A bathing cap style helmet equipped with electrodes emitting electromagnetic waves Supposed to break the accumulations of amyloid beta proteins (A-beta) and tau proteins, considered to be the main culprits of Alzheimer’s disease: this is the device tested by an American company on patients with Alzheimer’s. After an initial two-month trial, the device improved the cognitive performance of patients.
A first study on only 8 patients
Admittedly, this first study only involved 8 patients. But the researchers are delighted with its promising results, especially since “no adverse effects or behavioral problems were felt”, they explained in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
For this trial, the researchers placed the device (called MemorEMTM) on patients’ heads, at home, twice a day for one hour. The electrodes were activated sequentially. During the time of the treatment, the patients benefited from almost complete mobility and could go about their daily activities. “The memory effects were such that none of the patients wanted to return the headset after two months of testing,” said Dr. Gary Arendash, lead author of the study and leader of the NeuroEM Therapeutics company.
The researchers embarked on a recruitment phase of 150 patients with moderate form of Alzheimer’s disease in order to launch a second clinical study.
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