New Approaches to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating condition that strips away people’s memory, thinking, and independence. By 2050, it is expected to affect over 100 million people around the world, making it a high priority for scientific and medical research. Researchers are now exploring the potential for mechanical and light-based stimulation of the brain and nervous system to treat Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. At the University of Minho in Portugal, Francisca Monteiro is developing a PhD project supervised by a multidisciplinary set of experienced researchers, who have reviewed the evidence behind these approaches, including whole-body vibration, auditory stimulation, transcranial ultrasound stimulation, and photobiomodulation. The team aims to synthesize the evidence to support these treatments and understand what further work is needed.