Ask Alex: No MCI Treatment?

Dr. Alex Bahar-Fuchs is NewDays' Director of Neuropsychology and a leading expert in cognitive interventions for older adults.

Q: I was recently diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, but my doctor told me there's nothing we can do except "eat well, exercise, and prepare for decline." This feels devastating and hopeless. Are there really no treatments available?

Dr. Alex:

“This question is complex, because it depends on what we mean here by “treatment” and what it is specifically that we want to treat. In a nutshell, treatment may or may not imply “cure”. Many treatments aim at keeping a condition stable or slow a deterioration where one is expected, rather than curing a condition. In addition, the treatment may focus on the symptoms (e.g., memory problems), the underlying disease (the biology, e.g., abnormal protein build up), or both. To make matters more complicated, in complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, treating the biological cause of the disease (i.e., the abnormal build up of a protein called beta-amyloid) does not improve the symptoms if the treatment commences when dementia has already developed.

A wide range of non-drug treatments have been shown to improve some symptoms in people with MCI and dementia. Among these, a group of cognitive interventions, such as cognitive training, rehabilitation, and stimulation, had been subjected to hundreds of clinical trials to examine their potential benefits. Some of these trials were small and preliminary, whereas others were large and powerful, but taken together, they show that these approaches lead to important benefits for older people with and without cognitive decline. As is usually the case in medicine, it often takes years for evidence to be fully translated into clinical practice, and the situation with cognitive treatments is no different. However, over the past 10 years, more and more large efforts to synthesize the evidence have been published, showing support for cognitive interventions, and so in recent years, they are being increasingly endorsed and recommended by international and national health authorities, such as the World Health Organization, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the American Academy of Neurology. The awareness regarding these effective treatments is still limited among many healthcare professionals, but this will likely change in coming years, and many specialists and GPs are excited when they learn that there are in fact treatments that have substantial benefits for their patients, even if these treatments are not considered a “cure”.“

Digging Deeper

Why Doctors Often Say "There's Nothing We Can Do"

The disconnect between what research shows and what patients hear comes down to a few key factors:

• Medical school training gaps - Most doctors weren't trained on non-pharmacological cognitive interventions

• The 15-year research lag - It typically takes 15 years for new research to change clinical practice

• Focus on medication - Medical training emphasizes drug treatments over behavioral interventions

• Lack of awareness - Many physicians simply don't know about proven cognitive therapies

Your doctor isn't being malicious—they're working with outdated information. The landscape of cognitive health has changed dramatically in recent years.

The Hidden Truth About MCI Treatment

Here's what the research actually shows: Over 300 clinical trials and 50+ meta-analyses prove that cognitive interventions work. These aren't experimental treatments—they're evidence-based therapies with robust scientific backing.

Three types of interventions have consistently shown effectiveness:

Cognitive Stimulation: Activities that enhance overall brain function through engaging conversations and social interaction. The Harvard I-CONECT study showed participants experienced a 17% greater improvement in cognitive scores and were 25% faster in processing tasks compared to controls.

Cognitive Training: Structured exercises targeting specific cognitive abilities like memory and attention. The landmark ACTIVE trial followed participants for 10 years and found that cognitive training benefits lasted an entire decade.

Cognitive Rehabilitation: Goal-oriented therapy that helps you maintain independence in daily activities. The GREAT trial with 475 participants showed that self-reported ability to complete meaningful tasks nearly doubled, representing a remarkable change from "I can no longer do this" to "I can do this again".

Why These Treatments Haven't Been Widely Available

Until recently, these proven therapies faced a critical scalability problem. They required intensive one-on-one sessions with trained professionals—something impossible to provide to the millions who could benefit. The cost would be astronomical, and there simply aren't enough specialists.

But here's the breakthrough: AI technology has changed everything. We can now deliver these same evidence-based interventions at scale, making them accessible and affordable for the first time.

What Global Health Organizations Actually Recommend

The World Health Organization, the American Academy of Neurology, and the NHS all recommend cognitive interventions as first-line treatments for cognitive decline. These aren't fringe therapies—they're endorsed by the world's leading health authorities.

The 2018 American Academy of Neurology practice guidelines specifically state that exercise training and cognitive training "may improve cognitive measures" in people with MCI. That's medical speak for "this works."

Real People, Real Results

Here's what one of our early access participants told us:

“I think of myself as a healthy active 83-year-old, but recently was diagnosed by NewDays with having Mild Cognitive Impairment. This company has dramatically increased my hopefulness for my future. They are a science-based firm of neuropsychologists who are helping me deal with my deteriorating ability to recall names of people and places, and to learn to reduce anxiety, irritability, and depression during the moments when my brain fails me.” - John, living with MCI

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Advocate for yourself - Ask your doctor specifically about cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive training, and cognitive stimulation

2. Seek a second opinion - Find a neuropsychologist who specializes in cognitive interventions

3. Don't accept "wait and see" - The earlier you intervene, the better the outcomes

4. Research your options - Look for programs backed by clinical research, not just marketing claims

The Time to Act is Now

Research consistently shows that cognitive interventions are most effective when started early. While we can't cure MCI, we can significantly impact its trajectory. Studies demonstrate that people can:

• Improve memory and processing speed

• Maintain independence longer

• Reduce the risk of progression to dementia

• Enhance overall quality of life

A New Standard of Care

At NewDays, we've made it our mission to bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and real-world access. Our personalized cognitive treatment combines the expertise of neuropsychologists with AI technology to deliver proven therapies that were previously only available to a fortunate few.

We hold exclusive rights to the I-CONECT study methodology and have integrated it with other validated approaches to create a comprehensive treatment program. Our early results speak for themselves: participants report a 4.8 out of 5 satisfaction rating and measurable improvements in cognitive function.

You Have Options

The era of "there's nothing we can do" is over. While your doctor may not yet know about these advances, that doesn't mean you have to accept a hopeless prognosis.

You deserve better than "wait and see." You deserve access to the same evidence-based treatments that have helped thousands of people strengthen their cognitive abilities and maintain their independence.

Ready to take control? Contact NewDays today to schedule a cognitive wellness review. Let us show you what's truly possible when science meets hope.

Have a question for Dr. Alex? Submit your cognitive health questions to hello@newdays.ai and it might be featured in our next Ask Alex post.