A new German study, published in the online journal Molecular Psychiatry earlier this month, found a promising new development in how brain stimulation can be used against Alzheimer's disease.
According to HealthDay News, the study enrolled 42 Americans and Canadians suffering from Alzheimer's with the goal of determining how deep stimulation of the brain could be harnessed as a form of Alzheimer's treatment. The researchers targeted a section of the brain called the nucleus basalis of Meynert, a segment associated with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the brain's ability to think properly. Stimulating this section over an 11-month period resulted in stabilized memory support within four out of six Alzheimer's patients.
While doctors cautioned that this research was far from proving a positive relationship between brain stimulation and Alzheimer's treatment, it does, at least, lend itself to encouraging possibilities.
"The research is very preliminary. We have good intentions, but there has to be rigorous testing with a 'control' group," said Dr. Stephen Salloway, Brown University's director of neurology and the Memory and Aging Program, in an official statement. "[Still], we're opening a new era of exploration for Alzheimer's treatment."
The goal behind brain stimulation therapy, according to Salloway, is "to help a brain 'circuit' work properly again," and potentially even spark the creation of new neurons and connections that could restore memory capability and brain health. Brain stimulation is already used as a form of treatment in select cases of Parkinson's disease.
There's still a long way to go in demonstrating, let alone proving, just how effective brain stimulation may be as a tool in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Stay with this blog for future updates on this and other potential Alzheimer's treatments currently being researched. In the meantime, click here for more information on our selection of brain support supplements.