Ultrasound zaps brain to alter smell perception
NCT ID NCT07658365
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This early-stage study tests whether low-intensity focused ultrasound can temporarily change how healthy adults perceive pleasant or unpleasant smells. Twenty-eight volunteers will receive both real and sham ultrasound targeting brain areas linked to smell and emotion. The goal is to understand brain mechanisms, not to treat any condition.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) device
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
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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
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About 28 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Age 18-65 years * Healthy adult volunteers * Normal olfactory function (Sniffin' Sticks total TDI ≥ 30.75) * Ability to provide informed consent * English fluency sufficient for task completion Exclusion Criteria: * MRI or tFUS contraindications (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia, pregnancy) * Sinonasal conditions affecting airflow or smell * Current use of medications that alter olfaction * Positive urine drug screen
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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
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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.
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