Scanning ultrasound in the absence of blood-brain barrier opening is not sufficient to clear β-amyloid plaques in the APP23 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Scanning ultrasound in the absence of blood-brain barrier opening is not sufficient to clear β-amyloid plaques in the APP23 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res Bull. 2019 Aug 07;: Authors: Leinenga G, Koh WK, Götz J Abstract A major challenge in treating brain diseases is presented by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that constitutes an efficient barrier not only for toxins but also a wide range of therapeutic agents. In overcoming this impediment, ultrasound in combination with intravenously injected microbubbles has emerged as a powerful technology that allows for the selective brain uptake of blood-borne factors and therapeutic agents by transient opening of the blood-brain barrier. We have previously shown that ultrasound in combination with microbubbles, but in the absence of a therapeutic agent, can effectively clear protein aggregates such as the hallmark lesions of Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and Tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. We have also demonstrated that the associated memory and motor impairments can be ameliorated or even restored. These studies included a negative sham control that received microbubbles in the absence of ultrasound. However, considering that ultrasound on its own is a pressure wave which has bioeffects, the possibility remained that ultrasound, without microbubbles, would also clear amyloid. We addressed this by performing repeated ultrasound only treatments of one br...
Source: Brain Research Bulletin - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Brain Res Bull Source Type: research