Promoting Recovery from Brain Injury with Non-Invasive Thalamic Ultrasound

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Disorders of consciousness (DoC) and cognition following severe brain injury profoundly disrupt the most foundational dimensions of human experience and capacities for meaningful interaction. As the impact of severe brain injuries and DoC grows worldwide, the need for evidence-based, validated interventions to promote brain injury recovery has never been more pressing. This project, animated by Dr. Young’s first-hand clinical experiences caring for patients with severe brain injuries and DoC, recognition of the lack of validated therapies despite growing knowledge of pathophysiology, and intertwined ethical imperatives, aims to (1) Determine neurobehavioral responses to thalamic low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP) in patients with DoC; (2) Determine neurophysiologic responses to thalamic LIFUP in patients with DoC, as indicated by changes in EEG connectivity; and (3) Identify and evaluate ethical perspectives of patient representatives (family members and surrogate decision-makers) surrounding therapeutic neuromodulation technologies such as LIFUP in patients with DoC, in parallel with a series of synergistic career development goals, positioning Dr. Young to drive new discoveries for patients with brain injury while transitioning to independence. This project will crucially inform the groundwork for a personalized, connectome-based approach to impactful therapeutic intervention for patients affected by DoC due to diverse pathologies across the brain injury care continuum, and will guide an ethical framework for responsible clinical development and deployment of novel therapeutic neuromodulation technologies. Results will provide the crucial groundwork for a larger clinical trial of LIFUP for patients with impaired consciousness and cognition caused by diverse pathologies across the care continuum that promises to transform the therapeutic landscape for patients with severe brain injury.