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Alzheimer’s disease, often referred to as ‘the 4 A’s disease,’ is characterized by four primary symptoms: amnesia (memory loss), aphasia (loss of communication ability), agnosia (inability to recognize stimuli or people), and apraxia (loss of ability to plan and execute movements despite preserved motor functions). Apraxia, linked to neurological disorders, can also occur in Parkinson’s disease or after strokes, underscoring the disabling nature of such conditions. Dementia affects millions worldwide, with numbers expected to rise significantly in the coming decades, prompting extensive research efforts to find effective treatments.
Recent advancements in neuroscience and neurotechnology offer promising avenues for understanding and treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) enable real-time brain activity observation, while brain stimulation methods like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improve cognitive functions. Cutting-edge developments include graphene-based brain-computer interfaces that allow detailed neuron activity mapping, facilitating personalized treatments. Additionally, digital neurotherapy and non-invasive stimulation methods, such as static magnetic field stimulation (SMF) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), show potential in managing symptoms and improving patient quality of life. Although definitive cures remain elusive, ongoing research and technological innovation are steadily enhancing our understanding and treatment capabilities for neurodegenerative diseases.
With millions affected, neurological diseases defy medicine, but neuroscience and neurotechnology are paving the way for more effective treatments.
Alzheimer’s is a neurological disease also known as ‘the 4 A’s disease’ due to the symptoms that can be grouped into four categories: amnesia, aphasia, agnosia and apraxia. Amnesia includes the most recognized consequence: memory loss. Aphasia, on the other hand, refers to the inability to communicate. Agnosia is the condition of confusion that causes the inability to identify stimuli and recognize people.
The word apraxia, on the other hand, indicates the loss of the ability to plan, organize and execute movements accurately and voluntarily. This can happen even if motor functions are still available. For example, it may happen that the person can move and walk independently, but cannot open a door, turn on the television or brush their teeth.
It is a neuropsychological disorder directly related to movement deficits, both in terms of planning and motor programming. Alzheimer’s disease is not the only cause of apraxia: Parkinson’s patients can also suffer from it, as well as it can arise after a stroke. What is clear is that neurological diseases are highly disabling and, unfortunately, they are on the rise.
According to a study by the According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, there are 24.3 million people in the world who suffer from dementia: 4.6 million new patients a year, one case every seven seconds. The figure is set to double over the next twenty years, with 42.3 million affected in 2020 and 81.1 million in 2040. Europe allocates more economic resources to this disease than to cardiovascular disorders and tumours.
For years, scientific research has been trying to find a solution to all forms of dementia caused by neurodegenerative diseases. The steps taken in this direction are remarkable, but, for the moment, there is still no definitive cure or therapy capable of stopping the degeneration caused by these diseases. However, disciplines such as neuroscience and neurotechnology are beginning to offer interesting and hopeful solutions.
The most promising technologies
The experts gathered at the Future Trends Forum organised by the Bankinter Innovation Foundation shared their perspectives, highlighting the potential of these disciplines. According to neuroscientist
The truth is that neuroscience has experienced significant advances, especially in brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This tool allows the brain to be observed in action, providing a deeper understanding of decision-making and information processing in various diseases, from depression to Alzheimer’s. On the other hand, brain stimulation, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been shown to be effective in improving cognitive performance.
Álvaro Pascual-Leone, from Harvard, emphasizes that neurotechnology is in an early phase, still focusing on the prevention and treatment of diseases rather than on improvements in healthy people. The focus of his work includes the
Graphene-based nanotechnology is a revolutionary area. Its property of being an excellent electrical conductor and biocompatible makes it an ideal material for creating high-density neural interfaces that allow the activity of thousands of neurons to be recorded, completely transforming the treatment of neurological diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s. The startup from Barcelona INBRAIN Neuroelectronics works on smart graphene-based microdevices implanted in the brain and useful for treating various neurological conditions.
For his part, Javier Mínguez, from the University of Zaragoza, highlights the role of digital neurotherapy and brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Its trials focus on the development of AI-based BCIs to prevent, treat and monitor neurological diseases, through easy-to-install textile solutions, especially beneficial for patients with chronic diseases or living in remote areas. Successful examples include improving episodic memory in Alzheimer’s patients using non-invasive brain stimulation.
Static magnetic field stimulation (SMF) is another non-invasive and very promising technique for the treatment of Parkinson’s. In this sense, researcher Guglielmo Foffani highlights a new, more effective and safer SMF technique, which takes advantage of a stronger and more focused magnetic field: clinical results show significant improvements in rigidity, slowness of movement and tremors. Digital neurotherapy, using focused high-intensity ultrasound (HIFU), is also a minimally invasive tool to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, and thus improve mobility and coordination.
Although there is still a long way to go, thanks to the work of scientists and researchers, we know more and more about the mechanisms that regulate brain activity and, as a result, we are better equipped to intervene in the field of neurological diseases. Undoubtedly, technology is an acceleration factor towards goals that were previously unthinkable and that today we can begin to imagine.
