Researchers say helmet could help reverse effects of Alzheimer's

It may look like something that emerged from a dorm room laboratory, but a team of apparently professional researchers say that the helmet pictured above could one day be used to treat patients with Alzheimer's, and potentially even reverse some of the effects of the disease. That's supposedly possible by bathing the individual's brain in infra-red light for about ten minutes a day, a process that has reportedly been shown to reverse memory loss in mice. Not surprisingly, however, we're still quite a ways from seeing any potential results on humans, with the first tests (which will rely solely on the natural levels of infra-red that occur in sunlight) only set to get underway this summer.

[Via Metafilter]

[Simon P @ Jan 25th 2008 4:11PM]

......forgot what i was going to say.....

[aguiluz @ Jan 25th 2008 4:35PM]

This can jump your memory...

If your head won't get banged up, you won't forget things in the first place.

[xtro @ Jan 25th 2008 7:20PM]

People they are hiding this technology from you. Notice every new tech now comes with a disclaimer "tests far off in the future, move along sheeple, nothing to see here". Liars. If we injected the worlds 100 richest people with aids and cancer we would have the cure for both in less than 60 days.

DON'T LET THEM DENY YOU YOUR FUTUER!

[andres @ Jan 25th 2008 11:34PM]

@xtro
they can have my futuer, as long as i keep my future

[JLTate @ Jan 26th 2008 2:34AM]

Beyond air cooling, another approach that many enthusiasts swear by is water cooling. Water cooling is a much more effective (and expensive) way to cool your grandfather, and will help him to achieve higher scores on most mental-bound benchmarks by allowing him to be stressed further than he would be able to be otherwise. It should be noted, however, that over-stressing your grandfather will likely reduce his overall life span and should be considered carefully before actually attempting.

[Jerome @ Jan 25th 2008 4:14PM]

I like the term "professional researchers"

[matt @ Jan 25th 2008 4:14PM]

is this a joke

[spass @ Jan 25th 2008 4:23PM]

It is!
They screwed a bunch of computer cooling fans to a bike helmet.

I bet the screws are too long on the other side, scratching your brain.

[Carl M @ Jan 25th 2008 4:39PM]

No, it's not a joke. You can tell from the fans that it's all about proper cooling for the central processing unit. This is a proven method of helping to keep your system stable and running longer.

Or maybe not.

[Zorque @ Jan 25th 2008 4:47PM]

The infrared things are proooobably on the inside, considering that when you wear a helmet, the outside of it doesn't touch your head.

[Onetruebill @ Jan 25th 2008 8:38PM]

No, They invented this for ME...
Now when I am done snowboarding I can find the damn car.

[MEAT! @ Jan 25th 2008 4:18PM]

So bald people have better, er, what's that, memory? My professional argument is: the sun gives off infrared light. Bald people are, on average, outside as much as non-bald people--at least ten minutes a day, I'm assuming. The infra-red hits their bald head. Bald people have better memory.

[Harley3k @ Jan 25th 2008 4:24PM]

Yes, bot don't forget that bald people could be bald because of an electrolysis effect from increased brain activity.

[MEAT! @ Jan 25th 2008 4:27PM]

Bot don't forget anything. Bot kill bald people. Death to baldy. *zzzzt*

[McYoda @ Jan 25th 2008 4:19PM]

I hope all the fans doesn't suck up all my hairs.

[Fred @ Jan 25th 2008 4:19PM]

Yeah, I'm about to announce my Alzheimer's reversing chicken suit too.

[PaulPaul @ Jan 25th 2008 4:20PM]

i'm gonna see this helmet on an infomercial in a week, aren't I? next to 30 minute abs.

[Poonanny @ Jan 25th 2008 4:20PM]

LOL,

why would someone cure Alzheimer's when you make more money by "treating" it?
Same goes for cancer and other illnesses.

Doctors and phamarceutical companies are all money mongrals - they are in it to make $$$ and they will never heal anything. I don't recall the last time I heard on the news ANY disease/illness was "CURED"...

[Daniel @ Jan 25th 2008 7:12PM]

Too bad they can't cure stupidity.

[RIFRAF @ Jan 25th 2008 4:20PM]

kidding aside, my grandfather has Alzheimer's, and even though this won't come to the aid of his ailment soon enough, it's good to hear that maybe we have a break-through in a very nasty disease.

[Corey @ Jan 25th 2008 4:21PM]

"we're still quite a ways from seeing any potential results on humans"

So basically, we have a helmet that cools you as you cycle to school? How is this even news worthy? Not even close! C'mon now.

[MEAT! @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

If it's the helmet pictured above, more like it'll cool your head as you sit in the back of the short bus, pretending you're pedaling to school. And by school I mean the shanty in which these three "professional researchers" hide their helmeted mice from the landlady.

[theregoesdave @ Jan 25th 2008 4:22PM]

C'mon. You can't see through their thinly veiled plan to revolutionize the fashion world?

Cheers,
theregoesdave
http://theregoesdave.com

[Christian @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

I'd remember everything in a flash than wear that.... now what was it I need to remember...

