NEW TREATMENT RECHARGES DECISION-MAKING IN ALZHEIMER’S
More effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease could be just around the corner, thanks to a technique called deep-brain stimulation (DBS), research just published in the Journal of
Alzheimer’s Disease suggests. Deep-brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes inside a patient’s brain that stimulate key areas of the frontal lobe by means of a tiny electric current, provided by a ‘battery pack’ implanted in the patient’s chest. The technique has already proved successful in treating neurological conditions such as depression and Parkinson’s disease, while in 2016, studies found that it could help to stimulate brain cell growth and slow memory loss.
Building on this research, a team at the Ohio State University led by Dr Douglas Scharre, gave three Alzheimer’s patients DBS implants then tracked their cognitive function over three years. All three patients experienced less cognitive decline than would normally be expected, and in some cases there were actually signs of a reversal: one patient was able to cook a meal for the first time in several years.
“We have many memory aids, tools and pharmaceutical treatments to help Alzheimer’s patients with memory, but we don’t have anything to help with improving their judgments, making good decisions, or increasing their ability to [focus] on the task at hand. These skills are necessary in performing daily tasks,” says Scharre.
A follow-up study involving a much larger group of patients is now being prepared.