Neuroscience researchers have proposed treating Parkinson's disease without pills
Specialists of the Research Institute of Neurosciences of Samara State Medical University (SamSMU) offer to treat Parkinson's disease using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Research is now underway.The method of transcranial magnetic stimulation allows targeting nerve cells depending on the individual characteristics of the patient. This means that it reduces the likelihood of side effects and increases the effectiveness of therapy. Today, the disease is mainly treated with medication. And mostly such treatment reduces the progression of the disease, or stops its individual manifestations.
Parkinson's disease is a disease of the brain with impaired motor functions and other complications (cognitive decline, mental disorders and sleep disorders). There are more than 55 million people with dementia worldwide and doctors identify almost 10 million new cases of the disease every year.
To develop new methods of treatment, SamSMU specialists study working memory of healthy people and the peculiarities of its violation in patients. In 2022, scientists conducted a study among 30 healthy people. Now this experiment is repeated with patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Further such a study will be conducted with patients with vascular dementia.
The research is conducted with the help of modern neurophysiological research methods - high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fBICS). EEG records the electrical activity of the brain, allowing the diagnosis of brain abnormalities. FBICS visualizes the activity of specific areas of the cerebral cortex by measuring blood oxygen saturation levels.
"With EEG, we record fast processes that take place in the brain within a few milliseconds. But if we need to look at longer events - five-second, five-minute intervals - we use fBICS. This is essential for assessing different events in the central nervous system. The joint application of these two methods expands the list of possible research tasks," said Alexander Zakharov, Director of the Research Institute of Neurosciences.