DeepFocus makes use of shut proximity and extremely conductive pathways supplied by skinny bones between the nasal cavity and mind to create bigger and extra correct electrical fields in deep mind areas than conventional scalp electrode configurations. Credit score: Carnegie Mellon School of Engineering
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon College and Allegheny Well being Community have developed a brand new methodology for deep mind stimulation. The method, known as “DeepFocus,” makes use of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) on the scalp and transnasal electrical stimulation (TnES) to realize extra correct electrical stimulation within the mind. The findings are revealed within the Journal of Neural Engineering.
DeepFocus makes use of shut proximity and extremely conductive pathways supplied by skinny bones between the nasal cavity and mind to create bigger and extra correct electrical fields in deep mind areas than conventional scalp electrode configurations.
“By going through the nose, we can place electrodes as close to the brain as possible without opening the skull,” defined Mats Forssell, {an electrical} and pc engineering analysis scientist who’s a lead creator on the research. “We gain access to structures on the bottom of the brain which are hard to reach in other ways. That’s what makes this technique so powerful.”
DeepFocus might allow extra environment friendly and lower-risk focusing on of deep mind constructions to deal with a number of neural situations, together with despair, PTSD, OCD, dependancy, and substance abuse dysfunction. By focusing on the mind’s “reward circuit” (the orbitofrontal cortex, Brodmann space 25, amygdala, and so on.) and managing environmental and time of day components, DeepFocus might disrupt the mind’s associations with cravings.
TnES makes use of shut proximity and extremely conductive pathways supplied by skinny bones between the nasal cavity and mind to create bigger and extra correct electrical fields in deep mind areas than conventional scalp electrode configurations. Credit score: Carnegie Mellon School of Engineering
DeepFocus might present each short- and long-term therapies. Continual therapies that require persistent stimulation might be delivered by means of an implant, whereas acute functions might be delivered briefly classes with endoscopic insertion and elimination of the gadget.
“The new approach affords access to parts of the brain that have been traditionally surgically challenging,” stated Boyle Cheng, a professor of neurosurgery at Allegheny Well being Community’s (AHN) Neuroscience Institute who labored on the research.
“The innovation from the team provides exciting advances in the delivery of energy in terms of both safety and efficacy. Ultimately, the potential for better clinical treatments with fewer complications in patients with various neurological disorders is highly motivating.”
There’s precedent for treating neurological situations with implanted electrodes within the deep mind, however it requires a classy surgical process to implant the system (electrodes, battery, and related circuitry) which is very invasive and carries threat of intracranial hemorrhage and an infection. This methodology additionally is not steerable, which suggests the stimulation goal can’t be modified as soon as the electrodes are implanted contained in the mind.
By focusing on the mind’s “reward circuit” (the orbitofrontal cortex, Brodmann space 25, amygdala, and so on.) and managing environmental and time of day components, DeepFocus might disrupt the mind’s associations with cravings. This might assist deal with neural situations like dependancy and substance abuse dysfunction. Credit score: Carnegie Mellon School of Engineering
“Early results of invasive deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treating neuropsychiatric conditions have been very promising,” stated Pulkit Grover, the senior creator of this research and a professor {of electrical} and pc engineering, biomedical engineering, and CMU’s Neuroscience Institute. “But the sophisticated surgery required for invasive DBS technology makes it unlikely to be widely adopted. Also, the invasive approach offers limited flexibility to clinicians after electrodes have been placed.”
Noninvasive methods reminiscent of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial targeted ultrasound stimulation (tFUS), and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) have decrease threat and are steerable, however aren’t as efficient as implanted electrodes because of restricted depth and determination. TMS and TES may trigger excessive scalp ache due to extra intense electrical currents. DeepFocus presents a minimally invasive answer that’s extra correct, much less painful, and steerable.
Dr. Alexander Whiting, a neurosurgeon and the director of epilepsy surgical procedure for AHN’s Neuroscience Institute who labored on this research, stated, “This new tool could be a game changer, offering the ability to treat deep areas of the brain in mental health disorders like depression, OCD, and addiction in a minimally invasive way that does not involve traditional incisions, or permanent placement of implanted hardware.”
Alongside DeepFocus, researchers developed DeepROAST, a simulation and optimization platform used to rigorously calibrate the injected currents on this new method. DeepROAST simulates the impact of complicated skull-base bones’ geometries on the electrical fields generated by DeepFocus utilizing sensible head fashions. It optimizes the position of electrodes on the scalp and within the nostril, and helps electrical present injection patterns to be extra correct and environment friendly.
“With the DeepROAST platform, we can simulate how the electric field travels inside the brain realistically,” stated Yuxin Guo, a Carnegie Mellon College Ph.D. pupil who labored on this analysis.
“Moreover, DeepROAST automates and optimizes the placement of electrodes on the scalp and transnasally so that deep brain regions can be targeted with better efficiency and focality. This allows stimulation of deep brain targets that were previously difficult to access, enabling more precise interventions for conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction.”
Grover added, “The U.S. is facing a severe mental health crisis, with PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders among the most pressing societal challenges. While surgically implanted deep-brain stimulation has shown promise, it lacks both widespread acceptance and the necessary FDA approvals for these conditions. Our minimally invasive, low-risk approach, which can be implemented in an outpatient setting, presents a scalable and widely applicable solution.”
Extra data:
Yuxin Guo et al, DeepFocus: a transnasal method for optimized deep mind stimulation of reward circuit nodes, Journal of Neural Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/adac0c
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