Single ultrasound session to a deep brain target eases delusions in small schizophrenia trial
An NYU Langone pilot in 10 people found that 10 minutes of transcranial ultrasound to the globus pallidus interna reduced delusion scores for up to a week compared with sham.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health reported on October 20 in npj Acoustics that a single 10-minute session of transcranial ultrasound aimed at the right globus pallidus interna reduced delusions in people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder whose symptoms persisted despite medication. In a randomized, blinded crossover design, 10 participants each received one real and one sham session a week apart. After real stimulation, delusion scores fell by an average of 1.2 points; after sham, they rose by 0.4 points. The difference lasted up to seven days, the end of the study. Side effects such as fatigue and headache were mild and similar in both conditions.
This is a very small pilot, and the authors say larger and longer studies are needed. It adds to early evidence that focused ultrasound can reach deep brain targets without surgery.
Learn more: Focused ultrasound · Earlier ultrasound study on hallucinations