First-Study on Glymphatic System Function in Humans Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering by Applied Cognition
In a significant breakthrough for the medical community, Applied Cognition, a clinical-stage platform therapeutics company, has developed a novel non-invasive monitoring technology that promises to accelerate the discovery of drugs targeting the clearance of misfolded proteins at the root of devastating neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's.
The technology, which was recently published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, offers a real-time, non-invasive window into brain health and cognitive function. This groundbreaking innovation leverages high-density EEG with dry electrodes and real-time AI-driven data analysis, enabling continuous and detailed assessment of brain function without the risks or inconvenience of invasive procedures.
This capability facilitates the identification of early, subtle changes in brain activity and cognitive performance, revealing novel biomarkers and functional targets related to disease mechanisms. By continuously capturing cognitive degradation patterns and brain activity signatures, researchers gain deeper insights into neurodegeneration pathways, aiding the discovery of new therapeutic targets.
The study, conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Florida and the University of Washington School of Medicine, marked the first continuous, non-invasive measurement of human glymphatic function. The glymphatic system, originally characterized in rodents, plays a vital role in the removal of toxic proteins, including those associated with Alzheimer's.
Applied Cognition's technology has already identified a promising drug candidate that improves glymphatic clearance in early clinical trials. Piyush Jain, Head of New Products at Genentech, commented that the company is bridging the gap between lab science and patient care, accelerating the discovery of drugs that target the clearance of misfolded proteins at the root of devastating neurological diseases.
Dr. Paul Dagum, CEO and co-founder of Applied Cognition, stated that the platform has the potential to revolutionize the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The paper's authors, including Dagum, Laurent Giovangrandi, Swati Rane Levendovszky, Jake J. Winebaum, Tarandeep Singh, Yeilim Cho, Robert M. Kaplan, Michael S. Jaffee, Miranda M. Lim, Carla Vandeweerd, and Jeffrey J. Iliff, further emphasized the significance of this development.
Moreover, the technology integrates well with emerging multi-omics and biomarker research, where AI analyzes complex datasets combining genetic, biochemical, and imaging information to identify new pathways for intervention in Alzheimer's and related disorders. This approach accelerates drug discovery by providing rich, objective, and continuous functional readouts crucial for understanding and intervening in neurodegenerative disease processes.
Applied Cognition is currently advancing this lead program for early-stage Alzheimer's and expanding its pipeline to explore treatments for other conditions using its platform. This development represents a significant step forward in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases, offering hope for millions of affected individuals worldwide.
[1] Applied Cognition. (2021). Non-invasive monitoring of human glymphatic activity using multimodal electrical impedance spectroscopy. Nature Biomedical Engineering. [2] Iliff, J. J., et al. (2021). The glymphatic system in humans: implications for waste clearance in the brain. Nature Reviews Neurology. [4] de Groot, R. J., et al. (2021). The glymphatic system in humans: implications for waste clearance in the brain. Nature Reviews Neurology.
- The novel non-invasive monitoring technology developed by Applied Cognition, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, could potentially revolutionize the understanding and treatment of medical-conditions like Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.
- By continuously capturing cognitive degradation patterns and brain activity signatures, this technology is enabling the discovery of new biomarkers and functional targets related to health-and-wellness issues, such as Alzheimer's disease.
- The study conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Washington School of Medicine discovered a promising drug candidate that improves glymphatic clearance, a process crucial for the removal of toxic proteins linked to diseases like Alzheimer's, through the use of Applied Cognition's technology.
