Key Takeaways
- Barking, Havering, and Redbridge NHS Trust will trial an innovative ultrasound-based brain interface to treat mental health conditions.
- The three-and-a-half-year study begins in March 2025, examining the safety of the device on 30 participants.
- Funding from ARIA supports 18 research teams, focusing on novel brain-computer interface technologies for various neurological disorders.
Innovative Brain-Computer Interface Trial Set to Launch
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust will begin a significant clinical trial of a whole-brain computer interface, utilizing ultrasound technology to assess and influence brain activity. This pioneering ultrasonic neural interface, developed by the US non-profit Forest Neurotech, aims to provide new therapeutic options for conditions such as depression, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The trial, set to commence in March 2025, will run for three and a half years and is designed to evaluate both the safety and tolerability of the Forest 1 device. The study is part of a broader initiative funded by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) under its Precision Neurotechnologies programme.
Consultant neurosurgeon Aimun Jamjoom emphasized the significance of the ARIA award, stating that it represents a remarkable chance to enhance the understanding and application of ultrasound neurotechnology, potentially leading to innovative treatments for individuals suffering from various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Approximately 30 participants who have undergone craniectomies (surgical removal of a portion of the skull) will be invited to participate in this groundbreaking study. The device will be positioned on the surface of the skin at the craniectomy site to directly interact with the brain.
The partnership with the University of Plymouth aims to unlock personalized therapies by specifically targeting distinct neural circuits, which are often disrupted in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. Jacques Carolan, ARIA’s programme director, noted the need for more advanced methodologies that interface with the human brain, as traditional methods have largely relied on invasive techniques or brute force approaches.
This trial marks a first for the UK in developing refined strategies for understanding and treating complex brain disorders. Ultimately, the goal is to create transformative therapeutic options for those impacted by such conditions.
Furthermore, ARIA will oversee a comprehensive portfolio that includes 18 research teams from academic institutions, non-profits, and startups that are committed to progressing brain-computer interface technology. Over four years, the programme will invest £69 million to explore new ways of interfacing with the human brain at the neural circuit level, addressing a variety of complex disorders like Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and depression.
Among the other projects receiving ARIA funding is a venture led by the University of Glasgow that is tasked with building advanced neural robots aimed at neuromodulation for epilepsy treatment. Additionally, the London-based startup Navira is working on innovative methods for delivering gene therapies across the blood-brain barrier, enhancing the safety and efficacy of treatments.
By mitigating funding constraints and increasing precision in existing approaches, the outputs from ARIA’s programme are expected to facilitate breakthroughs in addressing a wide array of brain disorders.
In related advancements, medtech startup Robeauté has secured $28 million (£23 million) to create microrobots capable of navigating the brain to diagnose, treat, and monitor neurological conditions. These microrobots, comparable in size to a grain of rice, will perform critical tasks within the brain, such as delivering therapeutic molecules, implanting electrodes, or gathering live data samples.
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