TY - JOUR
T1 - Terahertz Irradiation Improves Cognitive Impairments and Attenuates Alzheimer’s Neuropathology in the APPSWE/PS1DE9 Mouse
T2 - A Novel Therapeutic Intervention for Alzheimer’s Disease
AU - Zhang, Jun
AU - Chen, Yixin
AU - Zhao, Yarui
AU - Wang, Panpan
AU - Ding, Hongbin
AU - Liu, Cong
AU - Lyu, Junhong
AU - Le, Weidong
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge THz waves technical assistance from Ding Wu and Chunlei Feng (Dalian University of Technology). We also appreciate Prof. Song Li from Dalian Medical University for his thoughtful comments and editing during manuscript preparation. THz technology for dementia intervention was patented on November 29, 2022, by the State Intellectual Property Office of China (Patent Number: ZL 2021 1 1533230.0). This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32220103006 and 82271524).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ), neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in the brain. In recent years, considering the unsatisfied benefits of pharmacological therapies, non-pharmacological therapy has become a research hotspot for AD intervention. Terahertz (THz) waves with a range between microwave and infrared regions in the electromagnetic spectrum and high permeability to a wide range of materials have great potential in the bioengineering field. However, its biological impacts on the central nervous system, under either physiological or pathological conditions, are poorly investigated. In this study, we first measured the 0.14 THz waves penetration across the skull of a C57BL/6 mouse and found the percentage of THz penetration to be ~70%, guaranteeing that THz waves can reach the relevant brain regions. We then exposed the APPSWE/PS1DE9 mouse model of AD to repeated low-frequency THz waves on the head. We demonstrated that THz waves treatment significantly improved the cognitive impairment and alleviated AD neuropathology including Aβ deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation in the AD mice. Moreover, THz waves treatment effectively attenuated mitochondrial impairment, neuroinflammation, and neuronal loss in the AD mouse brain. Our findings reveal previously unappreciated beneficial effects of THz waves treatment in AD and suggest that THz waves may have the potential to be used as a novel therapeutic intervention for this devastating disease.
AB - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ), neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in the brain. In recent years, considering the unsatisfied benefits of pharmacological therapies, non-pharmacological therapy has become a research hotspot for AD intervention. Terahertz (THz) waves with a range between microwave and infrared regions in the electromagnetic spectrum and high permeability to a wide range of materials have great potential in the bioengineering field. However, its biological impacts on the central nervous system, under either physiological or pathological conditions, are poorly investigated. In this study, we first measured the 0.14 THz waves penetration across the skull of a C57BL/6 mouse and found the percentage of THz penetration to be ~70%, guaranteeing that THz waves can reach the relevant brain regions. We then exposed the APPSWE/PS1DE9 mouse model of AD to repeated low-frequency THz waves on the head. We demonstrated that THz waves treatment significantly improved the cognitive impairment and alleviated AD neuropathology including Aβ deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation in the AD mice. Moreover, THz waves treatment effectively attenuated mitochondrial impairment, neuroinflammation, and neuronal loss in the AD mouse brain. Our findings reveal previously unappreciated beneficial effects of THz waves treatment in AD and suggest that THz waves may have the potential to be used as a novel therapeutic intervention for this devastating disease.
KW - Alzheimer’s disease
KW - Cognitive impairment
KW - Senile plaque
KW - Tau protein
KW - Terahertz
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U2 - 10.1007/s12264-023-01145-3
DO - 10.1007/s12264-023-01145-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 37971654
AN - SCOPUS:85176592927
SN - 1673-7067
VL - 40
SP - 857
EP - 871
JO - Neuroscience Bulletin
JF - Neuroscience Bulletin
IS - 7
ER -