Using focused ultrasound to improve memory
Focused ultrasound for memory disorders
['FUNDING_R01'] · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11285345
This project will try focused ultrasound to improve working memory related to Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11285345 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are using focused ultrasound (FUS) to stimulate deep brain areas and to temporarily open the blood–brain barrier so medicines can reach targeted regions. The team will test these approaches in awake nonhuman primates trained on working memory tasks while collecting MRI scans to see how brain circuits change. They will examine both direct neuromodulation and FUS-assisted drug delivery, plus detailed safety checks in cortical and deep structures. Establishing effects and safety in primates is a step toward future clinical trials in people with memory disorders.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal future participants would include people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease and others with significant working memory problems who can travel to a research center.
Not a fit: People with very advanced dementia, memory loss from non-neurological causes, or medical conditions making MRI or ultrasound unsafe may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new, non-addictive treatments that improve working memory for people with Alzheimer’s and related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal work and pilot human trials of focused ultrasound for brain stimulation and blood–brain barrier opening show promise, but benefits for memory remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: FERRERA, VINCENT P — COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- Study coordinator: FERRERA, VINCENT P
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome