Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Parkinson's Disease

Early Feasibility Study of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) Neuromodulation in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

This study is a prospective, single-center, single-arm early feasibility study, to establish safety and tolerability of LIFU for neuromodulation in patients with parkinson's Disease

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Parkinson Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: LIFU Neuromodulation

Detailed Description

The primary objective is to evaluate the safety, feasibility and tolerability of LIFU as an adjunct neuromodulatory treatment for Parkinson's Disease

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males and non-pregnant females aged 45 - 80 years at time of enrollment.
• Able and willing to give informed consent.
• Diagnosis of probable idiopathic Parkinson's disease by United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease
• Clinical diagnosis based on the Level II Movement Disorder Criteria and an FAQ less than or equal to 9.
• If on medication for the treatment of PD, or other medications for any other underlying medical conditions, must be on a stable dose for ≥4 weeks prior to Screening.
• Willing to not receive DBS or any other approved or experimental surgical or medical therapy for PD during the study period.
• Males and non-pregnant females aged 45 - 80 years at time of enrollment.
• Able and willing to give informed consent.
• Diagnosis of probable idiopathic Parkinson's disease by United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease
• Clinical diagnosis based on the Level II Movement Disorder Criteria and an FAQ less than or equal to 9.
• If on medication for the treatment of PD, or other medications for any other underlying medical conditions, must be on a stable dose for ≥4 weeks prior to Screening.
• Willing to not receive DBS or any other approved or experimental surgical or medical therapy for PD during the study period.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to undergo MR-imaging because of non-MR compatible implants (e.g., pacemakers, medication pumps, aneurysm clips, metallic prostheses (including metal pins and rods, heart valves or cochlear implants), shrapnel fragments, permanent make-up or small metal fragments in the eye that welders and other metal workers may have), or if candidates are uncomfortable in small spaces (have claustrophobia).
• Active or chronic infection/inflammation
• Acute or chronic hemorrhages, specifically any lobar microbleeds with GRE and no siderosis or macro hemorrhages
• Tumor/space occupying lesion anywhere in the brain
• Participants who are unable or unwilling to lay flat and tolerate the required prolonged stationary position during treatment (approximately 2-3 hours).
• Participants with more than 30% of the skull area traversed by the sonication pathway are covered by scars, scalp disorders (e.g., eczema), atrophy of the scalp, or implanted objects in the skull or the brain.
• Participants with known unstable cardiac status or uncontrolled hypertension
• History of any clinically significant neurological disorder or procedure (e.g., brain surgery for Parkinson's disease, tumors, uncontrolled epilepsy, or any others deemed clinically significant by the investigator).
• Participant who has had deep brain stimulation or a prior stereotactic ablation of the basal ganglia, or thalamus.
• Currently participating in another clinical investigation with an active treatment arm or participated in any experimental therapy (drug or biologic or device) within 3 months prior to Screening.
• Use of any medications that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may contribute to cognitive impairment, put the participant at higher risk for AEs, or impair the participant's ability to perform cognitive testing or complete study procedures.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LIFU Neuromodulation	Device: LIFU Neuromodulation; Subjects will undergo a single LIFU of the target brain region

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Occurrence of Treatment Emergent Adverse Events	All adverse events that are related to LIFU will be assessed	baseline and day 7, 30 and 90 after study procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Effect of LIFU on visuospatial function,	prosaccade (PST) and antisaccade (AST) task	baseline and day 7, 30 and 90 after study procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ali Rezai

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 3, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 3, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 8, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Synucleinopathies; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Movement Disorders; Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Parkinson Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: RNI_NMD_PD

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