All articles tagged with #brain stimulation
Electrical stimulation of the human temporal cortex activates neural networks and induces cell-type–specific gene programs, revealing gene-linked cell assemblies that could guide future stimulation-based therapies to slow cognitive decline.
A randomized trial in JAMA Network Open tested intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) for major depressive disorder. Over a 10-day course, 41 participants received real iTBS and 32 received sham stimulation; iTBS produced greater clinician-rated improvement during treatment, but by four weeks post-treatment the sham group had caught up, and self-reported symptoms showed little difference. The sham coil mimicked sensations to preserve blinding. Overall, findings suggest potential short-term benefits of iTBS but raise questions about durability and the need for longer follow-up in future studies.
Doctors at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa used Insightec's noninvasive brain stimulation to target the nucleus accumbens and rapidly detox a 40-year-old patient from opioid dependence—reducing cravings to zero in about 20 minutes and yielding negative opioid tests a week later. The procedure, part of a multicenter U.S. trial, shows potential for treating other addictions and brain disorders, offering a safer, faster alternative to traditional detox methods.
A BMJ-published randomized trial tested brief theta-burst magnetic stimulation in 194 children with autism (average age ~6.5), including many with intellectual disability. Over five days, real stimulation improved social communication and language vs. sham, with effects persisting at one month and few side effects. While promising and potentially convenient compared with long-term therapies, the durability of benefits is uncertain, the optimal treatment duration unknown, and access/cost could limit use; it is not a replacement for behavioral supports.
In a randomized trial in China, 200 children with autism (ages 4–10) received noninvasive accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS) or sham. After five days of 10 daily sessions targeting the left primary motor cortex, the a-cTBS group showed greater improvements in social communication and language on the SRS-2 immediately after treatment and at one-month follow-up. Side effects were mostly mild to moderate (restlessness, scalp discomfort). Limitations include potential baseline differences, a short follow-up, and questions about safety in developing brains, but researchers say a-cTBS could be a feasible, scalable therapy for autism, including those with intellectual disability.
Researchers are testing non-invasive 40 Hz flickering lights paired with precise audio to modulate memory-related brain activity in Alzheimer’s patients, with the goal of slowing cognitive decline rather than reversing it. A Phase 3 trial conducted by Cognito Therapeutics involves about 700 participants across 70 sites; earlier feasibility studies showed changes in brain signals and potential slowing of decline, though safety concerns are mostly headaches and the approach is intended to be a low-risk, accessible treatment alongside drugs.
In a University of Zurich study, 44 volunteers received non-invasive electrical stimulation to the frontal and parietal brain areas while deciding how to split money. When stimulated simultaneously, participants showed a modest but consistent increase in generosity toward an anonymous partner, though effects were short-lived and would require repeated sessions for longer-term change. Researchers say this demonstrates a causal link between these networks and altruistic choices and could inform treatment of social-behavior disorders, with ethical safeguards in place.
Scientists linked alpha-frequency brain activity in the parietal cortex to the sense of body ownership during the rubber hand illusion, and using transcranial alternating current stimulation to speed up or slow these waves altered how real a fake hand felt, suggesting alpha waves help define the brain's body map with potential implications for schizophrenia, phantom limbs, prosthetics, and VR.
Researchers propose using noninvasive transcranial focused ultrasound to stimulate specific deep-brain regions in healthy subjects, enabling cause‑and‑effect tests of how consciousness arises and where it resides, potentially resolving debates about localized versus network-based origins of conscious experience.
A small, wireless implant uses LED light and genetic modification to communicate directly with the brain's neurons in mice, enabling new ways to study and potentially treat neurological conditions without invasive procedures or external wires.
Researchers used non-invasive transcranial ultrasound stimulation to target the nucleus accumbens, a deep brain structure involved in motivation, and found it enhanced reward learning in humans within 60 seconds, suggesting potential for treating mental health disorders without surgery.
Nolan Williams, a neuroscientist who developed a fast-acting, noninvasive brain stimulation therapy for treatment-resistant depression, died by suicide at age 43; he founded Stanford's Brain Stimulation Lab and struggled with depression himself.
Researchers have developed a novel ultrasound device capable of simultaneously stimulating multiple precise points in the brain non-invasively, using low-intensity ultrasound to reduce risks and enable visualization of brain activity, with potential applications for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.
A 44-year-old man with 31 years of treatment-resistant depression experienced a significant and lasting improvement after undergoing personalized brain stimulation therapy called PACE, which tailored electrical stimulation to his unique brain activity, leading to an overwhelming feeling of joy and sustained mental health benefits over months.
A UCLA study found that personalized high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, significantly improves mood in depression patients faster and more effectively than sham treatment, with effects lasting several weeks, suggesting it could be a promising alternative treatment option.