Alzheimer's is a progressive form of dementia that gets worse over time. In its early stages, memory loss is considered mild but over time it can cause people to lose the ability to speak or even respond to their environment. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the US and people suffering from the disease typically only live eight years after onset.
With that in mind, Australian researchers have discovered a non-invasive ultrasound technology that clears the brain of neurotoxic amyloid plaques. These are the structures that are responsible for the decline of cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients.
The research team uses the ultrasound technology to beam sound waves into the brain tissue. The super-fast oscillating sound waves are able to open the blood brain barrier and activate the brain's microglial cells. These cells are waste removal cells and once activated they can clear out the beta-amyloid clumps that are responsible to Alzheimer's symptoms. The researchers reported that they fully restored memory function to 75 percent of the mice they tested with no damage to the brain.
For more on this check out these web sites