A less invasive neurostimulation device for Alzheimer’s patients is being reviewed by the FDA. SONS — Sphenoid and Olfactory Nerve Stimulation System — is a nose catheter that targets nerve trunks and stimulate brain structures that control memory and cognition. Requiring an outpatient procedure, small, adjustable and targeted electrical impulses will be delivered through the nasal cavity to access up to 32 nerve trunks that stimulate the brain.
Deep Brain Stimulation has been commercialized as an effective treatment option for some neurological diseases, especially Parkinson’s. The implanted devices, however, require complicated and risky brain surgery. SONS might be an interesting alternative.