Canadian scientists are using CT scans to test out a provocative theory: could low doses of radiation from the scans actually help treat Alzheimer's?
Results from a small pilot study found that patients who received repeated doses of low-dose radiation displayed an improvement in cognition, speech and movement, with some being able to share moments with family that they hadn’t been able to in years.
Among those who improved, one man was able to speak to his granddaughter on the phone and remember her name, read aloud signs that were posted on the wall, and clap and sing along at a concert. Another patient was described in the study as having detailed conversations with her family about her past.
“They had advanced Alzheimer's disease, and any kind of improvement is significant, especially the kinds of improvements that translate into an awareness of family members, interaction, bringing back memories, bringing back behaviours that were there before — these things are very important,” Freedman said. “And it really reflects on their quality of life. So I think that this is quite significant.
Despite animal research and case reports where patients with Alzheimer's improved after CT scan exposures, many remain sceptical, according to Jerry Cuttler, lead author of the Baycrest-Sunnybrook study and a nuclear engineer who has previously published several case reports following the progress of one patient with Alzheimer's who received radiation.
The mechanisms that may be involved are not fully understood, which is why more studies are needed, scientists say.
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