Researchers from Arizona State University are investigating the use of low-frequency and also low-power ultrasonic pulses on the brain. The researchers believe that ultrasound can manipulate the functioning of the brain. The low frequency ultrasound has the capability of non-invasively penetrating a person’s skull. It can then touch practically any area of the brain. The ultrasound can then modulate neural activity by altering the activity of voltage-gated ion channels. Doing this allows scientists to stimulate specific areas of the brain with relative selectivity.
The researchers believe that ultrasonic neuromodulation may eventually become a treatment modality for all sorts of brain disorders. It could treat parkinson’s, autism, epilepsy, mental retardation and many other things.
Ultrasound can also be used to lower the metabolic rate of the entire brain. Doing this would allow a reduction in the amount of damage that occurs after undergoing a traumatic brain insult. Often when their is a trauma to the head, there is a lot of secondary damage that may not occur until minutes to hours after the insult. The ultrasound, in theory, could reduce the metabolism of the brain. This could lead to a reduction in the amount of chemical reactions that lead to neuron brain cell death.
One of the researchers has said that a helmet could have an array of ultrasound transducers on it. When the helmet detected a traumatic brain insult it could be turned on automatically. This would enable the array to modulate various neuroprotective mechanisms in the brain. It would allow a reduction in the amount of brain damage that person gets.
