Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Epilepsy

January 16, 2026 updated by: Carilion Clinic

Neuromodulation Using Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound for Potential Treatment for Medically Refractory Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

This study is an invite only study looking at the effects of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) on epilepsy patients with implanted electrodes under the care of Dr. Shah.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This project will explore the use of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) as a non-invasive method to reduce seizures and potentially enhance cognitive functions in epilepsy patients. LIFU can target specific deep brain areas without surgery, offering an alternative to invasive procedures. The study focuses on patients who have an implanted Responsive Neurostimulation System (RNS). LIFU will be used to stimulate the entorhinal cortex, a brain region involved in both seizure activity and memory formation. Investigators are targeting the perforant pathway from EC to hippocampus, which primarily relies of layers II and III of EC. Therefore, this targeting will ensure that layers II and III of EC are within the beam profile of LIFU. During study visits, participant will receive non-invasive ultrasound stimulation in their brains. Investigators will measure seizure frequency and epileptic activity using the implanted RNS system to assess LIFU's effects for epilepsy. Neuropsychological and memory tests will be conducted before and after LIFU application to detect changes in cognitive functions. Investigators will compare results before and after stimulation to determine LIFU's effectiveness in reducing seizures and potentially improving memory or other cognitive functions.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
6

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Virginia
      • Roanoke, Virginia, United States, 24016
        • Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of medically refractory focal epilepsy of mesial temporal onset
  • RNS system implantation in the hippocampus
  • Prior MRI and CT of the head
  • Able to consent for themselves
  • Internet access

Exclusion Criteria:

  • TBI (ongoing, or in the prior 6 months)
  • Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Progressive diseases - such as autoimmune epilepsies or diagnosis of a progressive neurological disorder
  • Status epilepticus within one year of study start
  • History of suicidal ideation or attempts in the last 6 months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: LIFU- real
Low-intensity focused ultrasound will be applied to the entorhinal cortex in a pre/post design.
Device: Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound
focused ultrasound transducer.
Sham Comparator: LIFU - Sham
Sham Low-intensity focused ultrasound will be applied to the entorhinal cortex in a pre/post design.
Device: Sham
Sham application of LIFU - energy blocked. Targeted to the same target as intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Seizure Frequency
Time Frame: 6 months past their final research study visit
Utilizing the implanted RNS system patient seizure frequency will be monitored over time following both real and sham intervention.
6 months past their final research study visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Report of Symptoms Questionnaires
Time Frame: Within session, approximately over a 3 hour period.
To evaluate the safety profile and tolerability of LIFU delivery, measured by a series questionnaires pre and post LIFU application evaluating symptoms and side-effects. Participants are asked to report any existing (pre) & new (post) symptoms
Within session, approximately over a 3 hour period.
Memory Encoding
Time Frame: Within session, over approximately 3 hours.
To evaluate the cognitive effects of LIFU delivery on memory, participants will be assessed for correct vs incorrect encoding (face/name pair shown, & then queried after a distractor task). % correct will be assessed.
Within session, over approximately 3 hours.
Working Memory Task
Time Frame: Within session, over approximately 3 hours.
To evaluate the cognitive effects of LIFU delivery on working memory, participants will be assessed for correct vs incorrect encoding (given a list of objects, asked to recall in smallest to largest order). % correct will be assessed.
Within session, over approximately 3 hours.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Carilion Clinic

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Aashit Shah, MD, Carilion Clinic

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 13, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 22, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 16, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB-24-2194

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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