Researchers from Ben-Gurion U. find method for diagnosing brain conditions
The new method, which can also help diagnose epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and stroke, is based on an analysis of EEG patterns using algorithms.
By Jerusalem Post Staff, February 12, 2021
alzheimers brain 88 (photo credit: )
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev have created a new method for diagnosing neurological and
psychiatric disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases like
Alzheimer's disease, according to a Tuesday press release.
The new method,
which can also help diagnose epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and
stroke, is based on an analysis of EEG patterns using algorithms.
Invented by Dr. Dan Milikovsky and Prof. Alon Friedman, MD-PhD, from the
Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Cognitive and Brain
Sciences, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, the method was based on
results from their research that found brain conditions display
nonconvulsive epileptic seizure-like activity that can be seen by EEG
recordings.
The
abnormal activity in nonconvulsive epileptic seizure-like conditions
acts as a reflection of pathological changes in dysfunction of the brain
blood vessels, which contributes to the development of
neurodegenerative and other neuro-psychiatric disorders.
"Research
from our lab and others, shows that the pathological changes in the
brain blood vessels, which are usually referred to as the blood-brain
barrier (BBB), contribute to the formation of Alzheimer's disease and
other brain disorders. Since dysfunction of the BBB is also a key
component in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, we hypothesized that BBB
dysfunction in Alzheimer's patients would also trigger abnormal brain
activity that could be detected by EEG, an accessible and affordable
tool used in the clinic, and serve as a diagnostic method for these
conditions," explained Prof. Friedman.
"Indeed,
we find abnormal, epileptic-like EEG recordings in many patients with
Alzheimer's disease as well as epilepsy, which reflect brain blood
vessel pathology and can serve both for diagnosis as well as a
therapeutic target," Friedman added.
According
to the press release, the new method has already been tested on animal
models and some human patients, which has also been validated in large
databases of EEG records of thousands of people.
"This
new approach for diagnosing neurological conditions based on analysis
of changes of blood vessels in the brain can be valuable for the early
detection of Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions, at
the stage when treatment can still slow down disease progression.
The
technology offers a biomarker for immediate results and allows for the
continuous monitoring of the progression of the neurological condition
and response to treatment," said Josh Peleg, CEO of BGN Technologies,
the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University.
"We are now seeking a potential industry partner for the further
development of this promising method for a variety of applications, from
monitoring of ICU patients, to patients after stroke and head injuries
and for the diagnosis of vascular pathology in early Alzheimer’s
disease," Peleg added.
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