Focused Ultrasound Boosts Plaque Clearance in Alzheimer’s Brains

Researchers from West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute have demonstrated in a proof-of-concept study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that focused ultrasound combined with anti-amyloid-beta antibody treatment can accelerate the clearance of amyloid-beta plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients.

As described by lead author Dr. Ali Rezai, executive chair of the Institute, focused ultrasound was used to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier in a safe, non-invasive manner to targeted areas of the brain with high levels of amyloid-beta. This improved delivery and efficacy of the amyloid-lowering drug aducanumab, with PET scans showing 32% more reduction in plaques in regions with focused ultrasound compared to regions without. The WVU team now plans to build on these positive safety and plaque clearance results with further studies using focused ultrasound and anti-amyloid therapies. Read the full article here.