A research paper titled “A wearable spatiotemporal controllable ultrasonic device with amyloid-β disaggregation for continuous Alzheimer’s disease therapy” was published in Science Advances.

With the accelerated aging of the global population, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been increasing steadily. AD is pathologically characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and chronic neuroinflammation. Current therapeutic approaches primarily aim to inhibit Aβ aggregation and promote the disaggregation of existing plaques. Ultrasound has emerged as a safe and non-invasive technology that effectively promotes the disintegration of amyloid plaques, demonstrating significant potential for AD treatment. However, the clinical adoption of conventional ultrasound systems is limited by their large size, imprecise focusing, high cost, and operational complexity. To overcome these challenges, our research team developed a portable, integrated, and programmable wearable ultrasound system, comprising a flexible ultrasonic array patch, a soft printed circuit, and a closed-loop control interface. Experimental results demonstrate that this system not only reduced cerebral Aβ deposition and improved cognitive function in a familial AD mouse model but also enhanced microglial phagocytosis of Aβ and facilitated a shift from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, thereby attenuating neuroinflammation. This innovative strategy offers a promising non-invasive and portable therapeutic avenue for AD and represents a significant advance in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Associate researcher Dr. Faxing Zou from IAS is the first author. This work was supported by funding from the Shenzhen Science and technology Program and the Shenzhen Overseas talent Program. Paper link: DOI:

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw1732

Figure 1. Composition, circuit structure, and schematic diagram of wearable ultrasound system for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease