New hope for coma patients Restarting the brain with ultrasound

Ultrasound treatment awakens 25-year-olds from coma
Thanks to the modern wonders of science, many coma patients now manage to wake up from their coma without any negative effects. But there are nevertheless patients who, after waking up, suffer from severe impairments of their mental functions. Researchers have now found that ultrasound can "restart" the brain of such patients.

Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) found that ultrasound can "reboot" the brain of severe compromised coma patients. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Brain Stimulation".

Some patients may wake up after a long time from the coma, but then suffer from severe impairment of their mental functions. Such people could be helped by a non-invasive ultrasound treatment. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com)

Some coma patients do not regain their cognitive abilities
Unfortunately, there are always cases of coma patients who wake up from the coma, but then suffer from severe impairment of their mental functions. Those affected do not regain their cognitive abilities after waking up, Dr. Martin Monti from the University of California.

A terrible situation for patients and relatives
These patients can no longer talk to their relatives. They can not understand or respond to questions. Those affected simply do not perceive their entire environment. These people can then no longer determine what should happen to them now or how they want to be treated. Such a process is a terrible situation for those affected and their relatives, say the scientists.

Ultrasound affects the neurons in the human thalamus
Dr. Monti and his colleagues made significant progress in helping such coma patients. They succeeded in restarting the brain of a 25-year-old coma patient by ultrasound. The technique affects the neurons in the thalamus (the largest part of the diencephalon). This egg-shaped structure in the brain is used for information processing, explain the authors.

Patient awakens from coma and can communicate again after a few days
The person awoke from the treatment by his coma. After a few days he was able to communicate with other people again, explain the doctors. Most medications for coma patients only have an indirect effect on the thalamus. Earlier studies had suggested that stimulation of the thalamus could help patients with significant brain trauma or coma.

New treatment an alternative to dangerous surgical procedures
The new technique could be a safe, non-invasive alternative to risky surgery, explain the authors of the study. In these, the electrodes are usually implanted directly into the thalamus. The alternative treatment technology is now available. However, it takes a bit more work before a device with this technology can be found in every hospital. Monti. In the future, a cheap portable device could be developed. Such devices may be in the form of a helmet. These helmets could help people in a vegetative or only minimally conscious state to wake up, explain the scientists.

Further research is urgently needed
Surely we still need more examinations, says dr. Monti. So far, we have only succeeded in treating a single patient successfully. It is quite possible that we just had enormous luck, adds the physician. The rapid recovery of the patient could be independent of the ultrasound treatment. The device has to cure at least 10 to 20 more patients successfully, so that experts and the scientific community can be convinced of the effect, explains the expert. (As)