Sinaptica Declares a 'Renaissance' in Alzheimer's Treatment with Neuromodulation
- Cadiz Salazar
- Feb 5
- 2 min read
Neuromodulation is making waves in the fight against Alzheimer’s, and according to Sinaptica’s CEO, Ken Mariash, this isn’t just progress—it’s a full-fledged revolution. Speaking at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease 2024 (CTAD) conference, Mariash described this emerging technology as the dawn of a new era in treating the neurodegenerative disease.
While neuromodulation has already transformed the treatment landscape for conditions like Parkinson’s and depression, its potential for Alzheimer’s is now coming into sharp focus. Sinaptica’s innovative neuromodulation device, the SinaptiStim system, offers a fresh approach to slowing cognitive decline.
A Targeted Approach to Alzheimer’s
The SinaptiStim system delivers precise brain stimulation through short, 20-minute weekly sessions. This non-invasive therapy focuses on the “precuneus,” a key region within the brain’s default mode network (DMN) responsible for memory and self-reflection. By activating this area, the therapy aims to strengthen memory pathways, boost brain plasticity, and maintain crucial neural connections.
The results? Promising. Data presented at CTAD 2024 from a Phase II clinical trial (NCT05454540) in Madrid showed that over 12 months, patients undergoing neuromodulation experienced a significantly slower progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms. The Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score, a key measure of cognitive decline, changed by an average of 1.36 points in treated patients compared to 2.45 in the placebo group—a remarkable 44% reduction in disease progression.
Personalizing Treatment with Brain 'Fingerprints'
What sets Sinaptica apart is its groundbreaking use of “perturbation-based biomarkers.” Instead of passively monitoring brain activity, researchers actively stimulate the brain and analyze its response.
“Typically, brain activity is recorded at rest, but to truly understand a complex system, you need to perturb it and then analyze how it reacts,” explains Emiliano Santarnecchi, Sinaptica’s scientific co-founder and a neurology and radiology professor at Harvard Medical School.
This technique allows researchers to create a “fingerprint” of an individual’s brain activity, linking specific patterns to symptoms and treatment responses. Beyond therapy, this approach could help predict disease progression and even serve as an early diagnostic tool. “If I have a marker that tells me you’re likely to develop Alzheimer’s ten years in advance, we could move into the realm of prevention and anti-aging interventions,” Santarnecchi adds.
A Roadmap for the Future
Sinaptica is pushing forward with regulatory approval, having secured breakthrough device designation from the FDA in October 2022. The company is now gearing up for a Phase III trial, a critical step toward bringing the SinaptiStim system to market.
But Mariash sees an even broader horizon for neuromodulation. He envisions applications ranging from stroke rehabilitation to memory enhancement and other neuropsychiatric conditions. “The future of neuromodulation is personalization, precision medicine, and expanded indications,” he says.
With Alzheimer’s cases projected to soar from 21.9 million in 2020 to nearly 30 million by 2030 across major global markets, the demand for innovative treatments is greater than ever. The neuromodulation device market, currently valued at $6 billion, is expected to nearly double to $11.4 billion by 2033, according to GlobalData.
For Mariash and his team, Alzheimer’s is just the beginning. The renaissance of neuromodulation is here—and it’s poised to redefine how we approach brain health for years to come.
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