This scan shows the brain of an a Alzheimer’s sufferer (Credit: Alamy)
Ultrasound has gotten some attention lately for its therapeutic potential, and now, if new research holds up, it could even be used to treat Alzheimer's disease. A report claims that researchers have used ultrasound waves to
remove amyloid plaques, which are believed to play a role in the deterioration of the brain that's synonymous with Alzheimer's disease.
In order to test this novel approach, researchers first introduced neurotoxic plaques into the brains of mice by injecting them with a
amyloid-β peptide. This essentially allowed them to observe how Alzheimer's affects the brain. After which, ultrasound waves were applied to the subjects, which ultimately revealed that they cause
amyloid plaque to dissipate from the brain.
Dementia researchers have realized the buildup of amyloid-β is
prevented by microglial cells, and the use of this ultrasound technique appears to increase production and cellular functions of microglia. Our brains microglial cells, which work by digesting troublesome amyloid-β peptides, seem to serve as defenders against dementia caused by Alzheimer's.
The discovery is an "innovation of treating Alzheimer's without using drug therapeutics," Professor Jürgen Götz, the director of the
Queensland Research Centerremarked. Götz would go on to praise the research as a medical "breakthrough," and he isn't using the term lightly.
He is confident that an ultrasound treatment will also prove far more inexpensive than current treatment options. Moreover, it is not only a possible panacea to Alzheimer's, but a new form drug-free medicine.
Finally, the research adds to the growing body of evidence concerning the use of waves to stimulate cell therapy externally. For starters, Ultrasound demonstrably capable of
treating migraine headaches—a discovery that prompted greater interest in researching other medicinal applications.
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