Focused ultrasound shows promise as a Parkinson’s treatment in new study

Focused ultrasound is a procedure that can be used to target and remove problematic cells in the body. Focused ultrasound can heat misbehaving cells in the body to a temperature where they can no longer work properly and start to die. It does this by using powerful sound waves, around 40,000 times stronger than those used in regular ultrasound. 

In the UK, focused ultrasound is already approved to treat a movement condition called essential tremor on the NHS. This is done by targeting and destroying cells in an area of the brain that controls movement. However, the benefits of focused ultrasound for Parkinson’s are not well known and need to be researched.

What did the study show?

In this new study, 94 people with Parkinson’s who were experiencing movement problems such as dyskinesia, were split into 2 groups. 69 people received focused ultrasound therapy. The other 25 underwent a similar procedure but didn’t receive the focused ultrasound. The groups were then tested to look for changes in their movement at 3 and 12 months after the treatment.

In the group of people who received the focused ultrasound treatment 45 people demonstrated an improvement in their movement at 3 months, and 30 of these were still seeing improvements a year after receiving the therapy. This success is similar to what has previously been seen in people with essential tremor, where improvements are still reported up to 5 years after treatment.

Some people in the treatment group did experience side effects after receiving the therapy, including problems with walking, vision and loss of taste. For some people, the therapy had no improvement on their symptoms.

Read a summary of the research in the New England Medical Journal.

Dr Becky Jones, Research Communications Officer at Parkinson’s UK, said:

"These latest results are encouraging, and offer more hope that focused ultrasound could be a potential treatment for movement symptoms associated with Parkinson’s in the long term.

"Focused ultrasound, unlike deep brain stimulation, has the benefit of not requiring invasive surgery, which can lead to infection. It also means that people who receive the therapy can usually return home on the same day.

"However, this study shows that we still need more understanding of the side effects and why focused ultrasound might work for some people and not others. This will help make sure that the treatment is only given to people who will benefit from it, and potentially reduce the risk of unwanted side effects. We will need larger trials and more research before this could be available for people with Parkinson’s on the NHS."