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First Medical Device To Treat Alzheimer's Is Up For Approval By the FDA (ieee.org)

Posted by BeauHD on from the first-of-its-kind dept.

the_newsbeagle writes: An FDA advisory committee met today to consider approving the NeuroAD device, which is supposed to help with the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The device uses a combination of brain stimulation and cognitive training tasks to strengthen the neural circuits involved in language, memory, and other components of cognition. The treatment requires patients to come to the clinic daily for 1-hour sessions. Regulators in Israel and Europe have already approved the device. The CEO of the company behind the device, Neuronix, says that they're not attempting to cure the underlying biological causes of Alzheimer's. "We're attempting to modify the course of the disease," he says. The cognitive improvements last for up to a year, after which they fade away.

18 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. Another possible treatment: clicks & flashes by Swave+An+deBwoner · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This other potential treatment sounds interesting:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/health/alzheimers-memory.html

    And it sounds like it may even be made available in a home setting.

  2. Re:Smart /s by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    It is smart, because if they let you take it home you'd lose it.

    If they didn't have somebody to help them get to appointments, they wouldn't be visiting the doctor in the first place.

    And for the manufacturer it is great; if it has to be used at a clinic, that's great for the clinic! And guess who buys it? The clinic.

  3. Re:Another possible treatment: clicks & flashe by Aighearach · · Score: 1

    The problem is, the mice don't have Alzheimer's, they just have similar symptoms for some other reason.

    Strobe lights and clicking doesn't generally cause cognitive improvement, so there isn't any reason to think it is a general effect that would apply to anything other than "mice with a certain type of genetic brain damage."

    It is probably just causing dysfunction in the part of the brain that they damaged to cause the plaque buildup.

  4. Something better than nothing by Leuf · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Delaying the need for going to nursing home and taking some of the strain off from the caregivers would certainly help. But we aren't that far in with the disease with my mom and at this point getting her to cooperate with that for an hour a day every day would not be remotely possible.

  5. Re:Another possible treatment: clicks & flashe by wyattstorch516 · · Score: 5, Funny

    There's a great business opportunity if I ever saw one. Open up discos catering to the elderly with Alzheimer's/Dementia.

  6. What are the effects on people without Alzheimers? by Crashmarik · · Score: 2

    This sounds like something that could easily benefit everyone.

  7. Coinkidink by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    I'm not saying their connected, but it's a big coincidence that the press release this story is based on gets released the same day this happens:

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/b...

    https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/21...

    https://www.bloomberg.com/opin...

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Coinkidink by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 1

      I'm not saying their connected

      Whose connected? Her connected? His connected? My connected?

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  8. Other treatment by religionofpeas · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Another method is to quit eating sugar.

    1. Re:Other treatment by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      You've got to be kidding.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:Other treatment by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      Another method is to quit eating sugar.

      Right. Too bad the truth about this has been suppressed, like the 50MPG carburetors ...

      (obDisclaimer: sarcasm)

    3. Re:Other treatment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's diabetes

    4. Re:Other treatment by GLMDesigns · · Score: 2

      My father had alzheimers and consumed almost no sugar.

      Never drank soda.
      Preferred oranges, plums and grapes for dessert (as opposed to pie/cake)

      The only sugar he would consume would be that which is found in potatoes and bread (which he made or got from a local Italian bakery)

      My aunt is 90 and is sharp as a whip. She has sugar (in the form of jam) every morning. And has a piece of cake (which she baked) every night.

      Oh, and both were extremely physically active (walking, gardening) throughout their lives.

      Moral of the story - consuming sugar != alzheimers.

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    5. Re:Other treatment by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I don't think Alzheimer's is caused by sugar either, but your anecdote doesn't prove that it isn't.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Re:brain training by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    As a neuroscience researcher myself, the "brain stimulation" part certainly is not snake oil. I do a different kind of stimulation than TMS, but all types of brain stimulation are currently being investigated as a means to enhance plasticity in the brain. The model of temporal pairing of stimulation with some kind of physical experience (such as brain games) is a successful model backed by quite a few scientific studies.

  10. Re:Smart /s by parkinglot777 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Well, it is a good way to give hope and milk patients' family. Medical nowadays is NOT to cure but to PROLONG the symptom (and life) not to get worsen. Isn't that a great way of making money? :p

  11. Better idea by TimMD909 · · Score: 1

    Market this device to everyone looking to gain a competitive advantage at work, in school, etc. Alzheimer patients may be the Why? that got their funding, but they could make bank if they expand their target audience.

  12. Or you could just get an education by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    High cognitive reserves from long periods of education, have a marked impact on slowing disease progression.

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