3-D guided focused ultrasound for essential tremor
Official title: 3-D Tractography Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Essential Tremor
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11136917 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses 3-D tractography to guide focused ultrasound ablation of a brain target to help people whose essential tremor does not respond well to medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $478,768 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS125386-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136917 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with medication-resistant essential tremor who are eligible for focused ultrasound treatment.
✕Less likely to help
People whose tremor is well controlled with medication, those with other movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, or anyone who cannot undergo MRI or focused ultrasound are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would receive advanced 3-D tractography imaging to map the ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) and surrounding nerve tracts so the team can plan a precise ultrasound target. During the procedure, focused ultrasound will be delivered to the Vim without surgical incisions while MRI is used to monitor the treatment in real time. The researchers will compare this 3-D tractography-guided approach with standard targeting to see if it creates a more complete ablation of the Vim while avoiding nearby structures. Safety and clinical outcomes will be tracked through imaging and follow-up visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve tremor control and reduce side effects by making ablation more precise.
How similar studies have gone: Focused ultrasound of the Vim is an FDA-approved, effective option for medication-resistant essential tremor, while using 3-D tractography intraoperatively is a newer technique currently under study.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krishna, Vibhor — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Krishna, Vibhor
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.