For years, pacemakers have saved the lives of millions of people with heart conditions, regulating their heartbeat and ultimately preventing them from suffering sudden heart failure. Now, scientific researchers might have just opened the doors to saving an even larger population of the afflicted. New studies have shown that pacemaker-like devices for your brain might also better the lives of people with Alzheimer's disease.
How it Works
Looking beyond drugs, scientists are trying new ways to slow the damage of the foreseeable epidemic of Alzheimer's. While it is still very new, the experiments could potentially improve individuals' memory loss by issuing constant electrical stimulation of the brain circuits related to memory and cognitive thinking, reports the Associated Press. Doctors would implant tiny wires in the correct spots after drilling holes in the patient's skull. Despite the invasive nature of the procedure, a few dozen participants have already expressed interest in the surgery.
The latest research has shown that these brain-boosting devices could also work wonders for those battling mental illnesses like anorexia. Small studies involving individuals with severe anorexia have shown that at least half involved gained weight and experienced mood improvements, where no other therapies had shown any progress, reports Reuters. Scientists leading the research like Janet Treasure and Ulrike Schmidt of King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry find their observations promising for anorexics feeling otherwise hopeless about their condition.
People living with Alzheimer's disease are among the types of patients practical nurses encounter on the job. Students who are interested in starting a career in the healthcare sector can enroll in practical nursing courses at Vancouver Career College. For more information, fill out the form on the right.