Chinese researchers have reported initial results from an experimental surgical procedure aimed at addressing Alzheimer’s disease by manipulating the brain’s waste clearance systems. The findings, published in General Psychiatry, detail outcomes from what the team describes as a “cervical shunting” operation performed on an Alzheimer’s patient who achieved promising results.
The procedure involves connecting lymphatic vessels in the neck to veins, theoretically creating a new pathway to help flush out toxic proteins from the brain. The patient showed cognitive improvements five weeks after surgery. However, experts caution that this is not a cure for Alzheimer’s, and more research is needed to establish its effectiveness.
