12.09.2024

Researchers at the University of Utah have developed Diadem, a noninvasive ultrasound device that targets deep brain regions to potentially alleviate chronic pain. The device could offer a new therapeutic option for patients who do not respond to current treatments.

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, often resulting from faulty signals within the brain that persist long after the initial injury has healed. For those suffering from such debilitating pain, finding effective treatments can be a constant struggle. A new device developed by researchers at the University of Utah may provide a much-needed solution.

Image: Image of the Diadem device featuring a headband-like structure with ultrasound emitters on either side, intended to stimulate deep brain regions; Copyright: University of Utah

The Diadem device was invented by University of Utah researchers to treat chronic pain and depression.

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The diadem device: How it works

Diadem is a biomedical device that uses focused ultrasound waves to stimulate specific deep brain regions, potentially disrupting the erroneous pain signals responsible for chronic pain. Unlike other neuromodulation techniques that rely on electrical currents or magnetic fields, Diadem’s ultrasound technology can precisely target the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region involved in pain perception.

In a recent randomized sham-controlled clinical trial, 20 participants with chronic pain underwent two 40-minute sessions with Diadem, receiving either real or sham ultrasound stimulation. Remarkably, 60 percent of those who received the real treatment reported a significant reduction in pain symptoms both one day and one week after the session. “We were not expecting such strong and immediate effects from only one treatment,” said Thomas Riis, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study.

Advancing Toward FDA Approval

The research team, led by Prof. Jan Kubanek from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is now preparing for a Phase 3 clinical trial, the final step before seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for public use. The goal is to make Diadem available as a new treatment option for patients who do not respond to existing pain therapies.

The successful development of Diadem could have broader implications beyond individual patient care. By providing an effective noninvasive treatment for chronic pain, the device may also contribute to reducing the reliance on opioid medications, which have been a major factor in the ongoing opioid crisis. “With new pain treatment options, we can tackle the opioid crisis, too,” noted Kubanek.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: University of Utah

More about University of Utah: www.price.utah.edu