This first-in-man report demonstrated the feasibility of noninvasive deep-brain ultrasound neuromodulation using the BrainSonix BX Pulsar 1002 to target the thalamus in a comatose patient with a disorder of consciousness following severe brain injury. The study was among the earliest to apply low-intensity focused ultrasound to a subcortical structure in a human subject, expanding the scope of neuromodulation beyond cortical targets accessible by conventional noninvasive techniques.
The investigators reported changes suggestive of altered arousal and responsiveness, establishing proof-of-concept that deep thalamic circuits could be engaged without surgical intervention. While exploratory, this work fundamentally shifted the field’s understanding of what noninvasive neuromodulation could achieve and helped establish disorders of consciousness as a compelling application for focused ultrasound. The study influenced subsequent BrainSonix efforts to refine deep-target targeting precision and reproducible dosing within the BX Pulsar 1002 platform.
