Reduced blood flow is thought to trigger diseases like Alzheimer’s due to brain cells not receiving the oxygen and nutrients they need for thinking, learning, and memory. Nerve cell death and damage are one of the main causes of dementia. A Japanese team of scientists has shown that ultrasound treatment activates genes linked to blood vessel formation and nerve cell growth in mice. The researchers believe ultrasound treatment may also cure humans of dementia, which affects more than five million in the US.