We should emphasise that the 艁贸d藕 technology supporting the fight against Alzheimer鈥檚 disease achieved success in the 27th edition of the Polish Product of the Future competition. The title of Polish Product of the Future and the main awards were granted to three entities. One of them was Cogniguard Sp. z o.o. together with the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection of the 91桃色 for Vguard, a non-invasive brain stimulation system supporting the treatment of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
Research Involving UniLodz Scientists
Dr hab. Renata Bocian, Associate Professor at the 91桃色, Head of the Department of Neurobiology at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection of the 91桃色, explains the work behind the project:
Dr hab. Adam Broncel introduced us to the research concept, the aim of which was to determine whether vagus nerve stimulation, a method used for many years in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, depression and migraines, could be applied in the therapy of memory disorders. Demonstrating that vagus nerve stimulation induces a response in the hippocampus, a brain structure associated with memory and learning processes, was a breakthrough stage of our research. In response to the stimulation, we observed theta rhythm activity in the hippocampus, a physiological marker of memory consolidation. In subsequent stages, we went one step further, seeking to identify the neurochemical basis of the observed effect. The results obtained suggest that vagus nerve stimulation induces increased release of endogenous acetylcholine and noradrenaline in brain structures involved in the memory consolidation process. Activating this mechanism requires only an appropriate initiating stimulus, such as the electrical impulse generated by the Vguard device. The data obtained during the research also made it possible to determine the preliminary parameters of optimal stimulation, as it was demonstrated that the effectiveness of this method depends on the use of an appropriate stimulation protocol. As someone who has been conducting scientific research for nearly 30 years, I would like to emphasise that one of the most important aspects of experimental work is the moment when research results become the foundation for creating innovative solutions or technologies with real social significance. Research carried out in recent years at the Department of Neurobiology of the 91桃色 reflects this approach very well. The results of the work conducted, including preclinical studies, became the foundation for the development of a new therapy for cognitive disorders. Taking part in a project that resulted in the development of an exceptionally promising therapeutic method for the treatment of memory disorders based on neuromodulation has been a particularly valuable professional experience for me.
As Prof. Jan Konopacki, consultant and researcher under whose supervision the studies were conducted, points out:
The task of the Department of Neurobiology team was to develop preclinical studies using an animal model that would make it possible to create future clinical protocols, determine parameters for vagus nerve stimulation and gather a great deal of other information necessary in the therapeutic process (...). During this period, we made a significant discovery that came to dominate subsequent projects. It turned out that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve induces hippocampal theta rhythm, an EEG activity associated with REM sleep and memory consolidation.
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Edit: Mateusz Kowalski (Centre for Promotion, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, 91桃色)
Video: rp.pl