Ultrasound technology used as a ‘search and rescue tool’ for the brain

Ultrasound, once used almost exclusively to take images of the body, is developing into a targeted therapy that can have a potentially life-changing impact on our brains, according to the international research team.

In a new paper published in the journal PLOS Biology, researchers from Stanford University, the University of Plymouth, and Attune Neurosciences claim that ultrasound technology has now been demonstrated to offer a non-invasive and precise way of targeting specific areas of the human brain.

The researchers have begun to investigate how a technique known as transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can help people with conditions ranging from pain, alcoholism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Parkinson’s disease, all without the use of drugs or surgery.

According to the researchers, the technology could also be used to temporarily test areas before treating them, serving as a ‘search and rescue tool for the brain’ to enable scientists and clinicians to find sources of brain-related issues and disorders prior to treating them – which may be on the critical path towards personalised treatments.