Optimal - The Blog

June 16, 2025

How do Your Biomarkers of Cognition Stack Up?

Our thinking skills—which include paying attention, taking in information, remembering, and planning—typically slow down with age.

Simple blood tests and metabolic measures can flag early trends toward forgetfulness or reduced mental sharpness, and diet plays a key role: eating plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts, and fish, and getting enough magnesium support healthy brain function.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage in which memory or reasoning declines more than in normal aging, but daily life remains largely unaffected.

People with MCI face a higher chance (6–25%) of progressing to dementia compared with those without it, yet early nutrition improvements, such as boosting intake of brain-friendly nutrients, can help slow or even partially reverse these changes.

Full-blown cognitive dysfunction and dementia—seen in conditions like Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia—can severely disrupt memory, language, and everyday tasks. Some causes, like depression, low thyroid function, or vitamin B12 deficiency, are treatable, making early detection crucial.

Because cognitive decline carries high emotional and financial costs for individuals, families, and health systems, spotting subtle biochemical or lifestyle warning signs and taking steps—such as healthy eating, exercise, and stress management—offers the best chance to slow or halt its progression.

The Optimal DX Cognition Biomarker series focuses on relevant biomarkers, including:

Albumin
Albumin:Globulin Ratio
Copper
Cortisol
Cortisol:DHEA Ratio
DHEA
Estradiol
Fibrinogen
Folate
Glucose
Glutathione
HbA1c
Homocysteine
Insulin
Iron
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
Magnesium
Omega-3 Index
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Inflammatory Biomarkers Associated with Cognition, including cytokines, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, CRP, GlycA, and myeloperoxidase.