article_snippet.sent: Dementia could soon be treated with a 'brain pacemaker' inserted directly into the skull, according to new research.
article_snippet.sent: A 'pacemaker' fitted with electrodes is inserted into the brain through holes drilled in the skull.
article_snippet.sent: Deep brain stimulation is already used to treat Parkinson's, but now researchers now believe Deep brain stimulation could be used to improve brain function and ward off diseases such as dementia (file image)
article_snippet.sent: The device sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain and has also been shown to provide benefits for a range of conditions including chronic pain, major depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.
article_snippet.sent: The device was implanted into middle aged rats, sending out minute electrical impulses, and the study found the animals performed better in memory tests compared to those who had not been stimulated, even after 24 hours.
article_snippet.sent: Professor Ajai Vyas, of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, said: 'Extensive studies have shown that rats' brains and memory systems are very similar to humans. '
article_snippet.sent: The electrodes are harmless to middle aged rats, as The electrodes go on to live normally and fulfil The electrodes regular adult lifespan of around 22 months.'
article_snippet.sent: DBS is a surgical procedure that has become an established NHS treatment  for Parkinson's sufferers whose condition does not respond to drugs.
article_snippet.sent: The increase in brain cells reduces anxiety and depression, promotes improved learning, and boosts overall memory formation and retention.
article_snippet.sent: Prof Vyas said: 'The findings from the research clearly show the potential of enhancing the growth of brain cells using deep brain stimulation. '
article_snippet.sent: Around 60 per cent of patients do not respond to regular anti depressant treatments and our research opens new doors for more effective treatment options.'
article_snippet.sent: Prof Lim Lee Wei, of Sunway University, Malaysia, who worked on the project while he was at Nanyang Technological University, said DBS brings multiple benefits.
article_snippet.sent: he said: 'No negative effects have been reported in such prefrontal cortex stimulation in humans and studies have shown that stimulation also produces anti depression effects and reduces anxiety. '
highlights_snippet.sent: Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes inside the skull .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Technique is already used to help treat diseases such as Parkinson's .
  