"Stimulating the brain with an implantable device may be safe  and possibly helpful  for some people with Alzheimers disease a small pilot study suggests. In what researchers described as a proof of concept treatment three Alzheimers patients had deep brain stimulation DBS wires implanted in the brain  in areas related to skills like planning judgment and problemsolving. Over the next  months or more the tactic appeared to be safe. And there were signals that it was slowing down two of the patients decline said lead researcher Dr. Douglas Scharre director of cognitive neurology at Ohio State Universitys Wexner Medical Center. Deep brain stimulation is already used to treat some cases of Parkinsons disease and certain other brain disorders. But its far too early to know whether it has value for people with Alzheimers Scharre stressed. This is not ready for prime time he said. Its not something patients can ask their neurologist for. Keith Fargo who directs scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimers Association agreed. Its much too early for patients or caregivers to seek out DBS said Fargo who was not involved in the study. Instead he said these findings suggest that deep brain stimulation is a reasonable route to study in larger clinical trials. The results were published online Jan.  in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease. Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in the brain then connecting them to a pulse generator placed under the skin of the chest. Sometimes called a brain pacemaker it delivers electrical pulses that alter the activity in specific brain circuits. The theory behind trying DBS for Alzheimers patients Scharre said is similar to the use it or lose it principle If key brain areas can be stimulated to form new connections among cells it might slow decline. Right now Scharre noted medications for Alzheimers target brain chemicals involved in memory. But Alzheimers impairs all kinds of mental functions  including judgment planning and decisionmaking. And those issues have a huge impact on daily life for patients and their caregivers Scharre added. So the patients in his study received DBS for at least  months to brain areas that regulate those mental skills. All three patients were in the earlier stages of Alzheimers and were on standard medications. After starting DBS all saw a general decline in their memory problemsolving and other skills. But they declined at a slower rate compared to  similar patients whose information was taken from an Alzheimers research database. Two of the DBS patients declined at a meaningfully slower rate according to Scharre. That included one who actually showed some improvements. That patient was LaVonne Moore  of Delaware Ohio. When she entered the study she was not preparing any meals. After two years of deep brain stimulation shed regained that skill  and was better able to perform some other simple tasks like selecting her clothes and organizing outings. In a Ohio State news release her husband Tom Moore said her Alzheimers has progressed but more slowly than hed expected. LaVonne has had Alzheimers disease longer than anybody I know and that sounds negative but its really a positive thing because it shows that were doing something right Moore said. If DBS ever becomes an option for Alzheimers Scharre said it would not be for everyone.  It would not be appropriate for example for people who are frail or have other serious medical conditions. In the pilot study side effects included hot flashes heart palpitations and burning sensations in the skin which were reversed by adjusting the DBS settings the researchers said. There is no larger trial in the works yet according to Scharre. Whats needed said Fargo is research that compares deep brain stimulation against a placebo device. On a broader level he noted this study highlights an important point Alzheimers disease is more than just amnesia. For caregivers Fargo said the problems with abilities like judgment and planning can actually be more challenging. So any new therapies that help address those issues would be welcome. More than  million Americans have Alzheimers  a number that could rise to  million by  according to the Alzheimers Association. More information The Alzheimers Association offers resources for caregivers https SOURCES Douglas Scharre M.D. director cognitive neurology Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Columbus Keith Fargo Ph.D. director scientific programs and outreach Alzheimers Association Chicago Jan.   Journal of Alzheimers Disease online"