Deep brain stimulation appears safe for people with early Alzheimer’s disease -- and might even slow down memory loss in some, a preliminary study suggests.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is already used to treat some cases of Parkinson’s disease and certain other brain-based disorders. It involves implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain, then connecting them to a pulse generator placed under the skin of the chest. Once the generator is programmed, it delivers continual electrical pulses that alter the activity in specific brain “circuits.”