There may be promising new treatment options for schizophrenia on the way.
A revolutionary approach could provide fresh hope for those grappling with this severe and chronic mental health issue, requiring just a brief 10-minute ultrasound session.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health have found that directing focused ultrasound waves into the brain might alleviate delusions in patients whose symptoms remain despite medication.
The experimental method, known as transcranial ultrasound stimulation, focuses sound waves on a small region deep within the brain called the globus pallidus interna. This area is crucial for managing movement, emotions, and thought processes but is challenging to access without invasive techniques.
In a study involving 10 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, a single 10-minute treatment resulted in a significant decrease in delusions—those persistent false beliefs that the individual firmly holds.
Post-treatment, patients’ delusion scores decreased by an average of 1.2 points on a 7-point clinical scale.
This change might appear minimal, but notably, when participants received a sham treatment instead, their scores showed no improvement.
“Our findings provide initial evidence that a single session of transcranial ultrasound stimulation can safely ‘tune’ a brain circuit associated with psychosis, leading to a clear reduction in delusions,” shared lead researcher Wei Qi, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Side effects, such as mild headaches, temporary increases in psychotic symptoms, and fatigue, were reported but were generally short-lived.
The research was published on October 20 in the journal npj Acoustics.
