Exploring Dose Effects of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound on Deep Brain White Matter in Healthy Adults

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the dose-dependent effects of low-intensity focused ultrasound LIFU on deep white matter tracts in the human brain. This study aims to understand how different doses of LIFU influence brain circuit activity, with the goal of advancing mechanistic studies linking brain function and behavior in psychiatric disorders. The study builds on prior pilot results showing that LIFU can modulate brain activity noninvasively and precisely. The trial involves 60 healthy adults who will be randomly assigned to receive either a single 80-second ultrasound session or three 80-second sessions separated by 30 seconds. The LIFU targets specific white matter tracts connecting the thalamus with key brain regions involved in emotion and cognition, using carefully measured ultrasound intensities. Dose effects on brain function will be studied using advanced imaging and modeling techniques. Participants will undergo brain imaging before and up to 30 minutes after LIFU to assess changes in brain connectivity and activity. Researchers will measure how the ultrasound affects brain circuits and how these effects relate to baseline brain structure and function. The study includes careful monitoring of participant health and uses questionnaires to ensure safety. Overall, the study will last long enough to capture immediate brain changes after ultrasound exposure.

Dose-Dependent Effects of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound