Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people all over the world - nearly 36 million, in fact. This degenerative brain disease impacts memory function, levels of understanding and processing information, and even personality. This devastating disease impacts millions of patients and their families every day.
While there is no cure for this disease, research is being done to slow down and hopefully reverse the effects of the disease. There is a new surgical procedure that is beginning to give hope to patients who are currently suffering from Alzheimer's.
Researchers at John Hopkins University have been working on a brain pacemaker. This pacemaker may help to treat patients with the degenerative disease. It would insert two wires into the brain where memory function is linked, while a battery would fit underneath the shoulder blades. The battery would run electricity through the wires, in turn, stimulating the brain. The goal is that the wires will stimulate parts of the brain that are linked to memory - which could stop or slow down the effects of the disease.
While researchers claim that the procedure itself is not overly invasive, the surgery requires that holes be drilled into the patient's skull. Despite what the researchers may claim, this invasive nature of this surgery is clear. However, this brain pacemaker, used with Alzheimer's drug therapy could potentially slow down or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease. This could radically change the lives of those who are living with the disease.
Parkinson's disease research actually inspired this project. A similar brain pacemaker has been used to treat patients suffering from Parkinson's. It has been largely successful, and has treated tens of thousands of patients. The researchers at John Hopkins University are hoping for similar results with the Alzheimer's brain pacemaker. The two procedures are similar, but stimulate different parts of the brain.
There have already been six clinical trials of this new Alzheimer's brain pacemaker in Canada. The results of these clinical trials found that the patient's memories improved slightly, and that their brain metabolisms actually improved drastically. Dr. Paul Rosenberg, an Alzheimer's specialist at John Hopkins University felt "cautiously optimistic" about the results of the first round of clinical trials. Clinical trials of the brain pacemaker will soon be taking place in the US.
Unfortunately for Alzheimer's patients, many of the more recent drug trials have led to disappointing results. Perhaps this is why the Alzheimer's brain pacemaker is gaining so much attention. People all over the world are hoping that this new research and the next round of clinical trials may lead to a cure. Since Alzheimer's impacts so many lives both directly and indirectly, a cure to this degenerative brain disease is essential.
Before you get your hopes up too high, keep in mind that the procedure will likely not be available for a few more years. No one knows yet if the brain pacemaker for Alzheimer's will be what it takes to cure the disease. Only time will tell how this procedure will impact the future of the disease. Still, it gives hope that a cure for Alzheimer's disease is on the horizon.
Dr. David Tal has more than twenty years of clinical experience. He strongly believes that medical treatment can improve the life of Alzheimer's and memory loss patients. His participation at the Age Matters Clinic allows him to share his knowledge with patients and their families.
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