Chemists in Chile and Spain have recently developed a new technique that may halt or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease – a form of dementia. Notably, this technique does not harm healthy brain cells.
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Normal neurons (right) and neurons with beta-amyloid deposits in blue (located outside and around the neurons). |
The research team attached nanometer-sized gold particles to a small amount of beta-amyloid deposits in vitro.
Beta-amyloid deposits are proteins that aggregate and are believed to contribute to memory decline in Alzheimer’s patients.
Next, they incubated this mixture for several days and then exposed it to a weak microwave field for several hours.
The energy level of this microwave field was six times stronger than that of a regular mobile phone, ensuring no damage to healthy cells. As a result, the beta-amyloid deposits were dissolved.
This dissolution lasted at least one week, indicating that the technique not only disrupted beta-amyloid deposits but also slowed down the re-aggregation of these proteins.
According to the lead researcher Marcelo J. Kogan from the University of Chile, this technique has the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. It is similar to techniques that use nano-sized metal particles to label and destroy cancer cells.
The research team is currently preparing to conduct animal trials.
Minh Sơn
