A team of American researchers led by Professor Raag Airan from Stanford University has succeeded in developing a therapeutic device that uses… Ultrasound To clean damaged brain tissue from accumulations of toxic substances that appear after a stroke.
The research results were published in the prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology, after experiments on mice demonstrated the effectiveness of the technology in reducing brain damage and improving chances of survival.
How does the new treatment work?
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The device relies on stimulating brain tissue with focused and weak ultrasound beams at the same time, which leads to the activation of the cerebrospinal fluid drainage system responsible for removing “waste” proteins and damaged cells.
This process allows for increased circulation of cerebral fluid and cleansing the nervous environment of molecules that cause inflammation and nerve cell death.
The researchers explain: “We have developed a protocol through which ultrasound can be used to purify the cerebrospinal fluid and intercellular space of harmful substances. “Experiments in two stroke models showed that this technique significantly improved the survival and neurological recovery of mice.”
Successful experiments on two stroke models
During the experiments, ultrasound was applied to two groups of mice that had suffered two types of strokes (hemorrhagic and ischemic).
The results showed that ultrasound stimulation led to:
Decrease in the volume of cerebral hemorrhage during the first week.
Significantly reduced neurological inflammation.
Effective removal of damaged blood cells and infected tissue.
Increased activity of lymphatic vessels that transport cerebrospinal fluid and aid in the drainage of toxins.
Accordingly, the researchers recorded survival rates ranging between 80 and 85% among the mice that received the treatment, compared to only 50% in the untreated group. The treated mice also showed a noticeable improvement in memory and motor control.
A safe alternative to traditional surgery
Complex surgical procedures are often used to remove bleeding or toxins from the brain, but they carry high risks and are only used in extreme cases in major hospitals.
The new technique is completely non-surgical and is performed without direct intervention in brain tissue, which makes it a promising option to expand the scope of treatment and improve the chances of recovery for a larger number of patients.
New hope for stroke patients around the world
According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 15 million people suffer from stroke annually, 5 million of them die, and another 5 million become permanently disabled.
Researchers believe that ultrasound stimulation could significantly reduce these numbers, especially if combined with neurorehabilitation programs that help the brain rebuild lost neural networks after injury.
