WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study, published in the journal npj Acoustics, suggests that focused sound waves may help reduce delusions in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
Researchers from NYU Langone Health tested a technique called transcranial ultrasound stimulation on 10 people whose symptoms continued despite taking medication. The technique uses gentle sound waves to change activity in specific areas of the brain without surgery.
During the study, each participant received both the real and pretend treatments, with a week between the sessions. Neither the participants nor the researchers assessing their symptoms knew which treatment was real.
Using MRI scans as a guide, the researchers directed sound waves towards a deep brain region called the globus pallidus internus. The treatment lasted 10 minutes, with the sound waves switched on and off every 30 seconds.
The researchers assessed the participants' delusions, hallucinations, thinking, memory and side effects before and after each session.
The study found that a single 10-minute treatment led to a small reduction in delusions, which lasted for upto a week. On average, patients' scores on a scale measuring delusion severity dropped by 1.2 points. In comparison, their scores increased by 0.4 points after a pretend treatment that did not send sound waves into the brain.
Also, the side effects, including tiredness, headaches and brief increases in symptoms, were mild and did not last long.
In future studies, researchers plan to use advanced brain scans to adjust the strength of the sound waves for each person and ensure they reach the correct brain area.
Although the results are encouraging, the study involved only 10 people. Larger studies are needed to find out whether this treatment is safe and effective for more patients over a longer period.
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