For many boomers, nothing is scarier than the prospect of suffering from Alzheimer’s, or another form of dementia, in their later years. Many of us also worry that our partner or one of our parents will be impacted by this challenging disease at some point.

Unfortunately, since Alzheimer’s impacts the most complex organ in our body – the brain – it has been notoriously difficult to treat, despite the best efforts of scientists across the world.

Treatment Offers New Hope for Alzheimer’s Patients

Well, today, there is finally some good news in the battle against this disease. Scientists in Queensland, Australia have announced that they are working on a new treatment option that has the potential to help patients to recover from Alzheimer’s.

The treatment, which is currently being tested on mice, uses ultrasound technology to break up a certain type of plaque that is present in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. This is different than existing treatments, which use drugs to improve memory, without addressing the underlying disease.

Of course, the technology is still undergoing tests, and, even if it works, it is not likely to be available for human patients in the near future. However, early indications are that this treatment has significant potential.

The next step for the team will be to increase the size of the ultrasound device so that they can test the treatment on sheep. This is a necessary step before human trials can begin.

Do you worry that you, or someone close to you, might develop Alzheimer’s in the future? What other diseases do you hope that scientists are able to cure in your lifetime? Do you think that, as a society, we put enough emphasis on academic research into the causes and potential cures for different illnesses? Please join the discussion.