Improving Brain Stimulation for Neurological Conditions
Overcoming the Barriers to Effective Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation in Humans
This project explores a new, non-invasive way to stimulate deep brain areas to help people with neurological and psychiatric conditions that haven't responded to other treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11134748 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people living with neurological and psychiatric conditions find that current treatments don't fully help them. This project is developing a new, non-invasive brain stimulation method called Transcranial Temporal Interference Stimulation (TIS) that can reach deep brain areas without surgery. Researchers are working to make TIS safe and effective for human use, building on promising results from animal studies. They will first test TIS in non-human primates to understand its effects on behavior and safety, and then apply it to the motor cortex in humans to refine how it works. The ultimate goal is to create clear protocols for using TIS to help individuals with conditions that have been resistant to other therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future applications of this technology would be individuals with neurological or psychiatric disorders that are resistant to current treatments.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions respond well to existing treatments or those without neurological or psychiatric disorders may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a new, non-invasive treatment option for individuals with neurological and psychiatric disorders who have not found relief from existing therapies.
How similar studies have performed: While TIS has shown promising results in animal models, its effective application and safety protocols for deep brain stimulation in humans are still being established in this foundational work.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- University of Massachusetts Boston — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rampersad, Sumientra Marijke — University of Massachusetts Boston
- Study coordinator: Rampersad, Sumientra Marijke
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 below.