In 2018, Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® system was the first, and hitherto only, procedure of its kind to obtain market authorization for the »treatment of the central nervous system of patients with Alzheimer’s disease«. The aim of TPS is to boost the cognitive abilities of people with Alzheimer’s dementia by stimulating various regions of the brain and to maintain these abilities for as long as possible.
In 2019, the clinical approval study for Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with STORZ MEDICAL’s NEUROLITH® system was published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science [1]. Prof. Dr. Beisteiner’s study, which was conducted at the Medical University of Vienna Beisteiner, documents the positive effects of TPS in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia.
It's getting exciting: In the RTL News report »Neue Alzheimer-Therapie: Sanfte Stosswellen bringen Gedächtnis zurück«. Prof. Dr Musa Citak introduces in his practice in Hamburg the NEUROLITH® system and the treatment method, Transcranial Pulse Stimulation – short TPS.
TPS as a modern therapy method for the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia stimulates different brain regions even in deeper areas.
A study by Matt et al. (Medical University of Vienna, University Department of Neurology) published in January 2022 investigates the long-term effects of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® system on human brain and behaviour.1 The randomised, sham-controlled and double-blinded study provides sham-controlled evidence for such effects for the first time.
Another study by Matt et al. (Medical University of Vienna, University Department of Neurology) published in February 2022 now presented a detailed sub-analysis of possible anti-depressive effects of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® system based on neuropsychological and functional imaging data.2
»New hope for Alzheimer's patients: Patient's memory improves«*: On 22 April 2022, the front-page lead story of Germany's highest-circulation daily newspaper BILD (reach 7.62 million predominantly older readers) was about Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH®.
The acoustic pulses generated by Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) have been used successfully in various medical fields (urology, orthopaedics, cardiology….) for decades under the term »extracorporeal shock wave therapy«.
Shock waves are similar to ultrasound. But there is a major difference:
The authors of a follow-up study (published in 2021) investigated the possible benefits of TPS treatment concerning brain morphology, namely the cortical atrophy characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease [1]. They found a significant correlation between neuropsychological improvement and cortical thickness increase in AD-critical brain areas.
Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® is increasingly gaining momentum: Since the CE approval for the »treatment of the central nervous system of patients with Alzheimer’s disease« in 2018, more than 50 NEUROLITH® systems have been installed worldwide. In June 2021, three more devices were installed in renowned neurological specialist clinics in Germany, Austria, and Turkey.
Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® system is a new therapy option for patients with Alzheimer’s disease that allows targeted stimulation of cerebral regions.
Key-facts:
One of the highlights of the new NEUROLITH® system is its innovative BodyTrack software – a unique tool for the visualization and control of the TPS pulses applied and of treatment progress. Real-time tracking of the handpiece position enables automatic visualization of the treated regions. The use of personalized MRI data allows specific characteristics of the patient’s brain to be taken into account.
»Overall, I feel good after the treatment and progress has been made. I notice that I respond well when someone talks to me and find the words to express myself better. In addition, my memory has improved somewhat. When I go shopping, I take the shopping list just to be on the safe side, although I could do without it.
Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) with the NEUROLITH® system is performed by a trained practitioner and is done on an outpatient basis. During treatment, the patient sits comfortably in a chair and can move freely at any time. To ensure optimal transmission of the pulses, the therapist applies ultrasound gel to the scalp or hair – it is not necessary to shave the patient’s head. The patient then puts on a pair of special glasses so that the position of the head can be detected.
