-
Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >> New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >> New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >> Film star Angelina Jolie will have her ovaries removed to help lower her odds for ovarian cancer, People magazine reported Wednesday.More >> Film star Angelina Jolie will have her ovaries removed to help lower her odds for ovarian cancer, People magazine reported Wednesday.More >> Weight gain in men and women is predicted by two different genetic variations -- so-called polymorphisms, according to a new study from the Netherlands.More >> Weight gain in men and women is predicted by two different genetic variations -- so-called polymorphisms, according to a new study from the Netherlands.More >> The notion of wealthy "sugar daddies" with young, pretty wives and well-heeled "cougar" women with handsome, young husbands may be more fiction than fact, new research suggests.More >> The notion of wealthy "sugar daddies" with young, pretty wives and well-heeled "cougar" women with handsome, young husbands may be more fiction than fact, new research suggests.More >> Close to half of U.S high school students text while driving, a habit that dramatically increases their risk of getting into a potentially fatal car crash, a new study shows.More >> Close to half of U.S high school students text while driving, a habit that dramatically increases their risk of getting into a potentially fatal car crash, a new study shows.More >> The widening American waistline may be feeding an epidemic of sleep apnea, potentially robbing millions of people of a good night's rest, a new study suggests.More >> The widening American waistline may be feeding an epidemic of sleep apnea, potentially robbing millions of people of a good night's rest, a new study suggests.More >> Next time you have a craving for fast food, don't kid yourself that choices today are much healthier, a new study says.More >> Next time you have a craving for fast food, don't kid yourself that choices today are much healthier, a new study says.More >> When a health insurer told obese people they could either pay 20 percent more for coverage or start exercising, most of them decided to get active, according to a new study.More >> When a health insurer told obese people they could either pay 20 percent more for coverage or start exercising, most of them decided to get active, according to a new study.More >>
WASHINGTON D.C. -
Scientists are attempting something dramatically different in the quest to stave off the creeping memory loss of Alzheimer's disease. They're using "brain pacemakers."
Brain surgery for Alzheimer's may sound radical, but the first U.S. experiments with these implants are getting under way.
It's not easy.
Surgeons must drill holes into a patient's skull. Then they implant tiny wires that shoot out mild jolts of electricity. By constantly zapping certain brain circuits, scientists hope to bypass some of Alzheimer's damage and keep neural networks active for longer.
There's a big caution.
This research is in its infancy. Only a few dozen people with early-stage Alzheimer's symptoms will get the implants in a handful of hospitals. They'll be tracked closely for a few years to see how they fare.
Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This story may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTHR. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
