Opening the Blood-Brain Barrier in Monkeys Using Ultrasound
Author Information
Author(s): Marquet Fabrice, Tung Yao-Sheng, Teichert Tobias, Ferrera Vincent P., Konofagou Elisa E.
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
Can microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound (ME-FUS) effectively open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in non-human primates?
Conclusion
The study successfully demonstrated that ME-FUS can noninvasively and selectively open the BBB in non-human primates.
Supporting Evidence
- ME-FUS was shown to disrupt the BBB noninvasively in two different brain regions.
- The volume of BBB disruption was small enough to minimize risks to untargeted areas.
- Different pressures used during the procedure resulted in varying extents of BBB opening.
- Post-procedure MRI confirmed the absence of detectable brain damage.
- The BBB was shown to recover after the procedure, indicating reversibility.
Takeaway
Scientists used sound waves and tiny bubbles to safely open a barrier in the brain of monkeys, which could help deliver medicine better in the future.
Methodology
The study involved using microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound to disrupt the BBB in two male rhesus macaques across three sessions, with MRI used to confirm the disruption.
Limitations
The study was limited to a small sample size of two animals and did not include long-term cognitive assessments.
Participant Demographics
Two male rhesus macaques were used in the study.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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