 Developing novel brain stimulation approaches, which can have significant global impact requires multidisciplinary efforts. In order to drive our ultrasonic neuromodulation technology from bench-to-bedside, we are investigating the influence of ultrasound on brain activity across many levels. Links to each of these areas of focus can be found at right or below. |
Novel therapeutic treatment of nervous system disorders represents one of the most significant and unmet needs in modern medicine. Deep-brain Stimulation (DBS) strategies have been shown to be remarkably effective for treating a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions including Parkinson’s Disease, dystonia, essential tremor, epilepsy, chronic pain, major depression, migraines, as well as a number of other conditions. Unfortunately, because of the invasiveness of the procedure and risks associated with surgical implants in the brain, this type of therapy is often a last resort for most patients after other treatment options have been exhausted.
All currently implemented approaches to the stimulation brain circuits suffer from a limitation or weakness. Pharmacological and chemical methods lack brain target specificity and have numerous metabolic requirements. Electrical methods, such as deep-brain stimulation offer a higher targeting specificity, but require surgery and brain impalement with electrodes. Optogenetic-based methods using light-activated ion channels or transporters offer unrivaled spatial resolution, but require genetic alteration. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) do not require invasive procedures, but suffer from poor spatial resolutions of ≈ 1 cm.
Considering the above limitations, a remaining challenge for neuroscience is to develop improved stimulation methods for use in intact brains. To address this need, we have been developing noninvasive brain stimulation technology employing pulsed ultrasound, which can be noninvasively focused through the intact skull even to deep-brain regions. Our ultrasonic neuromodulation technology may be useful in numerous brain stimulation applications as depicted below.
All currently implemented approaches to the stimulation brain circuits suffer from a limitation or weakness. Pharmacological and chemical methods lack brain target specificity and have numerous metabolic requirements. Electrical methods, such as deep-brain stimulation offer a higher targeting specificity, but require surgery and brain impalement with electrodes. Optogenetic-based methods using light-activated ion channels or transporters offer unrivaled spatial resolution, but require genetic alteration. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) do not require invasive procedures, but suffer from poor spatial resolutions of ≈ 1 cm.
Considering the above limitations, a remaining challenge for neuroscience is to develop improved stimulation methods for use in intact brains. To address this need, we have been developing noninvasive brain stimulation technology employing pulsed ultrasound, which can be noninvasively focused through the intact skull even to deep-brain regions. Our ultrasonic neuromodulation technology may be useful in numerous brain stimulation applications as depicted below.
