Transcranial Electromagnetic Treatment (TEMT) Shows Promise for Alzheimer’s Disease

Background on Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease, first identified by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906, continues to pose a significant challenge over a century later, with treatments primarily aimed at alleviating symptoms rather than addressing the underlying condition. Despite extensive research, the development of effective drugs that modify the disease has remained elusive, largely due to an incomplete understanding of its mechanisms.

New Insights from Recent Research

A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease presents a novel approach to treatment. The authors propose that the repeated failure to create a disease-modifying drug for Alzheimer’s can be attributed to two main factors. First, many drugs, particularly larger protein-based molecules, struggle to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Second, the predominant focus on targeting amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles may occur too late in the disease process.

Targeting Early Disease Mechanisms

Amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles begin as smaller, soluble protein fragments. The researchers suggest that by targeting these smaller components before they aggregate, it may be possible to intervene effectively in the disease’s progression. This raises the question: how can we deliver treatments that reach these targets in the brain?

Introducing Transcranial Electromagnetic Treatment (TEMT)

Transcranial electromagnetic treatment, or TEMT, emerges as a potential solution. Unlike prior electrical and magnetic therapies that have not yielded significant success, TEMT employs electromagnetic fields generated by flowing current. These fields consist of electric and magnetic waves, with a frequency of approximately 1 GHz, which can penetrate the human skull and brain tissue, overcoming the barriers faced by many pharmaceutical treatments.

Study Design and Methodology

Before testing on human subjects, the research team confirmed the safety and efficacy of TEMT in animal models. They developed a device, the MemorEM™ headset, equipped with eight transmitters that deliver electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 915 MHz.

The trial involved eight patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, aged 63 and older, with Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) scores ranging from 16 to 26. To minimize potential medication interference, participants’ Alzheimer’s medications remained unchanged for three months prior to and during the trial.

At the onset of the study, participants underwent brain scans to assess Alzheimer’s-related damage and glucose metabolism, alongside cognitive function evaluations. Throughout the two-month trial, they received TEMT treatments twice daily, each lasting one hour, administered by trained caregivers. Patient safety was monitored regularly.

Trial Outcomes

Results indicated that seven out of eight patients exhibited noticeable improvements in cognitive function by the end of the two-month period. However, follow-up assessments two weeks after treatment revealed a decline in cognitive function for four participants, while one patient showed no positive response throughout the study.

Overall, the group demonstrated significant enhancements in immediate and five-day recall abilities, although some cognitive function measures, including the MMSE, did not show improvement.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis

Comparisons of cerebrospinal fluid samples from baseline to day 60 revealed significant changes. Notably, levels of soluble amyloid-beta increased, suggesting that TEMT may facilitate the breakdown of insoluble amyloid-beta into smaller, more manageable pieces. However, no changes were observed in soluble tau protein levels, and glucose metabolism did not show significant variation, which may be attributed to the study’s short duration.

Implications and Limitations

While the study’s small sample size necessitates cautious interpretation of the results, it yields two significant findings. First, any treatment that safely enhances cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients is a positive development, warranting further investigation with a larger cohort. Second, the observed increase in soluble amyloid beta protein offers crucial insights into the potential efficacy of TEMT, paving the way for additional research.

In conclusion, while further work is required before these findings can lead to reliable treatments for Alzheimer’s patients, the initial results are certainly encouraging.

Reference

Arendash G, Cao C, Abulaban H, Baranowski R, Wisniewski G, Becerra L, et al. A Clinical Trial of Transcranial Electromagnetic Treatment in Alzheimer’s Disease: Cognitive Enhancement and Associated Changes in Cerebrospinal Fluid, Blood, and Brain Imaging. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;71(1):57-82.

Image Credit

Image by Raman Oza from Pixabay.