Experts have created a small wearable device that stimulates the olfactory nerves. This unusual measure can help a patient fight against Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Clinical trials of the novelty are planned to begin before the end of 2020.
Development is described in scientific articlepublished in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience by scientists from the United States and New Zealand.
Human olfactory nerves are associated with several areas of the brain that are responsible for memory and spatial orientation. Apparently, this is the heritage of our distant ancestors, who were not yet not only humans, but even primates. After all, it is known that for many mammals smells are the most important source of information about the world.
Previous research has shown that electrical stimulation of the olfactory nerves can alleviate the symptoms of serious brain diseases and even speed up a person’s recovery from coma. Until now, however, such a procedure has required at least minimal surgical intervention.
Left: the appearance of the new device. Right: The electric fields that it should excite in the brain, according to the simulation results.
Now scientists developed a small device that you can simply wear on your head like glasses. Several electrodes touch the skin at the bottom of the forehead, at the bridge of the nose and at the back of the neck. They send a small electrical impulse to the skin, which is transmitted to the olfactory nerves, and through them reaches the desired parts of the brain. Computer simulation has shown that when the device is turned on, electric fields of the required strength will actually be created in these areas of the brain.
Clinical trials of the new device are planned to begin before the end of 2020. The researchers intend to test on volunteers whether the novelty is really capable of slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, or even reverse them.
By the way, earlier News.Ru talked about a brain implant to fight with Alzheimer’s.
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