Traditionally, health professionals across the world have used ultrasound as a means of monitoring the development of unborn babies and assessing the health of patients’ internal organs. Over the decades, its uses have expanded to evaluate blood flow and check for blockages in arteries and veins, assess joint inflammation and metabolic bone disease, help diagnose abnormal growths, blood clots, gallstones, kidney or bladder stones, and more.

As a tool for interventional therapies, ultrasounds can guide needles for biopsies or tumor treatments, and can image the location of a catheter as it’s inserted into a blood vessel.  Ultrasound scans are generally non-invasive and painless, and can take about 30 minutes. There are some limitations however, such as the fact that ultrasound waves can be disrupted by air or gas, and that ultrasound cannot penetrate bone. 

A new article in the journal PLOS Biology, by researchers from Stanford University, the University of Plymouth, and Attune Neurosciences describe that it has now been demonstrated to offer a non-invasive and precise way of targeting specific areas of the human brain.

Using a technique known as transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) offers the potential to help people with conditions ranging from pain, alcoholism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Parkinson’s disease, all without the use of drugs or surgery.

Beyond the treatment, the researchers discuss in the new article how the technology can also be used to temporarily test areas before treating them, serving as a sort of “search and rescue tool for the brain”.

This enables them to find the sources of brain-related issues and disorders prior to treating them, which may be an added resource towards personalized treatments.

Challenges

However, the researchers acknowledge there are still a number of complex challenges that need to be addressed before TUS can be rolled out in healthcare settings – and maybe even homes – on a global scale. And while significant advances have been made to the technology, reaching a point where it can still be effective – but also sustainable from a cost perspective – is still some years away.

Currently, the researchers have developed and are testing a TUS device small and simple enough for people to use them at home following a series of clinical assessments, rather than having to continually go into hospitals or other healthcare settings. According to Dr Keith Murphy, co-founder of Attune Neurosciences and researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine, “There are countless reasons people can’t get to a clinic, whether it’s financial strain or simply not having the time. In the past few years, we’ve made substantial progress towards a device that leverages MRI precision guidance but may still be used safely at home. We’ve always believed that portability was a critical step towards making advanced brain therapies accessible to everyone and we’ve made great strides in demonstrating that it works.”

The researchers further discuss how focused ultrasound can also be integrated with other emerging technologies, for example improving the accuracy and effectiveness of interfaces that enable direct communication between the brain and external devices.

Source: Murphy K, Foragnan L. The future of transcranial ultrasound as a precision brain interface. PLoS Biol 22(10): e3002884. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002884