Gentle brain ultrasound may help ease delusions in schizophrenia
Targeting a deep brain region with sound waves may safely reduce delusions in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, initial study results show. These conditions can cause people to hear or see things that are not there and develop beliefs that are firmly held but not true.
A novel ultrasound therapy may help alleviate delusions in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, according to early study findings. Conducted by researchers from NYU Langone Health, the investigation employed a non-invasive technique called transcranial ultrasound stimulation, which utilizes gentle sound waves to modulate brain cell activity in hard-to-reach regions. The therapy was tested on 10 patients who continued experiencing symptoms despite medication.
During a single 10-minute session, participants exhibited a modest yet significant reduction in delusion scores, averaging a 1.2-point decrease on a standardized clinical scale. In contrast, sham treatments resulted in a 0.4-point increase in delusion scores. Adverse effects, such as fatigue, headache, and brief psychotic symptom exacerbations, were mild and transient, with no discernible differences between active and sham treatments.
Lead author Wei Qi, a clinical assistant professor in NYU Langone's Department of Psychiatry, noted that the findings offer early evidence that a single ultrasound session can safely target a brain circuit linked to psychosis, leading to a noticeable reduction in delusions. Study co-senior author Shy Shoham, a professor of neuroscience and ophthalmology, emphasized the technique's potential to precisely target small brain regions affecting thinking and behavior, distinguishing it from other emerging mental health approaches.
The researchers targeted the globus pallidus internus, a brain region involved in movement, thought, and emotion control, as it has been previously linked to delusions and medication response. The study marks the first to demonstrate both safety and symptom alleviation in schizophrenia patients through this method. Participants received one real ultrasound session and one sham session one week apart, with neither participants nor researchers aware of the treatment type.
Ultrasound waves were delivered in 30-second on-off cycles guided by MRI scans, targeting the globus pallidus internus for 10 minutes. Symptoms were assessed before, during, and up to seven days post-treatment using rating scales measuring delusions, hallucinations, cognition, and side effects. The beneficial effect persisted for up to a week post-session.
While these preliminary results suggest the potential of targeted ultrasound as a supplementary or even alternative treatment to standard medications for schizophrenia, further research is required to confirm its efficacy and safety. The study's senior author, Donald C. Goff, a psychiatrist and vice chair of research at NYU Langone, plans to expand the investigation to additional patients and explore repeated ultrasound sessions over longer durations.
Future studies will also employ advanced brain imaging to tailor ultrasound intensity to each participant and verify successful targeting of the globus pallidus internus.
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