Oulu researchers boost brain waste removal in early study

Researchers at the University of Oulu have found that combining nitroglycerin under the tongue with low-frequency vibration can help move waste products out of the brain, Yle reports. The approach could eventually help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders, but its effectiveness in patients is not yet known.

The peer-reviewed study was published on Tuesday in Nature Communications. It examined about 30 healthy people and found that the method could help the brain’s glymphatic system clear certain proteins into the bloodstream.

After the treatment, the amount of amyloid detected in a blood sample from Professor Vesa Kiviniemi increased 17-fold in 40 minutes, he said. Kiviniemi added that some proteins found in samples taken after the treatment, including GFAP, are known to come from the brain. Elevated GFAP levels can indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s years before diagnosis.

The glymphatic system removes harmful waste from the brain. Its activity slows with age, allowing insoluble protein deposits, including beta-amyloid plaques, to build up. The researchers say impaired clearance can contribute to tissue damage, as occurs in Alzheimer’s disease.

Doctoral researcher Johanna Tuunanen carried out most of the work, including obtaining permits, collecting and analysing data, and writing the research report. Kiviniemi said the method might offer a realistic possibility for preventing dementia, but Tuunanen stressed that more research is needed.

Kiviniemi said the treatment would be more accessible and easier to reproduce than specialised equipment he has worked with. He described the research as potentially “a Nokia-level thing” and said his goal would be to see a patient recover from Alzheimer’s or have the disease prevented.

The researchers warn people not to try the method at home: nitroglycerin can lower blood pressure dangerously.