Sound waves to stop shaking? early trial tests gentle brain ultrasound for tremor

NCT ID NCT07599592

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
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 Results may not be published yet.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

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Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This early-phase study tests whether low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) can safely reduce tremors in people with essential tremor. Twenty adults will receive six non-invasive ultrasound sessions targeting a small brain area involved in movement. Researchers will measure tremor severity using motion trackers and rating scales before and after treatment, with follow-ups up to three months.

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) device
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-invasive, drug-free way to reduce hand shaking in essential tremor without surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small pilot study with only 20 people. It is designed mainly to check safety and feasibility, so it may not show clear benefit or lead to a treatment.

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

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 20 people

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

Started

May 2026

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 90 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

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: 1. Confirmed clinical diagnosis of ET 2. Isolated tremor syndrome, at least 3 years duration 3. Subjective complaint of tremor assessed and validated by physician 4. Must be willing to comply with the study protocol 5. English Proficiency 6. At least 18 years of age 7. At most 90 years of age Exclusion Criteria: 1. Severe microvascular disease or structural brain lesions equivalent to Fazekas scale of 3 or higher in the periventicular or deep white matter. 2. Subjects on blood thinning medications (e.g. Eliquis) 3. Recent stroke (within the last 6 months) 4. Implanted electrodes (e.g. DBS) in brain 5. History of aneurysm 6. History of cranial trauma resulting in fracture or traumatic brain injury 7. Subjects who are unable to cooperate with the testing. 8. Subjects who lack capacity to consent 9. Subjects with severe cardiac disease, increased intracranial pressure, or using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit. 10. Severe cardiac disease will be defined as any of the following: i) History of myocardial infarction within the past 6 months ii) Diagnosis of congestive heart failure with NYHA Class III or IV symptoms iii) History of unstable angina, life-threatening arrhythmias, or use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) iv) Uncontrolled hypertension (SBP \>180 mmHg or DBP \>110 mmHg) despite medication v) Any condition judged by the study physician to place the subject at increased risk from study participation 11. Subjects with implanted medical devices 12. Subjects with a history of seizure disorder. 13. Subjects with contraindications to enter MRI environment 14. Subjects with a history of substance abuse. 15. Subjects who are currently pregnant. This will be verified by a urine test prior to beginning the study.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

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

  2. The official record

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

    RECRUITING

    Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States

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