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Ultrasonic Brain Treatment

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
This looks interesting: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/aiming-ultrasound-brain-raises-hope-new-treatments

It's very early stage, but maybe it would help with ME research. I'm convinced that my ME is a brain problem, so the ability to alter function in parts of the brain might provide some interesting results. I think of ME as a 'black box' problem, so the more ways to 'poke and prod', the more chances of finding something that does affect the symptoms. There aren't that many way of 'poking and prodding' the brain that are safe, so this might be a useful tool.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
After reading this article about transcranial ultrasound improving depression, I tried this on my own brain, using the appropriate power levels (you want to be careful not to apply too much power and fry your brain).

I used 0.2 Watts/cm2, with a 1:4 pulse, for 1 min on my forehead and temples area. And in a separate experiment, on the brainstem area.

Unfortunately I did not observe any antidepressant effects.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
A somewhat-related brain product I've been using a Beck Biotuner (cranial electro-stimulation device) and have found that it has been useful for improving my mood and sleep. I'm using one made by Sota.

The mood effects have been quite pronounced at times and have lasted for a couple of days after a single 20 minute session with the Biotuner. At other times the effects have been far more moderate but still noticeable. It seems to increase my ability to appreciate humor and have amusing thoughts, and to feel a sense of positivity and even cheerfulness sometimes. This is very welcome since ME/CFS has such a mood and feeling dulling effect on me. Unfortunately I still feel general emotional dullness and lack of ability to appreciate beauty or feel the empathy that I used to, so the Biotuner has a selective influence.

It's a product that has some science behind it but text on various sites also include the usual fuzzy and generally meaningless descriptions such as "At a very basic level, harmonic frequencies help "fine tune" the communication system in the body so it functions more efficiently, setting the stage for any healing that needs to take place."

Sota in particular is very careful about descriptions because they've had a lot of problems with Health Canada.

I was wary at first but based on user reports I decided to get a Biotuner, even though they're quite expensive ($275 US at the moment). I've been using it at various times for about nine months and I think it was worth the investment.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
Unfortunately I did not observe any antidepressant effects.

Well, it does sound like a technique in the very early stages of development. The technique I linked to is about focused beams, which could be used to cause changes in specific regions of the brain. I don't think they know yet exactly what effects occur, but even at this stage it might be useful to see whether something happens when different regions of the brain are 'poked'. If they scanned the brain this way and found that beaming ultrasound at a certain part of the brain triggered severe PEM--or blocked PEM--that would be a major breakthrough, and funding could be focused on figuring out why/how.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
. The technique I linked to is about focused beams, which could be used to cause changes in specific regions of the brain.

It does sound interesting, and is similar in concept to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which uses magnetic field to "poke" different areas of the brain.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
which uses magnetic field to "poke" different areas of the brain.

Yes, but it's a different 'poke'. The magnetic field might affect electrical signals, while the ultrasound might affect molecular transport across membranes, or boost blood flow or some such thing. The more tools in the toolbox, the better. :)