Her research team included Rezai; RNI researchers Jeffrey Carpenter, Marc Haut, Manish Ranjan, Umer Najib, Paul Lockman, Peng Wang and Pierre-Francois D’haese; and Rupal Mehta from the Rush University Alzheimer’s Disease Center.

“This observation may be an important clue in understanding the physiological mechanism by which the focused ultrasound procedure modifies brain amyloid levels and might be used to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders,” she said.


Why are amyloid levels important? Unusually high amounts of this protein tend to clump together in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, forming plaques between nerve cells and sabotaging their function. The ongoing clinical trial aims to assess whether focused ultrasound can reduce amyloid plaques in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

This project did not involve any medications. The ultrasound itself was enough to elicit a probable immunological response. In the future, however, the treatment may make it easier to medicate the brain with more precision, even in people who don’t have Alzheimer’s disease.

“The blood brain barrier limits our ability to deliver drugs and therapeutic agents directly to the brain,” Mehta said. “Therefore, opening this barrier in patients would allow focal delivery of medications in select brain regions targeted by the procedure.”

The clinical trial — sponsored by INSIGHTEC, the manufacturer of the ultrasound device — continues.

As Mehta and her team enroll more participants, they plan to examine the treatment’s long-term effects. They want to know whether it is safe and effective for slowing — or even reversing — the progression of Alzheimer’s dementia.

So far, the results are promising. The treatment has not harmed any of the participants who have completed it.

“We are thankful to the patients who have volunteered for this trial,” Mehta said. “They are brave to undergo this procedure, which if proven effective may benefit patients with Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

Alzheimer’s disease is the nation’s most common form of dementia, and it’s on the rise. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 5.8 million Americans age 65 and older had Alzheimer’s dementia in 2020. By 2050, that number could rise to 13.8 million.

The focused ultrasound team at RNI is committed to improving the lives of patients with Alzheimer’s disease by pioneering advances using a truly integrated approach and the latest technologies.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health, under Award Number 5U54GM104942-04.

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