Researchers improve ultrasound impulses in the brain

(CONNECT) Researchers at the University of Zurich(UZH), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH) and New York University have developed a hood with 512 ultrasonic transducers. They have succeeded in doing what was previously only possible to a limited extent and with much less precision: stimulating the brain with low-intensity ultrasound at up to five precisely defined points. This is done painlessly from the outside through the top of the skull.

As the two Zurich universities explain in an identical report, initial clinical studies are already investigating whether such neuromodulation can alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy or tremors in tremor patients. However, this recently published study served to develop this technology and was not yet aimed at a medical application.

"The brain works in networks. It is therefore easier to stimulate or dampen a brain network if you do this at several points at the same time," explains Daniel Razansky. He is a professor at ETH and UZH and led the work together with a colleague from New York. The new method also makes it possible to visualize and verify this excitation using imaging.

Razansky's group specializes in the engineering and data analysis aspects of developing ultrasound and imaging methods. The New York researchers contributed their neuroscientific expertise. The development of the device and the experiments took place in Zurich. The study and the collaboration between the researchers was largely funded by the North American National Institutes of Health. Because their payments abroad are no longer possible due to political pressure, Razansky wants to try to continue them as well as possible with other sources of funding. ce/mm