Evexia Comprehensive Cognitive Decline Panel

Overview:

Brain health, or cognitive health, refers to remembering, learning new things, planning, concentrating, or making decisions. When cognitive health is impaired (referred to as cognitive impairment), a person has trouble with these skills that affect the things they can do in everyday life. People of all ages can experience cognitive impairment, which can range from mild to severe.

“Cognitive health has emerged as an important public health concern for America’s aging population. Although much variability occurs in cognitive performance and the rate of change throughout the aging process in healthy older adults, impaired cognitive functioning can be associated with a decline in quality of life, personal relationships, and independence. These changes in language, memory, learning, attention, and executive function ability often result in increased health care needs as well as major caregiving and financial challenges. In addition, cognitive difficulties frequently co-exist with other health conditions that affect well-being at older ages.” [i]

Specific blood tests can help evaluate for treatable conditions that may contribute to changes in thinking or memory. For example, the CBC and iron panel can assess for anemia, which can cause fatigue and thinking difficulties. The comprehensive metabolic panel can help assess for electrolyte imbalance, blood glucose dysregulation, and kidney and liver dysfunction, all of which can lead to memory impairment and an alteration in cognition. Thyroid dysfunction can lead to memory impairment and difficulty in mental processing, while vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause various symptoms, including cognitive and psychiatric symptoms.  

This panel was created to assess risk factors associated with cognitive decline along with overall health and healthy aging. Specific tests measured in this panel are related to the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, such as the APOE Alzheimer’s Risk test, HLA DR1/3/4/5 DQ, thyroid function, cardiovascular biomarkers such as the NMR LipoProfile, hs-CRP, fibrinogen activity, and Omega3/Omega 6 fatty acids, vitamin B2 and folate, and homocysteine, as well as the standard blood test markers such as the CBC with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, iron panel, vitamin D, and magnesium. 

The Comprehensive Cognitive Decline Panel goes beyond the Complete Cognitive Decline Panel by incorporating an assessment for heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury), oxidative stress levels, and tissue damage (matrix metalloproteinase-9, F2 Isoprostane/Creatinine ratio). Testing for copper toxicity, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and human transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-1) are also included in this panel.

It is essential to note Alzheimer’s disease is a complex neurodegenerative disease that is caused by a combination of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental influences. For this reason, the panel includes the APOE allele, a strong genetic risk factor, and the HLA-DRB1/DQB1 genetic test. HLA-DRB1/DQB1 gene variants appear to participate in the neuronal degeneration of AD-associated brain regions. Also, HLA antigens may correlate with particular disease states or other clinical conditions.  

MMP-9 is a marker of inflammation, tissue remodeling, wound healing, and mobilization of tissue-bound growth factors and cytokines. MMP-9 contributes to the pathogenesis of numerous clinical disease states, including rheumatic arthritis, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, asthma, and cancer. 

F2-Isoprostane is produced by conditions that result in excessive generation of free radicals, including atherosclerosis. Essentially, this analyte is considered the “gold standard” for measuring oxidative stress levels and has utility in individuals who have lifestyle risks due to a poor diet, smoking, a family history of cardiovascular disease, or hyperlipidemia.

Trimethylamine-N-Oxide, or TMAO, is a gut-derived metabolite produced by a pathway involving gut microbiota, essentially gut dysbiosis, and is associated with an atherosclerotic burden and increased risk of heart disease. TMAO is thought to promote atherosclerosis by upregulating macrophage scavenger receptor activity and downregulating bile acid synthesis, thereby reducing reverse cholesterol transport.

Copper is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in connective tissue synthesis, iron metabolism, energy production, nervous system function and is required for the antioxidant enzyme Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1). Copper is bound to ceruloplasmin in the liver and then released into the bloodstream. Excess copper can be stored in the brain, eyes, liver, and other organs, leading to tissue damage and is also associated with the genetic disorder Wilson’s disease.

MSH, also called intermedin or melanotropin, is produced and primarily secreted by the pituitary gland. This hormone appears to exhibit neuroprotective effects that may rescue neuronal degeneration. A reduction in this hormone level has been noted in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. 

TGF-1 plays a role in tissue regeneration, cell differentiation, and regulation of the immune system. Signaling by the TGF-beta family is required for proper neural development and function. 

Hormones are regulators of the human body and serve critical functions to maintain various processes, such as growth, emotions, and even cognition. As a result, this panel also includes an assessment of estradiol and testosterone. 

This panel comes with a free* Functional Health Report when Evexia Nutraceuticals are recommended. *A $5 fee is applied when recommendations other than Evexia Nutraceuticals are selected.

[i] Cognitive Performance in Adults Aged 60 and Over: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2014. National Health Statistics Reports: Number 126: September 17, 2019 

[ii] Cognitive Performance in Adults Aged 60 and Over: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2014. National Health Statistics Reports: Number 126: September 17, 2019