Wynn Legon, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, authored a paper that is the first to demonstrate low-intensity focused ultrasound can penetrate a deep part of the brain called the insula and relieve both pain and the body’s response to the stress caused by it. Credit: Clayton Metz/Virginia Tech
Key points:
- A new study reveals that soundwaves from low-intensity focused ultrasound aimed at the insula—a deep brain structure—can reduce the perception of pain.
- In tests, participants who wore a device that delivered focused ultrasound waves to the insula reported a reduction in pain.
- The participants’ heart rate and heart rate variability showed the ultrasound reduced physical responses to pain, indicating that reducing cardiovascular stress effects might mitigate pain.
Scientists are moving closer to a pain management technique that uses non-invasive brain manipulation. A new study, published in PAIN, reveals that soundwaves from low-intensity focused ultrasound aimed at a specific brain region can reduce the perception of pain.
Low-intensity focused ultrasound can trigger gentle, transient biological effects such as altering nerve cell activity. In this study, for the first time, researchers targeted the insula—a deep brain structure—in 23 healthy human participants. Participants wore a device that delivered focused ultrasound waves to the insula while heat was applied to the backs of their hands to induce pain.
Participants rated their pain perception on a scale of zero to nine. At the same time, researchers monitored their heart rate and heart rate variability to determine how the ultrasound to the brain affected the body’s reaction to a painful stimulus. During the ultrasound, participants reported an average reduction in pain of three-fourths of a point.
“That might seem like a small amount, but once you get to a full point, it verges on being clinically meaningful,” explained study lead Wynn Legon, professor at Virginia Tech. “It could make a significant difference in quality of life, or being able to manage chronic pain with over-the-counter medications instead of prescription opioids.”
The heart rate and heart rate variability data showed that ultrasound reduced physical responses to the stress of pain. These reductions are associated with better overall health and suggest a future research direction to explore the heart-brain axis and whether pain can be mitigated by reducing its cardiovascular stress effects.