Advancements in Alzheimer’s research: Queensland Brain Institute conducts ‘stepping stone’ trial using ultrasound
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Nobody would wish Alzheimer's on anybody, and yet it robs hundreds of thousands of Australians across the country every year. Statistics show that one in 10 over-65s have this disease and it’s the second leading cause of death nationwide.
It truly is a devastating illness, so we here at SDC were pleased to hear the news that medical experts are making advances towards potential treatments or cures.
It looks like our hopes are not unfounded; a research team at the University Of Queensland’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) has announced plans to trial a cutting-edge treatment involving ultrasounds by next year – giving us an inkling as to just how far modern technology can be pushed!
Professor Juergen Gotz, the research team's head, described how they utilise calibrated ultrasound to target an area in the rear of the brain that is impacted early in the course of Alzheimer's disease.
He remarked: 'You have a lot of different cells which are impacted in the brain, and they also respond to ultrasound.'
'The ultrasound stimulates proteins which sit in the membranes of different cell types, with the consequence that those cells release things which stimulate neighbouring cells.'
Twelve people, aged between 50 and 85 and who are suffering from moderate to severe Alzheimer's, will take part in the safety trials over the next twelve months under the supervision of Mater Hospital's neurologist, Professor Peter Nestor.
The subjects will receive specially calibrated ultrasounds that will focus treatment on areas affected early on during their course with degenerative brain disorder four times at two weeks intervals, with an emphasis on investigating potential adverse reactions rather than efficacy.
'Twelve people might sound like a small trial but it’s quite large for a safety trial,' Prof Nestor said.
'Because it’s a preliminary trial there’s no placebo group, it’s all about treating the patients and seeing how they tolerate the treatment.'
It should be noted that initial trials on mouse models revealed that the treatment resulted in an increase in brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to change, learn, and memorise with age) and an improvement in cognitive function.
Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia. Thousands of people suffer from this devastating condition, and the hunt for a cure or treatment is a major priority in the medical community.
However, there is currently no method to reverse the degeneration of the brain caused by the disease and only limited options to temporarily halt the progression.
Gotz said that while they were no closer to developing a feasible treatment for the disease, their research has been very promising and that it could potentially aid Alzheimer's patients.
'This is a long journey, and this safety trial is just a stepping stone on that journey,' he said.
'There’s more work to be done, more trials in the future and more basic science needs to be done but hopefully, there is a reward at the end of the journey.'
We would like to reiterate that this is a preliminary trial and that the researchers are skipping the efficacy test for the meantime. So, it might be too early for us to hope that a viable cure will be accessible to Alzheimer's patients soon.
What are your thoughts on this? Share them with us in the comments below!
It truly is a devastating illness, so we here at SDC were pleased to hear the news that medical experts are making advances towards potential treatments or cures.
It looks like our hopes are not unfounded; a research team at the University Of Queensland’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) has announced plans to trial a cutting-edge treatment involving ultrasounds by next year – giving us an inkling as to just how far modern technology can be pushed!
Professor Juergen Gotz, the research team's head, described how they utilise calibrated ultrasound to target an area in the rear of the brain that is impacted early in the course of Alzheimer's disease.
For several years, University of Queensland Professor Jürgen Götz has been developing the ultrasound treatment approach. Credit: University of Queensland.
He remarked: 'You have a lot of different cells which are impacted in the brain, and they also respond to ultrasound.'
'The ultrasound stimulates proteins which sit in the membranes of different cell types, with the consequence that those cells release things which stimulate neighbouring cells.'
Twelve people, aged between 50 and 85 and who are suffering from moderate to severe Alzheimer's, will take part in the safety trials over the next twelve months under the supervision of Mater Hospital's neurologist, Professor Peter Nestor.
The subjects will receive specially calibrated ultrasounds that will focus treatment on areas affected early on during their course with degenerative brain disorder four times at two weeks intervals, with an emphasis on investigating potential adverse reactions rather than efficacy.
Professor Peter Nestor used the ultrasound gadget for an Alzheimer's patient in a trial session. Credit: University of Queensland.
'Twelve people might sound like a small trial but it’s quite large for a safety trial,' Prof Nestor said.
'Because it’s a preliminary trial there’s no placebo group, it’s all about treating the patients and seeing how they tolerate the treatment.'
It should be noted that initial trials on mouse models revealed that the treatment resulted in an increase in brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to change, learn, and memorise with age) and an improvement in cognitive function.
Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia. Thousands of people suffer from this devastating condition, and the hunt for a cure or treatment is a major priority in the medical community.
However, there is currently no method to reverse the degeneration of the brain caused by the disease and only limited options to temporarily halt the progression.
Gotz said that while they were no closer to developing a feasible treatment for the disease, their research has been very promising and that it could potentially aid Alzheimer's patients.
'This is a long journey, and this safety trial is just a stepping stone on that journey,' he said.
'There’s more work to be done, more trials in the future and more basic science needs to be done but hopefully, there is a reward at the end of the journey.'
We would like to reiterate that this is a preliminary trial and that the researchers are skipping the efficacy test for the meantime. So, it might be too early for us to hope that a viable cure will be accessible to Alzheimer's patients soon.
What are your thoughts on this? Share them with us in the comments below!
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