Researchers have developed a transcranial ultrasound stimulation system that can noninvasively target deep brain structures with precision.
Published in Nature Communications, part of Nature magazine, the report said that the system uses a helmet-shaped array of 256 ultrasound transducers to focus ultrasound waves deep in the brain. It is combined stereotactic positioning and individual treatment planning and can be used inside an MRI scanner to monitor brain activity.
In tests on healthy volunteers, the device targeted the lateral geniculate nucleus, a small thalamic structure involved in vision. The researchers found that stimulation increased activity in the visual cortex and helped produce consistent results across participants in the study.
This device compares to current methods such as deep brain stimulation, which requires surgery, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, which cannot reach deep areas in the brain with precision.
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