Magnetic Pulses While Brain Training Provides New Treatment for Alzhiemer's
A new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease that beams magnetic pulses into patients' brains is being trialled in Britain.
Researchers have found that focusing a magnetic field onto patients' heads while they answer questions or solve puzzles can reduce the symptoms of dementia and improve their memories.
The treatment stimulates key regions of the brain involved in memory and learning, enhancing patients' ability to make new memories.
The scientists behind the technique say it can allow Alzheimer's patients to live far more independently than they otherwise would and extends the time they can spend with their families before suffering the devastating mental decline associated with the disease.They are still conducting tests to see exactly how long the treatment can hold back the symptoms of the disease, which include loss of memory, confusion and changes in personality, but early trials suggest it can be effective for up to a year.
A trial of the technology is now being conducted with patients in Manchester.
Professor Karl Herholz, a clinical neuroscientist at the University of Manchester who is leading the study, said they will study the effect of the technology on six patients with the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
"We have just finished treating the first patient," he said. "It is a promising approach. For people who are in the early stages of the disease, we need treatments that have little side effects.
"Medical interventions using drugs tend to have side effects, which are a problem in the early stages when people still function relatively well.
"Even something that can be effective for three months or half a year would make a substantial difference for Alzhiemer's patients."
Alzheimer's Disease is a form of dementia which effects almost 500,000 people in the UK. It is thought to be caused by build up of tangles inside the cells of the brain, which prevent them from working effectively and can cause the cells to die.
Early symptoms include confusion and memory loss leading to a gradual decline in cognitive ability.
There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's Disease. Existing drug treatments attempt to slow down the progress of its symptoms for a limited period of six months to a year, but can have side effects including headaches, fatigue, nausea and confusion.
The magnetic pulse treatment, known as NeuroAD and developed by Israeli company Neuronix Medical, uses a technique known as transcranial electromagnetic stimulation (TMS) to increase the activity of specific areas of brain.
Patients are exposed to a magnetic pulse while performing specially designed brain training, where they answer questions, identify shapes and solve simple puzzles, in daily hour long sessions over a six week period.
Professor Herholz is using brain scanning techniques to examine whether the treatment produces physical changes in the brain, but tests in animals have shown that TMS increases communication between brain cells and the creation of networks needed for memory.
Clinical trials in Israel and at Harvard Medical School have shown that in patients with mild Alzheimer's, the Neuronix treatment improved their symptoms for up to five months.
Results from the most recent trial, published in the Journal of Neural Transmission, showed a "significant improvement" in 15 patients compared to currently available drug treatments.
The NeuroAD treatment, however, is still expensive costing around £120 for a session and up to £3,600 for a full course and will be several years before it is widely available in the UK.
Eyal Baror, chief executive of Neuronix Medical, said: "We are not offering a cure, but a way to help patients stay independent and have a better quality of life for longer. It means a lot to them as they can have more time at home and more time to be with their families.
"The TMS helps to give the brain a boost, much like exercising a muscle. We see the improved cognitive effect lasting for about 1 year. "We have patients returning for their 3rd round of treatment, with excellent results."
Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, which has contributed £11,830 towards the trial in Manchester, said:
"This small preliminary study has shown some promising early-stage results for this treatment, and larger trials are now needed to know for sure how helpful this method could be for people with Alzheimer's.
"Any treatment that could improve thinking skills for people with Alzheimer's would be a step forward. With half a million people affected by Alzheimer's in the UK, better treatments to help them cope with their symptoms could make a real difference to their lives."
Richard Gray - telegraph.co.uk
