NTU scientists discover new treatment for dementia

SINGAPORE — Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have found a new way to treat dementia.

Assistant Professor Ajai Vyas from NTU’s School of Biological Sciences and Dr Lee Wei Lim discovered that new brain cells, or neurons, can be formed by stimulating the front part of the brain using minute amounts of electricity. This can mitigate the harmful effects of dementia-related conditions.

The procedure is known as deep brain stimulation. It is already used in some parts of the world to treat neurological conditions such as tremors or Dystonia, which is characterised by involuntary muscle contractions and spasms.

Prof Ajai and Dr Lim’s discovery was published in eLife, a peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal.

“The findings from the research clearly show the potential of enhancing the growth of brain cells using deep brain stimulation,” said Prof Ajai.

“Around 60 per cent of patients do not respond to regular anti-depressant treatments and our research opens new doors for more effective treatment options.”

Prof Ajai and Dr Lim conducted their research on middle-aged rats, whose brains are physiologically very similar to humans.

The rats underwent a few memory tests before and after stimulation, and displayed positive results in memory retention, even after 24 hours.

“The electrodes are harmless to the rats, as they go on to live normally and fulfil their regular (adult) lifespan of around 22 months,” Prof Ajai added.

About 28,000 elderly people aged 65 years and above are estimated to have dementia in Singapore. By 2050, the figure is expected to hit 187,000.