Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

The #1 Early Sign of Dementia

Jan 20, 2025

Discover that one of the earliest signs of dementia may lie in the retina, impacting night vision and light sensitivity. Learn about the surprising connection between oral microbes and brain health in Alzheimer's patients. Understand the vital role of the glymphatic system in cleaning the brain during sleep and the dangers of sleep deprivation. Explore the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including the ketogenic diet, in preventing cognitive decline. Plus, find out how alcohol can disrupt sleep and harm brain function.

06:41

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Quick takeaways

The retina's health, particularly issues like night vision and light sensitivity, may serve as early indicators of dementia-related cognitive decline.

Prioritizing quality sleep and regular exercise is crucial for brain detoxification and can significantly prevent the progression of dementia.

Deep dives

The Connection Between Retina Health and Dementia

The early sign of dementia may be linked to the health of the retina, which is a part of the nervous system. Problems with the outer layer of the retina, such as issues with night vision and light sensitivity, have shown a significant correlation with cognitive decline. Research indicates that conditions affecting the retina can serve as indicators of dementia, with symptoms such as difficulty in distinguishing shades of gray or color also being reported. Inflammation in the nervous system often accompanies these retinal issues, highlighting a possible path for detecting dementia before more severe symptoms manifest.

Understanding the Early Signs of Dementia and Brain Health

7min

Surprisingly, one of the earliest signs of dementia involves the retina. There is a high correlation between problems in the retina and problems in the brain. Problems with night vision or central vision, floaters, and light sensitivity issues are the earliest signs of dementia.

Some people develop amyloid-beta plaquing on the retina and may experience problems differentiating shades of grey and other colors. Researchers have found high levels of microbes, typically found in the mouth, in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

When people die from dementia, it’s usually caused by an infection such as a UTI or lung infection. For some people, surgery can be too much on the body and lead to death. Some people with dementia have a slow, progressive degeneration of the brain to the point they’re bedridden and stop eating and drinking, which ultimately leads to death.

Focus on cleaning your brain and reducing inflammation for dementia prevention. The glymphatic system cleans the brain, mainly at night, which is one of the primary purposes of sleep. This system removes malformed proteins and plaquing and rejuvenates the brain.

Anything that inhibits sleeping may increase your risk for Alzheimer’s, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, blood sugar issues, and type 2 diabetes. Sleep apnea can also be problematic. You need 8 to 9 hours of sleep! Alcohol significantly interferes with REM sleep and is very damaging to brain health.

To prevent Alzheimer’s, you must flood the brain with oxygen. Exercise is one of the best ways to do this! Exercise stimulates the growth of brain cells and the hormone BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

Adequate sun exposure and high amounts of vitamin D can help support healthy sleep.

A diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can starve your neurons. Brain cells love ketones! To get into ketosis, you must lower your carbohydrate intake. If you have any early signs of dementia, try taking ketones as a supplement or MCT oil. Niacin may also be helpful. Take 50 mg daily, slowly increasing to 500 mg per day.

Amyloid Beta Plaquing Study:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20550...

Why We Sleep Book Link (Matthew Walker): https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-U...

DATA:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/changes-...

https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wi...

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s...