AD/PD 2021 | Roles of ultrasound in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and therapy

Satya VVN Kothapalli, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, discusses the various roles of ultrasound in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and therapy. Dr Kothapalli describes the use of ultrasound in combination with microbubbles to open the blood–brain barrier and enable enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Additionally, ultrasound can trigger microglial activation. Animal studies have shown that ultrasound-activated microglia contained greater beta amyloid levels, potentially contributing to its clearance. However, the long-term effects of microglia activation need to be considered. This interview took place during the AD/PD™ 2021 conference.