Developing a New LIFU Neuromodulation Method to Suppress Tremor

What this trial studies

Transcranial ultrasound stimulation is a non-invasive brain stimulation that uses low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to modulate neural activity with high spatial precision (Zadeh et al., 2024). Several human and animal studies have demonstrated that LIFU can produce lasting neuromodulatory effects, including both excitatory and inhibitory responses in the primary motor cortex (Zadeh et al., 2024). Furthermore, evidence suggests that LIFU is capable of inducing plasticity in the human brain that resembles long term potentiation or long-term depression (Zeng et al., 2024). The ability of LIFU to induce bidirectional effects, either excitatory or inhibitory, depending on sonication parameters, offers a level of flexibility in tailoring neuromodulatory interventions to individual patient needs and specific neural circuit dysfunctions. Combined with real-time neuronavigation and acoustic modeling tools, LIFU provides a promising platform for precise, personalized, and non-invasive brain stimulation. The modulatory effect of LIFU depends on sonication parameters such as frequency, attenuation, and pulse repetition frequency (Zeng et al., 2024; Manuel et al., 2020), and evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies suggests these effects can persist beyond the stimulation period consistent with long-term potentiation or long-term depression-like plasticity mechanisms (Fomenko et al., 2020; Zadeh et al., 2024). Unlike other neuromodulatory techniques such as transcranial…

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Essential Tremor OR Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease

Exclusion Criteria:

* Presence of any neurological diagnosis other than Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease
* Family history of Essential Tremor OR Parkinson's Disease
* Inability to undergo MRI or attend to the experimental study sessions

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.