NHS to Pilot Groundbreaking Ultrasound Brain Implant for Mood Disorders
The NHS is set to launch a groundbreaking trial using a brain implant that employs ultrasound technology to enhance mood and potentially treat conditions like depression, addiction, OCD, and epilepsy.
The £6.5m initiative, funded by the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), will test the safety and efficacy of the device on 30 patients. Unlike invasive implants that require electrodes inserted into the brain, this device, developed by US-based Forest Neurotech, is implanted beneath the skull but outside the brain, offering a less invasive alternative.
The technology leverages ultrasound to map brain activity and deliver targeted pulses to stimulate neural circuits. Researchers hope it could address treatment-resistant cases of depression and epilepsy by restoring balance in disrupted brain patterns.
“This is a safer form of surgery that could be life-changing for patients who don’t respond to conventional treatments,” said Aimun Jamjoom, a consultant neurosurgeon leading the project.
Participants with existing skull defects, due to prior brain injuries, will wear the device for two hours. The trial aims to measure changes in mood and motivation, while addressing safety concerns like overheating of brain tissue.
The trial begins in March, with regulatory approval expected within the first eight months. If successful, full clinical trials could focus on depression.
This initiative is part of Aria’s £69m precision neurotechnologies program, which includes projects like neural robots for epilepsy and lab-grown brain organoids.
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