Jakob Norgren

I completed my PhD in 2023, with Prof. Miia Kivipelto as my principal supervisor. My thesis, titled "The Impact of Macronutritional Composition and Ketosis on Cognitive Health: From Normal Aging to Alzheimer's Disease", can be downloaded here: http://hdl.handle.net/10616/48662

Alongside my doctoral project, I played a leading role in the conceptualization and planning of an ongoing clinical trial at the Karolinska University Hospital: "COGNIFOOD—Investigating the therapeutic potential of changing the dietary carbohydrate/fat-ratio to prevent cognitive decline and Alzheimer pathology: A pilot study". The trial is funded by the af Jochnick foundation via the FINGERS Brain Health Institute and data for analysis is expected in 2026. More info: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06105320

Since January 2024, I have been employed as a postdoc in Prof. Maria Eriksdotter's group, working on a project focused on drug repurposing for the prevention and treatment of dementia. Statins are of particular interest in our project, which is led by Sara Garcia Ptacek. Thanks to a grant from The Swedish Alzheimer Foundation (Alzheimerfonden), I have also initiated my own project: "Optimizing dietary recommendations for Alzheimer prevention: Investigating a possible mismatch between official dietary guidelines and APOE4-specific food adaptation."

It is well established that lifestyle influences the risk of chronic diseases, but more detailed knowledge is needed to guide effective prevention strategies. In my doctoral project, I investigated the impact of nutrition on cognitive health in normal aging and Alzheimer's disease. I am particularly interested in macronutritional composition and the effects of the metabolic state known as ketosis.

My project included the planning and analysis of the clinical trial "Coffee & Cream, " where we examined the ketogenic effect of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and coconut oil in combination with time-restricted carbohydrate intake. Some promising pilot trials on ketogenic diets for promoting brain health have led to growing interest in this area of research. However, it remains unclear how important ketosis itself is in mediating the potential health effects of strict carbohydrate restriction.

Results from my doctoral project suggest that even moderate changes in the carbohydrate-to-fat ratio may influence cognitive function among older individuals at risk for dementia. My current aim is to replicate these findings using data from other observational studies. This research question will also be addressed in an upcoming intervention study.

I am interested in gene–diet interactions, particularly the role of apolipoprotein E (APOE), which is associated with both dementia risk and macronutrient metabolism. Advancing knowledge in this area may contribute to more personalized dietary recommendations in the future. Additionally, I am engaged in the development of improved methods for nutritional epidemiology, drawing on theories from compositional data analysis and causal inference.

Since dietary factors affect many of the same biomarkers as statins and diabetes medications, I also find it valuable to study the effects of such drugs on cognitive health outcomes in parallel with dietary research.