We are proud to congratulate Dr. Edythe D. London on receiving a prestigious pilot grant from the UCLA Brain Mapping and Modeling Research Organization (BMMRO) to support the first combined LIFUP-PET-MR study, using the BrainSonix system to investigate LIFUP neuromodulation for smoking cessation and Tobacco Use Disorder.
This groundbreaking project, titled “Insula-Targeted Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Modulation of Cue-Induced Cigarette Craving and Striatal Dopamine Release: A Combined PET-MR-LIFU Pilot Study,” represents the first integration of LIFUP and PET, using the BrainSonix LIFUP system with a PET-MR scanner at UCLA, establishing an entirely new translational workflow for molecular and circuit-level neuromodulation research.
Dr. London’s study will use LIFUP to precisely target the left anterior insula, a critical hub in addiction circuitry that is causally linked to nicotine dependence and strongly connected to striatal dopamine signaling.
This work will provide the first evidence linking BrainSonix LIFUP technology to dopaminergic PET biomarkers, a major step toward establishing objective molecular endpoints for ultrasound-based neuromodulation.
BrainSonix is honored to partner with Dr. London and UCLA on this landmark project and applauds her continued leadership in developing innovative approaches for smoking cessation and addiction treatment.
