Friday, 11. March 2022 – 14:02 Update: 11-03-2022 14:13
Sound vibrations
‘Using the sound vibrations it might be possible to temporarily and safely open the blood-brain barrier, the brain’s natural protective mechanism,’ according to the Amsterdam UMC. They do this using an innovative technique that uses sound vibrations. This allows medicines to reach the brain more easily. By collaborating with experts in various brain disorders, the researchers hope to provide better treatments for as many patients as possible.
4-year research funded by the Netherlands Brain Foundation with 2.5 million euros
The Brain Foundation is financing the research with 2.5 million euros. The study will take approximately four years and is led by Dannis van Vuurden, pediatric oncologist at the Princess Máxima Center. From Amsterdam UMC, scientific director of Alzheimer Center Amsterdam Wiesje van der Flier is responsible, and there is intensive collaboration with researchers from the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine departments.
Alzheimer
In addition, there is close cooperation with UMC Utrecht and the LUMC. Initially, it will be investigated how this treatment works in children and adults with a malignant brain stem tumor and in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Ultimately, this technology may be effective for multiple brain disorders.
Natural protection mechanism
‘One obstacle in the treatment of brain disorders is the blood-brain barrier,’ says Van Vuurden. ‘It ensures that the brain is well protected against hazardous substances. But this natural defense mechanism also makes the brain largely inaccessible to drugs, making treatments for many brain disorders ineffective.’
FUS-technology
There is now a technique that allows you to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier to allow drugs to pass through: Focused-Ultrasound (FUS). Thanks to this technique, you can investigate whether existing and new drugs are effective against brain disorders by allowing them to penetrate better into the brain. FUS is an innovative MRI-guided technique that uses extremely precisely targeted sound vibrations and microbubbles in the bloodstream to temporarily and locally open the blood vessels in the brain without having to open the skull. This allows medicines to work where they are needed, in the right place in the brain. Previous research has shown that the technique is safe. FUS is currently being investigated in treatment studies in the United States and Canada, among others.
Distribution of medicines
In the study funded by the Netherlands Brain Foundation, the researchers use PET-CT scans to monitor how the drugs spread through the brain. ‘For Alzheimer’s, we are also investigating how much of the drug actually reaches the brain. To date, only estimates have been made of this,’ adds Van der Flier. ‘This is a unique research method that has been developed by the Nuclear Medicine department of Amsterdam UMC. With a tracer the amount of medication that enters the brain can be measured; this gives us a lot of valuable information that we can use in developing medication for alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.’
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