Dr. Kara Fitzgerald | New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Longevity, Epigenetics

What if cognitive decline isn't always a one-way street? For decades, the conventional approach to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment has focused largely on slowing progression. But emerging research is challenging that assumption—and raising important questions about what may be possible when we address the multiple factors contributing to brain dysfunction.

In this episode of New Frontiers in Functional Medicine, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald welcomes Dr. Dale Bredesen and Dr. Kat Toups to discuss their recently completed randomized controlled trial investigating a personalized, systems-based approach to cognitive decline. The nine-month study enrolled 73 participants across six sites and reported significant improvements in several measures of cognitive function, including memory, processing speed, and overall neurocognitive performance.

The conversation goes beyond the headline results to examine the metabolic, inflammatory, hormonal, infectious, and environmental factors that may contribute to cognitive impairment. They also explore a surprising finding: cognitive improvements were not accompanied by equally dramatic changes in traditional Alzheimer's blood biomarkers, raising questions about how we measure meaningful recovery.

From ketogenic nutrition and exercise to sleep optimization, hormone health, targeted testing, and multidisciplinary coaching, Drs. Bredesen and Toups share the clinical thinking behind their precision medicine protocol, what the trial revealed, and what researchers still need to understand.

For clinicians working in functional medicine, brain health, and longevity—and anyone interested in the evolving science of Alzheimer's prevention and cognitive health—this episode offers a compelling look at the possibilities and remaining questions surrounding personalized interventions for cognitive decline.

In this episode of New Frontiers, learn about:

• A New Randomized Trial for Cognitive Decline: What a nine-month, 73-participant study revealed about personalized precision medicine, including improvements in memory, processing speed, and overall cognitive function compared with standard care.
• Reversing Cognitive Decline vs. Slowing Progression: Why Drs. Bredesen and Toups believe a systems-based approach may offer opportunities beyond conventional symptom management—and what the results do and don't establish.
• The Alzheimer's Biomarker Paradox: Why substantial cognitive improvements occurred without equally significant changes in amyloid-related and other blood biomarkers, including p-tau217, GFAP, and neurofilament light.
• The Hidden Contributors to Cognitive Impairment: How metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, infections, environmental toxins, and other potential treatment targets were evaluated within the study's personalized protocol.
• Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep for Brain Health: How a plant-rich ketogenic diet, aerobic and resistance exercise, sleep apnea screening, glucose monitoring, and cognitive training were incorporated into the intervention.
• Hormones, Menopause, and Cognitive Function: Why estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones were considered important components of the protocol, particularly in the context of age-related cognitive changes.
• Infections, Mold, and Environmental Exposures: What the investigators observed when evaluating herpesviruses, tick-borne infections, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other exposures—and why more analysis is needed to determine their individual contributions.
• The Role of Health Coaching and Personalized Care: Why nutritionists, exercise specialists, health coaches, and trained clinicians were essential to implementing a complex intervention and supporting patient adherence.
• The Future of Alzheimer's Prevention and Precision Medicine: How early cognitive assessment, individualized treatment, additional research, and integration into healthcare systems could reshape approaches to brain health and healthy aging.

Full show notes + references: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/

*GUEST DETAILS*

Dr. Dale Bredesen

Dr. Dale Bredesen received his undergraduate degree from Caltech and his medical degree from Duke. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Prof. Stanley Prusiner, and then held faculty positions at UCSF, UCLA, and UCSD. He was the Founding President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, and his laboratory studied mechanisms of neurodegeneration and published over 230 scientific papers, leading to the first publication of the reversal of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease and two successful clinical trials. He is the author of three New York Times bestsellers and is currently the Senior Director of the first precision medicine program for neurodegenerative diseases at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, and Chief Scientific Officer at Apollo Health.

Dr. Kat Toups

Dr. Kat Toups is a board-certified neuropsychiatrist, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and IFM Certified Practitioner specializing in geriatric psychiatry and cognitive decline, with nearly four decades of clinical experience.

She is Principal Investigator of the Evanthea and Four Winds Precision Medicine Dementia Reversal Trials and has served as principal investigator or lead investigator on more than 100 clinical trials, including over 20 focused on mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

She previously held academic and leadership appointments at the University of California, Davis, including Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Chief of Inpatient Psychiatry at the VA, and Residency Training Site Director at David Grant Medical Center.

Dr. Toups’ work focuses on systems-based, personalized approaches to brain health, integrating metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, immune, hormonal, vascular, toxic, and lifestyle contributors to cognitive decline.

In collaboration with Dr. Dale Bredesen and colleagues, her research has explored multimodal approaches to improving cognitive function in early impairment.

She is a frequent invited and keynote speaker at national and international medical conferences and is actively engaged in advancing precision medicine approaches to cognitive and psychiatric disorders.

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Sauna is everywhere in the longevity conversation, but are all saunas actually doing the same thing? In this episode, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald sits down with Sunlighten co-founder Connie Zack to unpack the science of infrared sauna vs. traditional Finnish sauna, how different wavelengths of infrared and red light interact with the body, and what the research suggests about cardiovascular health, mitochondrial function, recovery, metabolism, and healthy aging.

They explore the important distinction between heat therapy and light therapy, including far-, mid-, and near-infrared wavelengths and red light, why wavelength, dose, and proximity matter, and how these modalities may be used together. They also discuss practical sauna protocols, including how long and how often to use infrared sauna, and why hotter isn't necessarily better.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How infrared sauna differs from traditional Finnish sauna
• Why heat therapy and light therapy affect the body differently
• The differences between far-, mid-, and near-infrared light
• How near-infrared and red light interact with mitochondria and cellular energy
• What research suggests about infrared sauna and cardiovascular function
• Emerging research on photobiomodulation and metabolic health
• How long and how often to use infrared sauna
• Why hydration, minerals, dose, and personalization matter
• Whether combining infrared heat with near-infrared and red light may offer additional benefits

Full show notes + references: https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/fxmed-podcast/

*GUEST DETAILS*

Connie Zack is the co-founder of Sunlighten. After witnessing her brother’s health transformation through infrared therapy, she and her husband, Aaron, left careers in pharmaceuticals to focus on infrared light and heat. Over more than 25 years, Connie has become a leading expert in the field, working alongside researchers and clinicians to advance understanding of how infrared therapy can support healthspan and whole-person wellness.

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Better Broths and Healing Tonics book: https://tinyurl.com/3644mrfw

Younger You book: https://tinyurl.com/mr4d9tym

Better Broths and Healing Tonics book: https://tinyurl.com/3644mrfw