FDA-approved trial uses ultrasound technology to treat Alzheimer’s

A noninvasive focused ultrasound technology was used in an FDA-approved clinical trial to treat Alzheimer’s disease, according to a press release.

The first patient in the trial, which is Insightec’s ExAblate Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, received treatment at the Delray Medical Center in Florida in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-Health).

According to the release, treatment involves the use of MRI to focus ultrasound waves on specific points in the brain to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier to reduce protein buildup, which is a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Delray Medical Center is proud and excited to be a leader in this effort to determine the safety and efficacy of this potentially revolutionary treatment for Alzheimer's patients,” Lloyd Zucker, MD, FAANS, a board-certified neurosurgeon and medical director of neurosurgery at Delray Medical Center, said in the release. “The study will help determine whether the use of this noninvasive focused ultrasound technology can lead to cognitive improvement in patients with Alzheimer's disease.”

Additionally, the team at Florida Atlantic University is developing a “noninvasive, blood-based monitoring to determine if treatments are effective,” Gregg Fields, PhD, executive director of I-Health and program director for the project, said in the release.