Due to its ability to noninvasively stimulate brain circuits, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound shows promise for treating life-threatening epileptic seizures, according to an article published in the September issue of Nature Protocols.
The method's developers, led by William Tyler, PhD, of Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, share how ultrasonic neuromodulation can be quickly applied in neurocritical care situations. The researchers believe the technique may one day be used as a first-line therapy in treating status epilepticus, a condition in which the brain is in a state of persistent seizure and which, if not halted, can lead to sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
Such a device could act like an automatic external defibrillator, except for the brain, said first author Yusuf Tufail. The article provides a guide for the further development and clinical application of ultrasonic neuromodulation.
