New Helmet May Help Treat Alzheimer's Disease By Using Infrared Rays
Researchers now believe that they have found a promising new treatment for Alzheimer's disease, and it comes in the form of a helmet that shoots infrared rays into your head. It sound a little crude, but these researchers say that this treatment has worked on mice to help restore memory and stimulate brain cell growth, and they will now begin testing on humans.
If you ask me, this new Alzheimer's helmet looks a little bit like something out of science fiction movie, but if it works than who cares what it looks like. There's still a lot of testing to be done, says the inventor of this device Dr. Gordon Dougal from Durham University, before the Alzheimer's helmet is actually used to treat the disease - but early testing is very promising.
Alzheimer's disease is a very widespread disease affecting people from around the world. In the United States alone, there are 5 million people living with Alzheimer's disease, and health care costs associated with Alzheimer's and dementia total about $148 billion per year (alz.org). So no matter how crazy this new Alzheimer's helmet idea may sound, it's worth it to give it a try.
The researchers at Durham University and the University of Sunderland found that infrared light actually works to reverse memory loss in mice. Dr. Dougal says that wearing the helmet for 10 minutes a day for 4 weeks is enough to have a noticeable effect on Alzheimer's patients. He says, "currently all you can do with dementia is to slow down the rate of decay - this new process will not only stop that rate of decay but partially reverse it."
Hopefully further testing of this Alzheimer's helmet will prove to be a success. It could be a great tool to help millions of people around the world who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
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