1 / 14

Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of the Hypothalamus

Explore the development of a non-invasive neuromodulation system to target the hypothalamus, crucial in obesity and diabetes. Discover the potential of Focused Ultrasound Pulsations (LIFUP) for safely and accurately stimulating the hypothalamus. Learn about Modulating Hypothalamic Activity using Focused Ultrasound and the challenges with Transcranial Ultrasound. Find out how Magnetic Resonance-guided techniques like MR-ARFI and MR-Thermometry can enhance the precision and safety of neuromodulation. Get insights into the future of LIFUP for human testing in this groundbreaking research effort supported by the Friedman Diabetes Institute.

aamy
Download Presentation

Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of the Hypothalamus

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of the Hypothalamus Alexander Korb, Ph.D. Mentor: Alexander Bystritsky, M.D., Ph.D

  2. Background • Hypothalamus is important in obesity and diabetes • Target for insulin • Center for appetite and satiety • Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of hypothalamus • Stimulation of lateral hypothalamus led to weight loss in rats • Indirect observations of DBS in humans show potential for hypothalamic stimulation to lead to weight loss • Obici et al, 2002; Bernardis and Bellinger, 1996; Halpern et al, 2008; Sani et al, 2007; Torres et al 2011

  3. Objective • Develop a non-invasive neuromodulation system that can safely and accurately target the hypothalamus

  4. Neuromodulation • Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) • Successfully targeted hypothalamus to reduce obesity • Highly focused • Requires invasive brain surgery • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) • Non-invasive • Large focal area • Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound Pulsations (LIFUP) • Non-invasive • Highly focused

  5. LIFUP • High-frequency pressure waves • Focused mechanical energy • Demonstrated neuromodulation in rats and rabbits ) ) ) ) Transducer Tyler et al, 2008; Tufail et al 2010; Min et al, 2011; Yoo et al, 2011

  6. Modulating Hypothlamic Activity • Anesthetized mini-pig • Removed upper plate of skull • Polished lower plate of skull • Similar thickness to human temporal bone • Focused US on hypothalamus using stereotactic frame ) ) )

  7. Results

  8. Challenges with Transcranial US • Skull absorbs energy • Skull changes shape of beam focus • Skull changes location of beam focus • Invisible beam X Ultrasound

  9. For Use in Humans • Accurately target deep brain structures • Visualize beam focus • Ensure patient safety • Monitor temperature ) ) ) ) Transducer

  10. Targeting • Magnetic resonance – acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) • Force of US displaces tissue Kaye et al, 2010

  11. MR-ARFI Pulse Sequence Z Y X ADC RF Ultrasound Magnets Time

  12. MR-Thermometry • Proton spin is proportional to temperature • Temperature changes visible as phase differences • Standard fast spin echo pulse sequence

  13. Conclusions • LIFUP can accomplish neuromodulation in the hypothalamus • MR-ARFI may be able to guide LIFUP to the appropriate target • MR-Thermometry can be used to detect potentially harmful temperature changes • LIFUP is almost ready for human testing.

  14. Thank You Thanks to the Friedman Diabetes Institute for their generous support of this project

More Related