Home / Health / Brain 'Re-Plumbing' Offers Hope for Dementia Reversal
Brain 'Re-Plumbing' Offers Hope for Dementia Reversal
8 Sep
Summary
- Experimental surgery connects neck lymph vessels to veins to drain brain waste.
- Over 2,000 patients in China underwent the procedure, now banned outside trials.
- Experts debate surgery's effectiveness, citing small improvements and placebo effect.
An experimental procedure, deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis (dcLVA), is being explored for its potential to halt or reverse dementia. This surgery involves connecting lymphatic vessels in the neck to nearby veins, intending to improve the drainage of waste proteins implicated in conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Over 2,000 individuals in China have undergone this procedure, with initial reports showing significant improvements in alertness and cognitive function for some patients. A video depicting an 84-year-old patient's recovery after dcLVA in 2020 sparked considerable interest.
However, concerns regarding the lack of robust evidence on safety and effectiveness led to a ban on the procedure outside of clinical studies in China last year. The technique borrows from lymphatic venous anastomosis (LVA), a treatment used for lymphoedema. While some researchers claim "significant" improvements, with 40% of 83 patients showing better scores on cognitive tests, dementia experts express skepticism. They point to modest score increases and the potential influence of the placebo effect, questioning the long-term impact and whether the underlying disease process is addressed.
