All Chronic Disease is a "Network Insufficiency"
A paradigm shifting analogy for what Alzheimer's (and chronic disease) actually is...
In this week’s TruNeura Mastermind, we shared highlights from the Integrated Medicine for Mental Health (IMMH) Conference in San Diego. Many of our members attended in person, while others joined virtually, and the conversation quickly centered around one phrase from Dr. Dale Bredesen:
“Alzheimer’s is a network insufficiency.”
That simple statement reframes how we think about one of the most feared conditions of our time. Alzheimer’s is not an inevitable result of aging, nor is it explained by a single disease label. Instead, it’s a downstream pathology—a reflection of disrupted physiological networks. Bredesen reminded us: “Alzheimer’s is a pathology, not an etiology.”
This theme echoed across the conference. Dr. Gabor Maté made a similar point when speaking about ADHD:
The DSM, he argued, is “totally useless” as more than a description of the symptoms.
“Don’t confuse a description of a disease with an explanation,” he said.
What we call “disease” is often the result of unprocessed trauma, stress, and disrupted adaptability—not the root cause itself.
Both Bredesen and Maté challenged us to look upstream: not at the label, but at the broken systems that give rise to suffering.
Clinical Advances: Reversing Cognitive Decline
Building on this, Bredesen shared that the Evanthea clinical trial—in which Dr. Kristine Burke is one of the investigators —will release its pre-print in December, with full publication expected in April. The results are very exciting for our field and will break new ground with a placebo arm.
Dr. Kat Toups presented on the trial, hinting at outcomes we can’t yet publish—but safe to say, the field is about to change.
Community and Purpose as Medicine
Dr. Heather Sandison, who leads the only current senior living center with a precision brain health program, shared powerful data:
Just 10 days of isolation during COVID took 10 weeks to recover from.
Meaning, purpose, and connection are as essential to brain health as any supplement or drug.
The key question if you take this information to its logical conclusion is “what really is the medicine?”
The Healing Power of Relationship
Psychedelic researcher Rick Doblin reinforced this lesson. Even in MDMA-assisted therapy trials, he explained, the real driver of transformation is not the compound but the relationship with the therapist.
Maté deepened this perspective by connecting trauma to immunity:
Anger functions like an immune barrier, keeping invaders at bay.
80% of autoimmune disease occurs in women—the group most culturally discouraged from expressing anger.
Trauma reduces flexibility, trapping us in reactive loops.
Healing, then, is not about suppressing symptoms but restoring the capacity to respond with freedom. A particularly interesting analogy for the Functional Medicine community, where “triggers” are an important part of the methodology, was that the trigger is actually the smallest part of the gun. What we need to work on is the capacity not to explode.
Dr. Nasha Winters extended this into the realm of oncology and mental health, showing how vagal tone and a sense of safety are foundational for healing. As I reflected on the loss of a family member to cancer, it was clear: without safety and connection, even the best tools can’t be used.
Culture, Safety, and the Nervous System
Over dinner, I connected with Dr. Tracy Gaudet, who pioneered a Whole Health transformation at the VA. She reminded us: “You can’t mandate a cultural transformation.” True change is cultural, relational, and voluntary.
A Paradigm in Motion
Taken together, the IMMH conference underscored a paradigm shift already in motion:
Alzheimer’s is reversible.
Community is medicine.
Relationships drive healing.
Culture shapes outcomes.
At TruNeura, we’re honored to be building the software and systems that allow practitioners to bring this new paradigm into clinical reality. With our partners—Freedom Practice Coaching, ViewMind, and Cerbo—we are making it easier than ever to run thriving brain health clinics that deliver measurable, sustainable outcomes.
The future of brain health is not about labels. It’s about restoring networks, relationships, and meaning.
These conclusions were reinforced by an event I attended yesterday afternoon put on by the Blue Zones group as they start their relationship with El Dorado Hills, CA and their local sponsor, Marshall Medical, the local hospital.
When I saw this slide on their “Life Radius”, and how we need to make it easier for health to “ensue” and not be “pursued” all I could think about is “All chronic disease is a network insufficiency” It’s the same in the brain as in the community. Networks matter and we are all working towards a permanent, holistic transformation.
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