There are a lot of medical breakthroughs these days, and one of the most intriguing ones addresses the fact that Alzheimer’s could be treated with functional MRI and ultrasound. Check out the latest reports below.
Could Alzheimer’s be treated with functional MRI and ultrasound?
Dr. Sheldon Jordan is a leading neurologist who is using functional MRI and ultrasound technology to pioneer the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
With over 6 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s, this number is expected to almost double to nearly 13 million by 2050, as per a 2021 U.S. dementia study. Focused ultrasound, guided by regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is currently approved to treat around 30 indications worldwide, including Parkinson’s disease tremors and dyskinesia.
Functional MRI, on the other hand, has the potential to map the connecting pathways between different parts of the brain, thereby opening up further treatment possibilities.
Dr. Jordan has witnessed its strong potential for treating Alzheimer’s and has had patients with Alzheimer’s disease on a particular type of medication that helps break down some of these toxic proteins.
The use of focused energy can aid in their elimination. On VitalSigns, Dr. Jordan discusses with host Brendon Fallon the advantages that functional MRI has over regular MRI in expanding the understanding and treatment of brain diseases.
Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are both neurodegenerative disorders that will affect the central nervous system of the patient.
Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s consist of progressive degeneration and loss of specific types of nerve cells in the patient’s brain. In the case of Alzheimer’s, there is widespread neuronal death and atrophy throughout the brain. This is especially happening in regions involved in memory and cognition. As for Parkinson’s, the degeneration primarily affects dopaminergic neurons in the brain region called the substantia nigra, which leads to motor symptoms.
Stay tuned for more news about the issue.
