Electrochemical Cathode for Amyloid Plaque Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for Alzheimer's disease, such as experimental monoclonal antibody therapies, are expensive and ineffective in completely removing amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which disrupt brain cell communication and contribute to cognitive impairment.
Innovation Solution
An electrochemical method using a cathode plate in a collection vessel to attract and remove positively charged amyloid plaques and tau tangles from the bloodstream or spinal fluid through extracorporeal circulation, employing a low voltage/low current DC power source and pumps to facilitate the removal process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If monoclonal antibody treatments are used to remove amyloid plaques, then some effectiveness in reducing plaques is achieved, but the treatment becomes extremely expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the biochemical mechanism of monoclonal antibodies with an electrochemical system using a cathode plate to remove positively charged amyloid plaques. This substitution of mechanical/electrical field-based removal for biological antibody-based removal eliminates the need for expensive pharmaceutical production while maintaining plaque removal effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from chemical/biological interaction (antibody-antigen binding) to physical electrochemical interaction (electrostatic attraction between cathode and positively charged plaques). This parameter change from chemical to physical domain enables a more cost-effective treatment mechanism.
2Reliability
If current pharmaceutical therapies are used to remove amyloid plaques, then some plaque reduction is achieved, but complete removal is not accomplished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes positively charged amyloid plaques and tau tangles from the bloodstream and spinal fluid using electrostatic attraction to a cathode plate. This direct extraction method aims to achieve more complete removal compared to pharmaceutical therapies that only reduce plaque levels partially.
Solution Approach 2:
The cathode plate serves as an intermediary that directly attracts and removes positively charged plaques and tangles from the circulatory system. This intermediary mechanism provides a more efficient and complete removal process compared to pharmaceutical agents that work through complex biological pathways.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If amyloid plaques and tau tangles accumulate in the brain, then brain cell communication is disrupted, but removing them completely with current methods is ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ineffective pharmaceutical approaches with an electrochemical system that directly targets and removes the harmful positively charged proteins (amyloid plaques and tau tangles) from the bloodstream and spinal fluid, thereby restoring brain cell communication more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the positive charge of amyloid plaques and tau tangles (which is part of their harmful nature) as a benefit by using electrostatic attraction to the cathode plate for their removal. The same charge that contributes to their pathogenicity becomes the mechanism for their elimination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively reduces protein levels in the blood and spinal fluid, potentially alleviating Alzheimer's symptoms by accelerating the removal of amyloid plaques from the brain, offering a more affordable and accessible treatment option compared to existing therapies.
Implementation Method 1
an electrochemical method of removing amyloid plaques and tau tangles from the blood stream or from fluids circulating in and around brain tissues
Implementation Method 2
the positively charged particles will be electrochemically attracted to a cathode for removal
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for treating Alzheimer's disease wherein blood, spinal fluid or brain cavity fluid is circulated into and outside of the body by means of blood pumps or other external circulatory systems. While passing through the pumping system, the amyloid plaques and tau tangles are filtered from the fluids and returned to the body lowering the protein levels, and in the process, reduce symptoms. In one embodiment a patient's blood is filtered using a pump to circulate the blood from the patient to the collection vessel where an electrical current will cause anything that has a positive charge to be attracted to a cathode plate suspended in the collection vessel for later disposal. In an alternate embodiment a patient's brain and/or spinal fluid a pump operates to circulate a flushing fluid. The pump will circulate the solution from the collection vessel to the patient.