By Elizabeth Packer
Aside from the fact that they are both diseases affecting the state of the body, Alzheimer’s disease and morbid obesity have no real connection to one another, right? Think again. According to a recent accidental discovery made by a team of Canadian doctors in Toronto, these two diseases may actually be linked by a mode of treatment known as deep brain stimulation (DBS) (Hamani, et.al., 2007).
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, DBS is most commonly used as a way to treat the tremors that are frequently a side-affect of Parkinson’s disease. In the course of the treatment, a neurostimulator is implanted into specific areas of the brain that control movement, such as the cerebellum. Once installed, the neurostimulator delivers electrical stimuli to this area of the brain, blocking the abnormal nerve signals that cause the tremors. DBS thus serves not as a cure-all for the disease, but rather a “symptom suppressant.”
As deep brain stimulation usage on Parkinson’s disease has become increasingly common, doctors have begun exploring other applications for the treatment. For instance, inquiries have been made into whether electric stimulation of the hypothalamus, which affects appetite, could serve as a treatment for morbid obesity. During one of these studies, doctors also discovered a link between hypothalamus stimulation and memory. Based on these results, Lozano and his team concluded that hypothalamus stimulation could aid in the treatment of the memory loss characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (Hamani, et al., 2007). Dr. Andres M. Loranzo—a professor of neurosurgery and one of the discoverers of the potential link between Alzheimer’s disease treatment and DBS—has now initiated a pilot study for patients in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Over the past year, several breakthroughs involving the use of deep brain stimulation in non-Parkinsonian patients have come to light. Although DMS cannot provide a complete “cure” to the diseases it treats, it may be able to help alleviate some of their debilitating symptoms.
Reference
Hamani, C., McAndrews, M.C., Cohn, M., et al. (2007). Memory enhancement induced by hypothalmic/fornix deep brain stimulation. Annals of Neurology, 63 (1), 119-123.
While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, DBS in the hippocampus is used to treat its primary symptom—memory loss. However, memory loss is not the only symptom of this debilitating illness; depression, loneliness, and confusion all add to the difficulties faced by Alzheimer’s patients and their families. Reminiscence therapy, which also involves the memory-storing capacity of the hippocampus, is one less extreme alternative to DBS that attempts to treat these secondary symptoms. Using artifacts and information from earlier in the patient’s life (such as music, photos, and stories) reminiscence therapy encourages patients to think and talk about their memories. (http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Alzheimer_Issues_680/Music_Photos_And_Art_Helping_Loved_Ones_With_Alzheimer_s_Disease_printer.shtml )
Although studies (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/507361_2 ) on reminiscence therapy show no clear improvement in patients’ memory or behavior, the data does suggest that patients undergoing reminiscence therapy are more alert and more likely to share memories with their caregivers. While it does not treat the memory loss most often associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, reminiscence therapy may help ward off the isolation Alzheimer’s causes and provide feelings of connection between the patient, caregiver, and family. When coupled with physiological treatments such as DBS, reminiscence therapy can improve the patient’s overall sense of well-being, an important element in treating a disease with such diverse symptoms.
Comment by Alex Crocker — March 24, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
The Medical College of Georgia is researching the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on epilepsy patients, hopefully leading to developments that will eliminate the reoccurring seizures that affect epilepsy patients around the world. As noted in the previous article, researchers have shown that DBS can reduce the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease; researchers also believe that DBS can be used in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and morbid obesity.
Each of the ten subjects who participated in the College’s study had a device implanted in his or her brain that constantly measures brain waves and activity (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070910132445.htm). After the device is calibrated to the specific patient, it is able to recognize abnormal brain activity and subsequently, upon recognizing abnormal activity, deliver a small electrical stimulus to stop the problem before it manifests as a seizure.
This breakthrough will hopefully help people around the world, as one in two-hundred people have seizures and an estimated thirty to forty percent of epilepsy patients cannot control their seizures with medications (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070726142003.htm). Additionally, many people are unable or unwilling to undergo operations to remove the foci in the brain that cause the seizures. Hopefully this new device will be able to help these people.
References:
Medical College of Georgia (2007, September 11). Implantable Device Designed To Detect, Stop Seizures Under Study. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com– /releases/2007/09/070910132445.htm
Thomas Jefferson University (2007, July 30). Brain Implant Could Predict And Stop Epilepsy Seizures. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com– /releases/2007/07/070726142003.htm
Comment by Brian Ruocco — April 7, 2008 @ 8:34 pm