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A new study published in Nature Communications has unveiled an experimental ultrasound “helmet” that could transform the way Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions are treated. Unlike deep brain stimulation (DBS), which requires surgically implanted electrodes, the helmet uses non-invasive ultrasound pulses to reach extremely precise regions of the brain—up to 1,000 times smaller than conventional ultrasound could previously achieve. This breakthrough opens up the possibility of replacing invasive surgeries with safer, more accessible brain therapies.
The device, developed by interdisciplinary teams at Oxford University and University College London, consists of 256 ultrasound sources integrated into a helmet that fits inside an MRI scanner. In initial tests on seven volunteers, researchers successfully targeted the lateral geniculate nucleus—a brain region involved in vision—with a precision equivalent to focusing on an area the size of a grain of rice. Senior author Prof Charlotte Stagg (Oxford University) noted that the ability to hit such tiny regions reliably was “extraordinary,” with the potential to one day quiet tremors in Parkinson’s patients by targeting motor control areas.
Follow-up experiments showed that modulating the targeted brain region had lasting downstream effects, demonstrating the helmet’s potential to alter neural activity without surgery. Independent experts, including Prof Elsa Fouragnan from Plymouth University, have hailed the work as a neuroscience milestone and a foundation for clinical applications. The team envisions the system being adapted for conditions such as depression, Tourette syndrome, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and addiction.
While the helmet currently relies on MRI guidance, researchers, including UCL academics Elly Martin and Brad Treeby, are exploring AI-assisted navigation that could eventually allow patients to use the device outside hospital settings. The long-term goal is to refine the system into a practical, comfortable clinical tool that could sit alongside or even replace invasive brain implants. After more than a decade of development, the research team hopes to see the first real-world medical applications within the coming years.
