It’s fast forward on ‘cure’ for dementia

Feb 11 2008 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

A POTENTIAL cure for dementia discovered in the North-East could be available for patients early next year.

Medical experts in the region believe they have found the key to reversing the effects of dementia, which could change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Pioneering research at the University of Sunderland has shown that regular exposure to safe low-level infra-red light can turn back the brain’s biological clock and reverse memory loss. GP Dr Gordon Dougal, who created the new infrared helmet device, believes it could be available for families with dementia as soon as January.

He said: “It is very exciting. This is amazing from our point of view and very dramatic. If everything goes like clockwork, then this could be available commercially in January.

“The timescale depends on how long recruitment takes for the trials. Also how many machines we have funding to build.”

But he added: “I doubt it would be available on the NHS, it would probably be private. The manufacturing process involves a number of light sources and this would be reflected in the price.”

Ken Clasper was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia four years ago, a progressive disorder similar to Alzheimer’s.

The 60-year-old, of Hopgarth Gardens, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, said of the timescale: “That seems very fast. I am encouraged they are making this progress.

“There are a lot of people affected by dementia in this area so there is a lot of interest. But everyone has a different form and you never quite know what will work.”

Human trials are to start in the summer to see if the treatment could provide a cure to illnesses like Alzheimer’s. The study has so far shown the treatment can improve learning performance and kick-start the cognitive function of the brain. The results have been hailed a scientific breakthrough as, to date, medical treatments for dementia can only slow down brain deterioration. The team has been flooded with requests to take part in the human trials.

“We have had hundreds of people showing an interest in the trial,” said Dr Dougal. “We would be looking to the North-East to recruit, as this is where we are doing the trial. The people would need to be local and we have quite a few people from the region calling us.”

Dr Dougal believes 10 minutes of exposure to the infrared light daily would have the desired effect on the brain. “We know what happens if people don’t get treated but we want to have a look at what happens when you do,” he said.

“At the moment we are in the process of appealing for ethics approval to do the trial from the Ethics Committee. It will be summer by the time we get through the regulatory bodies.”

The trials will begin with a small study of about 20 people who will undergo treatment with the machine for one month. The ‘gold standard’ double blind trial will follow.

“Half the patients will get a dummy treatment and half the real thing so we can compare the results and see if there is any difference. We would like to see how people respond over one year but the first step is to see whether it works,” he added.

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