State Trustees Australia Foundation Funds New Research into Alzheimer’s Disease

Monash University has received over $65,000 in funding towards research into the treatment of cognitive impairment in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease through the State Trustees Australia Foundation.

The project will complete the first-ever double-blind pacebo-controlled randomised trial of Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS), which is a form of magnetic brain stimulation that has shown to modulate brain activity and improve cognitive performance.

TBS has been shown to enhance brain activity and produce significant memory improvements in healthy adults. Funding will enable Monash University to recruit 30 additional patients suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease to conduct the TBS trial.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia in Australia with, on average, 410,000 people affected. Without significant treatment breakthroughs, this is predicted to rise to over one million by 2056. Current treatments are typically pharmacological and are only symptomatic; they do not impact on illness progression.

State Trustees Executive General Manager Melanie Lewis said, “this project provides a glimmer of hope in the treatment of people with dementia”.

While it is not a cure, TBS is a type of treatment that can help dementia sufferers remain independent and socially connected. The project would also have a significant impact on the quality of life for those who care for people living with Alzheimer’s.