[paul @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

Can we wear this helmet even if we don't have Alzheimer's? It's sexy.

[Todd @ Jan 25th 2008 4:27PM]

"Researchers say helmet could help reverse effects of Alzheimer's..."

Will also reverse any would be attention from da ladiez

[Faar @ Jan 26th 2008 1:10AM]

You have a valid point there, good man!

However, if you're struck by alzheimers, I doubt 'ladiez' are one of the last things on your mind... :-P (No pun intended.)

[dajimmers @ Jan 25th 2008 4:29PM]

Infrared light? Isn't that just heat? Like a heat lamp in hotel bathrooms? And how is it supposed to get to your brain with your hair, skin, skull, etc. in the way?

[Jay @ Jan 25th 2008 4:34PM]

That's supposedly possible by bathing the individual's brain in infra-red light for about ten minutes a day

I guess they have to remove your skull first since infra-red is converted to heat when it's absorbed. Maybe a simple heating pad would be easier?

[Joseph @ Jan 25th 2008 4:35PM]

I think a liquid cooling system and some blue and red LED tubes would really do wonders. You could even have a clear window. Just make sure you spend the extra money to get the quiet fans and not those crappy fans that Dell uses.

Also, I wonder where they hide the PSU.

[SFO Kevin @ Jan 25th 2008 4:36PM]

This looks like a prop from an old Woody Allen movie...

[Oliver @ Jan 25th 2008 4:37PM]

that thing reminds me of "Spaceballs" and "Lord Dark Helmet"

[Ed @ Jan 25th 2008 8:04PM]

You beat me to it :)

That was the greatest character ever. Only Rick Moranis could pull it off too. It was the tie that made the whole character.

[John @ Jan 26th 2008 12:19AM]

That's even better than the "pith helmet, with fan".

[Loban @ Jan 25th 2008 4:38PM]

Sweet, an anti-alzheimer's helmet and Flowbee all in one.

[PGP-Protector @ Jan 25th 2008 4:40PM]

New cure found for Alzheimer
Cooking your Brain.

[brad murphy @ Jan 25th 2008 4:53PM]

What always fascinates me is the origin of how trying something this novel comes about... two bored medical researchers at a bar drinking beers decide to randomly expose an Alzheimer's patient to extreme infra-red to restore memory? Hope this is more than a parlor trick or that it's not just temporary. I had always read that the scientific community is in relative agreement that plaque that forms in the brain is the source of the memory lapse.. wonder how infra-red actually addresses this root cause.

[diner @ Jan 25th 2008 6:56PM]

I've actually read from various sources before that infra-red light stimulates cell growth. Perhaps there is something to it after all.

[Andrew @ Jan 25th 2008 4:44PM]

So you wear this helmet to detect Alzheimer's: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/19/researchers-craft-new-testing-device-to-detect-early-alzheimers/

Then the one in this article to reverse it's effects?

Pretty soon you're every old person you see will be wearing helmets!

[OneLove @ Jan 25th 2008 6:24PM]

Yeah, lets make em wear helmets. (and not drive)

[Sotheby @ Jan 25th 2008 4:48PM]

As long as those being treated aren't waiting for Gozer the Traveler, I say more (infared) power to them
http://digitalius.csmalecki.com/albums/ghostbusters/ghostbusters_234.jpg

[granny down east @ Jan 25th 2008 5:15PM]

Hah! Nice Rick Moranis reference.
Seriously, researchers now say five cups of caffeinated coffe per day will stave off the big A. I would rather do that.

[LongshotX @ Jan 25th 2008 4:53PM]

I was seriously ready to jump for joy about this as my Grandmother has had Alzheimer's for like the pass 10 years. Imagine growing up and graduating from highschool and soon college (I will in Dec with a BS in Environmental Science), having a kid (I'm going to be a father soon too) and your loving Grandma can't even share in the experiences.It sucks. Engadget please this delete this post. It just sucked all my hope away.

Stem cell research seems to be our only hope.

[whatishalo? @ Jan 25th 2008 5:28PM]

if it also does a scalp massage I am all over it!!

[OneLove @ Jan 25th 2008 6:22PM]

case mod?

[Sirocco @ Jan 25th 2008 7:40PM]

Why not just wear it because it's sexy?

[Bill @ Jan 25th 2008 8:00PM]

Don't get your hopes up.

Elan had a Alzheimer's vaccine that worked great in mice.

But Phase II tests in humans came to a rapid halt when the vaccine caused potentially life-threatening encephalitis in several subjects.

[sheala @ Jan 25th 2008 8:02PM]

You know I think the troll Detritus wears one of these (Pratchett's Discworld). It's meant to keep his his silicon brain cool and therefore smarter.

[IndiaTech @ Jan 25th 2008 9:20PM]

No way maan. I am no way wearing that stuff...

[erin @ Jan 25th 2008 9:31PM]

incidentally, the helmet also makes you look like a complete moron ...but at least you'll remember it.