Alzheimer’s disease, characterised by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline, presents significant challenges to medical researchers worldwide. A new project entitled “REBALANCE - Mechanisms of focused ultrasound-mediated brain cleaning coupled with enhanced mechanosensation”, explores a novel approach using focused ultrasound that hopefully could help people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a non-invasive technology that uses targeted sound waves to influence brain tissue.
This method has the ability to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a protective layer of cells that guards the brain against harmful substances while allowing essential nutrients to pass through. When FUS is applied, sound waves gently vibrate the cells that make up the BBB. This vibration temporarily loosens the junctions between these cells, allowing openings to let molecules through, such as certain medications. This can be particularly useful in brain diseases.
Temporarily opening the BBB can also enhance the removal of beta-amyloid plaques, proteins strongly associated with AD. In addition, FUS may induce beneficial neuromodulation or altered nerve activity, which will be explored in the REBALANCE project. In the REBALANCE project, researchers are exploring the synergy between the mechanical stimulation provided by FUS and targeted pharmacotherapy. A particular focus is on Piezo1 receptors, which play a crucial role in brain cells’ ability to detect and respond to mechanical stimuli. The goal of the project is to understand how FUS and FUS combined with Piezo1 drugs work together and take promising results from preclinical research to early-phase human studies.
The project carefully considers ethical aspects to address any concerns from various perspectives, including the translation of the data and results of preclinical research to early-phase human studies. Therefore, the project also conducts focus groups and interviews not only with basic scientists or clinicians but also with people living with dementia and their supporters. One of the project partners is the University of Latvia and the university is also collaborating with Alzheimer Europe and the Alzheimer Society of Finland.
Alzheimer Europe’s role is to provide input on and assist in organising qualitative research focus groups with people with dementia and carers. Both organisations also contribute to discussions about public involvement in preclinical and clinical research in the context of dementia as well as on ethical issues. The project's first consortium meeting was held in early April 2024, in Riga, Latvia. Alzheimer Europe was represented at the meeting by Public Involvement Officer Daphné Lamirel and Chair of the European Dementia Carers Working Group Sonata Mačiulskytė.
