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Science/Tech See other Science/Tech Articles Title: Implant may help memory recall in Alzheimer's A pacemaker-like device surgically implanted into the brain may boost memory recall in some of the patients suffering Alzheimer's disease. The pacemaker which is already available for some patients with severe Parkinson’s or depression uses deep electrodes to send continuous impulses to certain brain regions. John Hopkins University researchers conducted a small trial to test the safety of the Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for six patients with Alzheimer’s. According to the findings published in the Archives of Neurology , in all of the studied patients, the device boosted the function of regions involved in memory and cognition. “The regions are not working together in concert as you would observe in normal individuals... but we were seeing an increase in brain activity. You wouldn't see that in people with normal Alzheimer's,” said lead author Gwen Smith. To measure the activity of certain brain areas, the scientists used PET scan technique which shows the metabolism level of glucose, the only energy source brain cells use. Reportedly, the implant led to roughly 15 percent to 20 percent increase in glucose metabolism after one year of continuous stimulation. The increases were observed in patients with better outcomes in cognition, memory and quality of life. In addition, the stimulation increased connectivity in brain circuits associated with memory. “We find that increases in glucose metabolism lead to improvements in brain function correlated with behaviors- so patients with greater increases had better clinical outcomes in Alzheimer's disease as far as keeping the disease where it is, and keeping it stable,” noted Smith. Although larger studies are needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of the device, the researchers say the DBS technology is the most successful known therapy for the disease. “There's no cure, so people are so desperate to find treatments that are effective. The results were encouraging, but we're still very early in testing,’ Smith cautioned. SJM/SJM Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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