GIST Discovers 'Ultrasound Brain Stimulation' Treatment for Dementia

(From left) Mincheol Park, PhD student; Tae Kim, Professor; Jaegwan Kim, Professor; Hoang Gia Minh, Master’s student. Photo by Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] GIST has developed a new treatment method that can help dementia through brain stimulation using ultrasound by domestic researchers.

On the 20th, according to GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology President Kim Ki-seon), a joint research team led by Professor Kim Tae and Professor Kim Jae-kwan from the Department of Biomedical Engineering reported that brain stimulation using ultrasound reduced amyloid beta plaques and improved brain connectivity in the 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

The research team explained that this research achievement is highly valued for its clinical application potential as it succeeded in reducing the amount of amyloid beta in brain tissue, one of the causes of Alzheimer's disease, using ultrasound without drugs.

Professors Kim Tae and Kim Jae-kwan stated, "This research is the result of convergence research by two research teams from different academic fields," adding, "The method of reducing amyloid beta non-pharmacologically and non-invasively using ultrasound is relatively safe and has fewer concerns about side effects, so if its efficacy is confirmed in Alzheimer's patients, it is expected to be clinically applied in the near future."