Research Post - Application of PEMF Technology for Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders (Part I)

 PEMF technology has been around for more than 60 years. On the Internet you can find many theories about its origin and development. However, everyone undeniably admits that it was based on Nikola Tesla and his coils. The quantum leap in development occurred after the use of PEMF devices by the Russian Space Agency and NASA. In this series of two posts I will describe (i) General background of the subject; (ii) Summarize the results of clinical trials that were performed in Russia (this based on the presentation by Dr. Alexey Ivanov, ELAMED Plant, at the Herzog Hospital in Haifa, Israel, in February 2020)

Early-onsetdementia and Alzheimer’s disease affect the daily lives of a growing number of population. As measured by the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Health Index, SM in 2017, about 131,000 commercially insured Americans between the ages of 30 and 64 were diagnosed with either condition.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report^® provides this illustration:

Source: Early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s disease affect the daily lives of a growing number of population

 The Swedish expert Elisabeth Rothenberg reports: The number affected with Alzheimer’s is estimated to increase globally from today’s 47 million to 75 million 2030 and to 132 million in 20503. Parkinson’s Diseases is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after AD. Globally approximately 7 million people are affected.

 The  Global Market for Neurodegenerative Disorders Therapy is growing with CAGR (annual increase) of 8% - by 2022 will reach almost 14 billion dollars. One of the main factors of growth is the development of pharmacological drugs. Recent news report that

The disease can be managed with drugs, but these tend to become ineffective after five years as well as causing a number of side effects. The only known alternative treatment is an invasive surgery called deep brain stimulation, where the patient’s brain is electrocuted. But this surgery produces mixed results and does not target specific cells affected by Parkinson’s.

Also there is a high percentage of failures in clinical trials of pharmacological drugs. Analyzing numerous market studies on the subject, one can note that   PEMF physiotherapy is not even considered.

 Therefore, objectively - physiotherapy PEMF can serve as an effective tool, which is proved by the studies conducted worldwide.

 Before we follow further on with discussions, it is useful to review this slide:

In 1993 Jerry I. Jacobson was granted a U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,746 that provides method for PEMF treatment for virally and genetically induced diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease – these are subject to arrest or reversal. Patients were subjected to electromagnetic field having an intensity (H) of about 0.67 oersteds (MKS) to 7.6×10-2 oersteds to about 7.6×10-9 oersteds (CGS), to 6×10-8 oersteds (MKS) for at least 20 minutes at a time

 In 1992 Sandyk R et al. studied the effects of application of external artificial weak magnetic fields in a Parkinsonian patient with severe levodopa-induced dyskinesias ("on-off"). Application of weak magnetic fields with a frequency of 2 Hz and intensity of 7.5 picotesla (pT) for a 6-minute period resulted in a rapid and dramatic attenuation of Parkinsonian disability and an almost complete resolution of the dyskinesias. This effect persisted for about 72 hours after which the patient regressed to his pretreatment state

 A very detailed monograph is presented by Arno Marin Janssen, Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Detailed studies of TMS on different brain arears, including theta burst stimulation, Freezing Of Gait (FOG) tests,  properties of the TMS-induced electric fields are described.

 Mechanisms and therapeutic applications of electromagnetic therapy in Parkinson’s disease by Vadalà et al. describes state of the art of electromagnetic therapy for treatment of PD: Electromagnetic therapy represents a non-invasive, safe and promising approach that can be used alone or combined with conventional therapies for the challenging treatment of PD motor and non-motor symptoms.

 Significant portion of research and clinical trial proving effectiveness of PEMF applications were conducted in Russia:

• TMS in combination with magnetotherapy of the peripheral department of nervous system is accompanied by additional strengthening of neuroplastic processes in the cerebral cortex by providing afferent flow with paretic extremities. Stimulation of motor centers of brain and afferent structures of the nerve apparatus helps to restore severed physiological connections and activate additional interneural synaptic contacts aimed at reorganizing cortical motor representation and increasing of functional activity of the pyramid path. (Kuznetsova S.M., Skachkova N.A. The use of combined rhythmic transcranial and peripheral magnetic stimulation in the rehabilitation system of stroke patients. Neurology and Neurosurgery Eastern Europe. 2014; 2 (22): 54-64)
• Application of pulsed magnetic field on the brain leads to decrease in swelling of nerve tissue, increased microhemodynamics, as well as to restoration of the ratio activating/braking processes in the central nervous system. All this helps to limit dysfunction of the tone regulating centers of the reticular formation, which is clinically manifested by normalization of muscle tone. (Pletnev S.V. Magnetic field, properties, application: Scientific and educational - methodical reference manual. SPb .: Humanistics. 2004: 624) 
•  Associative zones are activated: improving learning ability, increasing ability to concentrate, increasing efficiency of assimilation, storage and reproduction of information.  Secondary (indirect) change in the activity of cortical subcortical bonds and deep brain structures, can be used to correct motor, behavioral and affective disorders (Kulish A.V. A systematic approach in the application of transcranial magnetic effects in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic non-infectious diseases: abstract d. sciences: Nat. Med)