Study: Ultrasound tool may aid Alzheimer's drugs absorption

Scientists have found a way to help Alzheimer's drugs seep inside the brain faster — using sound waves to jiggle a temporary opening in its protective shield. Some new drugs modestly slow Alzheimer's worsening by attacking brain-clogging amyloid plaque, with doses every few weeks for well over a year. In a novel experiment, West Virginia University researchers added the ultrasound tool to three patients' drug doses for six months. In spots in the brain where that shield was opened, more plaque was cleared. The findings were published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.