Hope for Alzheimer's sufferers with Scientists Developing a Treatment to RESTORE Memory Loss
- University of Queensland scientists have made the medical breakthrough
- 'Cheap' and 'mobile' ultrasound device that can be used for treatment
- Drug-free treatment breaks down the plaques that cause memory loss
- Will be particularly helpful to suffers in the early stages of the illness
- Tested on mice who were put through mazes and had to remember objects
Daily Mail Australia, 12 March 2015
Australian scientists have made a major breakthrough in treating Alzheimer's with a new drug-free method that can restore memory loss.
Researchers at the University of Queensland's Brain Institute hope to be able to trial their new 'cheap and mobile' ultrasound device within two years on humans.
The treatment attacks the neurotoxic amyloid plaques that cause memory loss and cognitive failure with ultrasound waves.
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Researchers at the University of Queensland's Brain Institute hope to be able to trial their new 'cheap and mobile' ultrasound device within two years on humans.
Research director Professor Jürgen Götz hopes the new method will revolutionise Alzheimer's treatment by restoring memory for sufferers.
'We're extremely excited by this innovation of treating Alzheimer's without using drug therapeutics,' Professor Götz said, according to The Australian.
'The word 'breakthrough' is often misused, but in this case I think this really does fundamentally change our understanding of how to treat this disease, and I foresee a great future for this approach.'
The mobile device could be used by patients in their own homes several times a year,eliminating the need for expensive drug treatment that costs up to $250,000, Prof Götz said.
'With an ageing population placing an increasing burden on the health system, an important factor is cost, and other potential drug treatments using antibodies will be expensive,' he said.
The mobile device could be used by patients in their own homes several times a year,eliminating the need for expensive drug treatment that costs up to $250,000, Prof Götz said.
'In contrast, this method uses relatively inexpensive ultrasound and microbubble technology which is non-invasive and appears highly effective.'
Almost two thirds of all dementia patients in Australia suffer from Alzheimer's, which accounts for almost 250,000 people.
The total number of dementia cases in Australia is expected to rise to 900,000 by 2050.
Findings of the research, 'Scanning ultrasound efficiently removes amyloid-β and restores memory in an Alzheimer's model', are published in the journal.
An Alzheimer's Society video: What is Alzheimer's Disease?