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Ultrasound zaps brain to unlock new treatments for addiction and pain

NCT ID NCT05147103

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 06, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study explores how different durations of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) can temporarily change brain activity in healthy adults. Participants undergo brain imaging and then receive ultrasound pulses while muscle responses are measured. The goal is to better understand how this noninvasive technique works, which may one day lead to treatments for addiction, pain, and mental health issues.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could help develop noninvasive brain stimulation treatments for addiction, pain, and mental health conditions.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage study focused on basic brain responses, not a treatment trial. It may not lead to clinical applications.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 80 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2022

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Above criteria and must understand and speak English. Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindications to MRI, CT, or TMS 1. Claustrophobia 2. Pacemaker, aneurysm clips, neurostimulators, cochlear implants, metal in eyes, steel worker, or other implants. 3. Pregnancy 4. Active medical disorder or treatment with potential CNS effects 5. History of neurologic disorder 6. History of head injury resulting in loss of consciousness for \>10 minutes 7. History of alcohol or drug dependence

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Development of lifu for clinical purposes

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

    Roanoke, Virginia, 24016, United States