Breakthrough device helps Alzheimer’s patients regain cognition

A new device is in the preliminary stages of testing in the U.S., and is showing great promise for treating Alzheimer’s.

The first U.S. trials for the NeuroAD device were conducted at the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. The medical center is a teaching hospital associated with Harvard Medical School.

The device, which was originally developed and successfully tested in Israel, combines electromagnetic stimulation of the brain with cognitive training. The stimulation and the training both target specific regions of the brain affected by the disease.

The findings of these early studies are somewhat remarkable. Alvaro Pascual-Leone directed the trial at the Harvard Medical School where he is a Professor of Neurology. He told Dementia Today, “Tests have shown significant improvement of the cognitive functions, and we’ve seen increased connectivity in the brain in functional MRI scans. As a result, patients’ daily activities such as taking care of themselves, speaking, and even recognizing their loved ones have improved dramatically.”

The treatment is pain free and, according to Dementia Today, it “not only stopped patients from deteriorating, it actually improved patients’ cognitive performance to a greater extent than what is currently available with approved medications.”

The device is not a cure for Alzheimer’s. Medications to relieve some of its symptoms generally show diminished benefits within six to nine months of treatment. The NeuroAD can be used in conjunction with drug therapeis and has shown a more significant impact with long-term results, according to Dementia Today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdt4_14tkNE&noredirect=1

Hopefully, these suggestions are a step in the right direction, helping prevent falls for your elderly loved one.

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