BRAIN HEALTH
BRAIN HEALTH & DEMENTIA RISK
Measure the reserve while there is still time to act
Dementia is named at the end of a long process. By the time memory changes are obvious to everyone, much of the change in the brain has already happened. The years before that are what we call The Silent Gap™: a 10 to 25 year window in which the drivers are measurable, and many of them are modifiable.
Dr. Anvekar built the CogSpan™ System after finding that pattern in her own mother’s medical records, at least 17 years before her dementia diagnosis. Every finding had been in the chart. Each one had been dismissed on its own.
WHAT WE MEASURE
A brain health assessment at The Living Method is not a single memory test. It scores ten domains that research links to cognitive aging, so we can see the pattern rather than one number:
Brain Performance & Cognitive Aging
Metabolic & Glycemic Stability
Inflammation & Immune Aging
Mitochondrial Energy & Oxidative Stress
Sleep, Circadian Rhythm & Recovery
Cardiovascular & Vascular Aging
Hormonal & Neuroendocrine Balance
Physical Function, Strength & Mobility
Lifestyle, Purpose & Cognitive Reserve
Risk Behaviors, Environment & Health Engagement
Depending on your tier, that can include cognitive testing, advanced blood biomarkers, VO₂ max testing, DEXA body composition, sleep and recovery review, hormone panels and an environmental exposure history.
WHO THIS IS FOR
A parent, grandparent or sibling with Alzheimer’s or another dementia
Family history of early cognitive change
“Normal” labs alongside brain fog, word-finding trouble or slower recall
A history of head injury, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome or long-term poor sleep
The menopause transition, when cognitive symptoms often first appear
Anyone who wants a baseline while everything still looks fine
WHAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS
The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia identified 14 modifiable risk factors across the life course, and estimated that addressing them could theoretically prevent or delay around 45% of dementia cases at a population level. Those factors include hearing loss, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol, depression, social isolation, head injury, air pollution, high LDL cholesterol, untreated vision loss and less education in early life.
That is a population estimate, not a promise for any one person. No assessment, and no program, can prevent dementia. What measurement does is show which of those factors are active in you now, while there is still time to act on them.
WHAT AN ASSESSMENT INCLUDES
Brain health is assessed inside a CogSpan™ Physical, which comes in three tiers depending on how deep you want to look. Every tier produces the same ten scores, so this year can be compared with next year.
You leave with your ten domain scores, the one or two domains we are treating first, a written plan, and a date to retest.
WHAT THIS IS NOT
This is not a diagnosis, and it is not a substitute for neurology care. If your symptoms suggest something that needs evaluation now, we say so and refer. Assessment findings are used to guide prevention-minded care, not to label you with a disease.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can dementia be prevented?
No one can promise prevention. Research suggests that a meaningful share of dementia risk is linked to factors that can be measured and changed, and that acting earlier matters more than acting later.
Is this just a memory test?
No. Cognitive testing is one of ten domains. Most of what drives cognitive aging shows up first in metabolism, vascular health, sleep, inflammation and hormones.
How early should I start?
Most patterns we find begin between 35 and 55. If a parent or sibling has dementia, start now regardless of age.
Do you diagnose dementia?
No. We assess risk patterns and treat what is modifiable. If evaluation for a diagnosis is appropriate, we refer to neurology.
How often do I repeat it?
Every year. A single score is a snapshot; the value is in the trend.
Does insurance cover it?
The assessment is self-pay. It is generally HSA and FSA eligible, and we provide a letter of medical necessity where appropriate. Some individual tests may be billable to insurance.
SEE THE PATTERN BEFORE THE DIAGNOSIS
Ten scores. One day of testing. Retested every year, for life.
Brain health assessment measures risk-related patterns and does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer’s disease or any other dementia. Individual results vary. Evaluation, referral or additional testing may be recommended.