Ultrasound scanning is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to view images from the inside of the body. Since this procedure is remarkably safe and painless, it is commonly used to monitor fetal development during pregnancy. While it is mostly used for pregnancies, it is also used to observe size, location, and actions of organs and blood flow through blood vessels. From the time the ultrasound was created, there have been many improvements in the way it is used today.
Dr. Stuart Hameroff is the creator of the first clinical study of brain ultrasound; it was published May 2013 in the journal ‘Brain Stimulation’. Dr. Hameroff became intrigued with the idea after he read about a study done by Dr. Jamie Tyler, who discovered physiological and behavioral effects in animals after ultrasound scanning was applied to their scalps. Dr. Hameroff knew that ultrasound vibrates at about 10 million vibrations per second and that proteins inside brain neurons were involved in mood and consciousness. With this knowledge, he wanted to study this theory on human brains, beginning with himself. After holding an ultrasound transducer to his head for 15 seconds, he began to doubt his theory, until one minute later. After doubting the possibility, he started to feel as if he’d had a martini. His mood was evaluated for the next hour or two. He figured it was just a placebo effect, so he tested 31 chronic pain patients in a double-blind study in which the clients did not know if the ultrasound unit had been turned on or off. After the tests, Dr. Hameroff concluded the placebo effect was not true. The patients reported improvements in their mood for up to 40 minutes, compared to no difference in mood when the machine was turned off.
Because ultrasound vibrations applied to the brain can affect moods, it could mean new treatments for psychological, neurological, and psychiatric disorders. It could also be used to treat anxiety and depression. Ultrasound scanning may provide a range of new applications of ultrasound in medicine. “The idea is that this device will be a wearable unit that noninvasively and safely interfaces with your brain using ultrasound to regulate neural activity”- Dr. Sanguinetti. Although ultrasound scanning is usually used for imaging, it could be used for treating these disorders as long as you avoid excessive exposure and heating. Because of this new discovery, ultrasound scanning could create a new future for healthcare.
Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan Derrickson. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed. (lecture notes also).
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130718161525.htm