First-in-human trial of blood–brain barrier opening in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using MR-guided focused ultrasound

Agessandro Abrahao; Ying Meng; Maheleth Llinas; Yuexi Huang; Clement Hamani; Todd Mainprize; Isabelle Aubert; Chinthaka Heyn; Sandra E. Black; Kullervo Hynynen; Nir Lipsman; Lorne Zinman

doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12426-9

Nature Communications (Sep 2019)

First-in-human trial of blood–brain barrier opening in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using MR-guided focused ultrasound

Agessandro Abrahao,
Ying Meng,
Maheleth Llinas,
Yuexi Huang,
Clement Hamani,
Todd Mainprize,
Isabelle Aubert,
Chinthaka Heyn,
Sandra E. Black,
Kullervo Hynynen,
Nir Lipsman,
Lorne Zinman

Affiliations

Agessandro Abrahao: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Ying Meng: Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Maheleth Llinas: Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Yuexi Huang: Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Clement Hamani: Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Todd Mainprize: Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Isabelle Aubert: Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Chinthaka Heyn: Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Sandra E. Black: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Kullervo Hynynen: Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Nir Lipsman: Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
Lorne Zinman: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12426-9
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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MR-focused ultrasound can be used to transiently open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, the authors report the results of a first-in-human trial on four patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), showing that the procedure reversibly permeabilised the BBB in the motor cortex without complications, and suggest that the procedure could in the future be used to increase drug delivery in ALS patients.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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