Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Launches Expanded Brain Health And Dementia Prevention Website

Site Features Science-Based Ratings of Options to Improve Brain Health, Help Consumers Make Informed Choices

Newswise, October 31, 2016— The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announced today the relaunch of CognitiveVitality.org, its brain health and dementia prevention website. The streamlined, easy-to-navigate site separates fact from fiction and empowers people to make smarter choices for their brain health.

“Americans are spending millions of dollars every year on supplements, drugs, and brain training games in the hope of staving off cognitive decline and dementia,” said Penny Dacks, PhD, director of Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention at the ADDF.

“Despite this massive investment, people are still unsure about what works and what doesn’t, and even about what is and isn’t safe. We developed CognitiveVitality.org to give consumers trustworthy information based on scientific evidence.”

At CognitiveVitality.org, neuroscientists from the ADDF review all of the available research and provide clear, unbiased ratings on the potential benefit, supporting evidence, and safety of options to improve brain health and potentially prevent dementia.

These options include food and drinks, drugs, and vitamins and supplements. Ratings may be viewed individually, or in a streamlined grid that allows users to compare options. New ratings are included, and previous ratings have been updated to include the latest scientific evidence.

“Science suggests there are steps people can take to lower their odds of getting dementia while other approaches are very unlikely to help. We want people to have the latest evidence on what they can do,” said Dr. Dacks.

Prior to posting, each rating is reviewed by two members of the independent Cognitive Vitality Clinical Advisory Board, which consists of nationally recognized leaders in epidemiology, neurology, geriatrics and gerontology, and related fields.

New Ratings of Supplements Provided

The relaunched site includes new ratings of the active ingredients in widely used supplements, including nicotinamide riboside and apoaequorin, which make brain health claims. Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid—which are promoted for brain health—are also rated.

“These ratings should be especially helpful to consumers, as nutritional supplements are not required to prove their efficacy or safety in the manner required of pharmaceuticals,” said Howard Fillit, MD, the ADDF’s Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer.

Cognitive Vitality Blog Featured
CognitiveVitality.org features a blog with in-depth articles on potential risks, lifestyle factors, and emerging science that may affect the brain. The relaunched site includes new posts on lifestyle choices and risks that may affect brain health, including hypertension, smoking, and anesthesia, organized into user-friendly categories to help people find exactly what they want.

About Cognitive Vitality
CognitiveVitality.org is an initiative of the Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention program at the ADDF, which is directed by Dr. Penny Dacks. It was initially launched in 2014. In addition to ratings and the blog, CognitiveVitality.org includes a description of the types of evidence used to develop the ratings, and a list of relevant scientific publications.

About the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer’s disease.

The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded over $90 million to fund more than 500 Alzheimer’s drug discovery programs and clinical trials in 18 countries.

 To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.