Deep brain stimulation, already used to treat Parkinson’s disease and dystonia, could also be used to help dementia patients, a new study suggests.

As part of a natural cycle, brain cells constantly die and are replaced. The area of the brain responsible for generating new brain cells is the hippocampus, which is also involved in memory.

A Singapore research team conducted an experiment in which electrodes were implanted in the brains of rats. The rats were put through memory tests before and after the procedure.

The electrodes sent out micro-electrical impulses that stimulated the front part of the brain, known as the prefrontal cortex. Scientists found that by stimulating this part of the brain, new cells formed in the hippocampus, although it had not been directly stimulated.

They also found that the rats whose brains had been stimulated performed better on the memory tests and that the improved memory was long lasting. The brain stimulation produced no adverse effects and did not affect the rat’s normal lifespan.

The researchers are hoping their work will provide a way to develop novel treatment solutions for patients suffering memory loss due to dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.