Doctors wake coma patient by jump-starting his brain using new ultrasound technique

DOCTORS have successfully woken up a coma patient by jump-starting his brain using a new ultrasound technique—for the first time ever.

The new technique uses sonic stimulation to excite the neurons in the thalamus, the brain’s central hub for processing information.

DOCTORS have successfully woken up a coma patient by jump-starting his brain using a new ultrasound technique — for the first time ever.

According to The Mirror, a coffee cup size device was put against the side of the patient’s head over a 10-minute period, delivering low-intensity pulses, creating acoustic energy to stimulate brain tissue.

The procedure is known as low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation and was first designed at the University of California by Professor Alexander Bystritsky.

The 25-year-old’s responses improved dramatically within one day and three days later he was fully conscious.

The researchers targeted the thalamus with low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation.Picture: Martin Monti/UCLA

It’s possible the breakthrough could lead to the development of a helmet-like, portable device to wake coma patients.

“The changes were remarkable. It’s almost as if we were jump-starting the neurons back into function,” study lead author Dr Martin Monti, a professor of psychology and neurosurgery at UCLA, said.

“Until now, the only way to achieve this was a risky surgical procedure known as deep brain stimulation, in which electrodes are implanted directly inside the thalamus.

“Our approach directly targets the thalamus but is non-invasive,” he added.

Researchers at UCLA plan to carry out further trials.