Innovative Ultrasound Therapy for Addiction and Advancements in Brain Tumor Treatment: A Look into the Future of Neuroscience

Morgantown, W.Va., West Virginia United States of America
Advances in neuroscience and drug discovery could benefit patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-related diseases
Alzheimer's disease and cancer share risk factors and have similar biological pathways of disease, therapies studied for Alzheimer's may also have potential for treating cancer
Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium launched in 2012 with goal of gaining deeper understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and translating findings into effective therapeutic interventions
NeuroHealth Initiative at MD Anderson to study brain and nervous system during chemotherapy and radiation treatment, over 40 drug discovery projects pursued with five advancing to next stage
Radiation therapy proven method for treating brain tumors
Stereotactic radiosurgery uses 3D imaging to target high doses of radiation to tumor with minimal impact on healthy tissue
Ultrasound therapy for addiction still in its infancy, more research needed
Woman undergoes ultrasound therapy inside MRI machine to trigger cravings for drugs
Innovative Ultrasound Therapy for Addiction and Advancements in Brain Tumor Treatment: A Look into the Future of Neuroscience

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A woman undergoes ultrasound therapy inside an MRI machine with the help of high-tech goggles and a helmet equipped with special probes. The images she sees are designed to trigger cravings for drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and pain pills (Source 1). This innovative use of ultrasound technology is being explored as a potential treatment for addiction. However, it's important to note that this therapy is still in its infancy and more research is needed to determine its effectiveness and safety.

Meanwhile, radiation therapy continues to be a proven method for treating brain tumors (Source 2). Most patients receive one of two types: external beam radiation or stereotactic radiosurgery. The latter uses 3D imaging to target high doses of radiation to the tumor with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue. There are different ways to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery, including Gamma Knife, linear accelerator, and proton beam therapy.

Advances in neuroscience and drug discovery could benefit patients with Alzheimer's disease (Source 3). The Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium is a multi-institutional initiative between MD Anderson, MIT, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Baylor College of Medicine, and New York University. Launched in 2012 with a $25 million gift from Robert Belfer and the Belfer family, its goal is to gain a deeper understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and translate those findings into effective therapeutic interventions. MD Anderson's Therapeutics Discovery division brings together scientists, clinicians, and drug development experts to advance new therapies.

Alzheimer's disease and age-related diseases could affect future cancer research and care due to limited healthcare resources. Interestingly, cancer and Alzheimer's disease share risk factors and have similar biological pathways of disease. Therefore, therapies studied for Alzheimer's may also have potential for treating cancer.

The consortium is helping launch the NeuroHealth Initiative at MD Anderson to study the brain and the nervous system to understand what happens when patients develop memory loss and neuropathy during chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Over the past decade, it has pursued over 40 drug discovery projects, with five advancing to the next stage.

The consortium's goals for the next 10 years include developing five new drugs to treat Alzheimer's and related diseases, with two of those drugs showing meaningful evidence of changing the course of the disease. Currently, it is running 12 projects targeting various aspects of Alzheimer's.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Effectiveness and safety of ultrasound therapy for addiction still uncertain
  • More research is needed to fully understand the potential impact of Alzheimer's disease on cancer research and care

Sources

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Ultrasound technology is used in many ways. Addiction is the next frontier.

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. David Ovalle Monday, 06 May 2024 10:00
  • Unique Points
    • A woman undergoes ultrasound therapy inside an MRI machine in Morgantown, W.Va.
    • The woman wears a helmet with special probes during the procedure.
    • Images trigger cravings for drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and pain pills during the therapy.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Advances in cancer neuroscience and drug discovery could benefit patients with Alzheimer’s disease

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Elise Raymund Monday, 06 May 2024 18:05
  • Unique Points
    • The Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium is a multi-institutional initiative between MD Anderson, MIT, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Baylor College of Medicine, and New York University launched in 2012 with a $25 million gift from Robert Belfer and the Belfer family.
    • The consortium aims to gain a deeper understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and translate those findings into effective therapeutic interventions.
    • MD Anderson is known for its cancer care and research, but also works on better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
    • In Fiscal Year 2023, MD Anderson had more NCI-funded projects than any other U.S. institution and the world’s largest cancer clinical trials program.
    • The Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium is part of MD Anderson’s Therapeutics Discovery division, which brings together scientists, clinicians, and drug development experts to advance new therapies.
    • Alzheimer’s disease and age-related diseases could affect future cancer research and care due to limited healthcare resources.
    • Cancer and Alzheimer’s disease share risk factors and have similar biological pathways of disease, so therapies studied for Alzheimer’s may also have potential for treating cancer.
    • The consortium is helping launch the NeuroHealth Initiative at MD Anderson to study the brain and the nervous system to understand what happens when patients develop memory loss and neuropathy during chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
    • Over the past decade, the Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium has pursued over 40 drug discovery projects, with five advancing to the next stage.
    • The consortium has established four keys to treating Alzheimer’s: introduce neuroprotective agents, address genetic risk factors like APOE4 before symptoms appear, lessen inflammatory response of microglia, and combat toxicity of tau proteins.
    • The Belfer family recently made an additional $20 million gift to advance the consortium’s goals for the next 10 years: to develop five new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s and related diseases, and for two of those drugs to show meaningful evidence of changing the course of the disease.
    • The Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium is currently running 12 projects targeting various aspects of Alzheimer’s, with one project already proceeding to a Phase I clinical trial.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (92%)
    There are no explicit logical fallacies present in this article. The author presents information about MD Anderson's research into Alzheimer's disease and its potential applications for cancer patients. There is a clear distinction between the assertions made by the author and those being quoted or referenced in the article. The focus is on factual information about research initiatives, funding, and potential therapeutic advancements.
    • Launched in 2012 through a $25 million gift from Robert Belfer and the Belfer family...
    • The Therapeutics Discovery division is essentially a mid-sized biotech company within an academic hospital.
    • Given the brain’s unique environment and the fact that cancer and Alzheimer’s disease share risk factors and have similar biological pathways of disease, many therapies the Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium studies for Alzheimer’s also may have potential for treating cancer.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Using radiation therapy to treat brain tumors

MedicalXpress Mayo Clinic Monday, 06 May 2024 18:05
  • Unique Points
    • Most patients with brain tumors receive one of two types of radiation: external beam radiation or radiosurgery.
    • Stereotactic radiosurgery uses 3D imaging to target high doses of radiation to the tumor with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue.
    • There are different ways to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery: Gamma Knife, linear accelerator, and proton beam.
    • Radiation therapy is tailored to each patient based on the size, location and type of brain tumor.
    • Radiation therapy can be used alone or after surgery to destroy leftover cancer cells.
    • Improvements in imaging and alignment techniques allow for more precise radiation delivery, minimizing damage to healthy tissues.
    • Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy delivers high doses of radiation over two to five days for larger brain tumors.
    • Side effects from brain radiation include fatigue and hair loss, but most patients can continue their regular activities throughout treatment.
    • The risk of developing a second cancer from radiation is extremely low, and modern techniques have improved safety.
    • External beam radiation does not make patients radioactive and does not pose a risk to people around them.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication