral infections, such as gum disease, have been linked to cognitive decline.
• Nutrient deficiencies: your brain is a demanding organ. Deficiencies in B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and other crucial nutrients can profoundly impact cognitive function. For instance, low vitamin B12 and elevated homocysteine are strongly associated with accelerated brain ageing.
• Hormone imbalances: thyroid, sex hormones and stress hormones all play critical roles in brain health. When they’re out of balance, your brain suffers.
• Toxic exposures: heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, mould toxins, chronic viral infections, these can all contribute to brain inflammation and dysfunction over time.

 A personalised path to brain health

 Once we identify what’s driving cognitive decline in each unique situation, we create a tailored treatment plan using proven Functional Medicine approaches.  A treatment plan may include:

• Diet optimisation: we can help design nutrition plans that provide maximum micronutrient benefits, stabilise blood sugar and induce mild ketosis, which is a metabolic state that helps your brain heal by increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), nature’s brain repair protein.
• Reducing inflammation: we identify and treat sources of inflammation, from hidden infections to food sensitivities, while supporting your immune system’s natural balance.
• Detoxification support: we help your body safely eliminate heavy metals and environmental toxins that may be contributing to brain fog and decline.
• Hormone balancing: where needed, we optimise hormone levels to support optimal brain function.
• Brain training: targeted cognitive exercises help rebuild neural pathways and strengthen mental acuity.
• Nutritional support: we address specific nutritional deficiencies, whether in B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, or other crucial nutrients with high quality supplementation, specifically for sensitive people.
• Lifestyle medicine: quality sleep, stress reduction through mindfulness or meditation, and regular exercise all support brain healing. We offer psychological counselling with an experienced therapist via video call or telephone appointment, so you can receive expert support from the comfort of your own home to help you implement sustainable changes that make a difference.

Knowing the nutrients your brain needs

 Research has identified specific micronutrients essential for cognitive health:

• vitamin B12 and folate: critical for preventing elevated homocysteine, which damages brain tissue
• thiamine (B1) and B6: support nerve health and energy metabolism
• vitamin D: low levels dramatically increase dementia risk
• magnesium: essential for learning, memory, and neurotransmission
• zinc: vital for brain signalling and immune balance
• copper: must be properly balanced, both deficiency and excess can harm cognition
• trace lithium: emerging research suggests adequate levels may protect against dementia

The toxins your brain doesn’t need

 We also investigate toxic factors that can damage your brain over time.  Damaging things such as:

• chronic infections (herpes viruses, Lyme disease, and others)
• oral infections (gum disease, problematic dental work)
• heavy metal accumulation (lead, mercury, arsenic)
• mould toxin exposure (mycotoxins)

Why this matters

 Cognitive decline isn’t inevitable. By identifying the underlying causes, whether nutritional imbalances, inflammation, toxins, or metabolic dysfunction, and addressing them through a comprehensive, personalised approach, it’s possible to slow decline and to help restore brain function.

This is the power of Functional Medicine, this is the promise of the Bredesen Protocol and this is what we practice at Breakspear Medical.

For families facing cognitive decline, for those with genetic risk factors, or for anyone wanting to protect their brain health proactively, this approach offers hope backed by science.

Your brain deserves this approach

 Statistically, cognitive decline will affect your life either personally or through someone you love. The question is whether you’ll have access to an approach that addresses the root causes.

At Breakspear Medical, we specialise in exactly this kind of complex, personalised care. Our Dr Michael Cannell is trained in the Bredesen Protocol and Functional Medicine approaches that are changing outcomes for patients around the world.

Ready to take a different approach to cognitive health?

Contact us to schedule a comprehensive cognitive assessment and discover your personalised path to brain health.