This is highly experimental research which may impact on mental health
treatment too.
"
DARPA has been trying to crawl inside the minds of soldiers for a while
now, but a new ultrasound technology could let them get deeper inside
than ever. Working under a DARPA grant, a researcher at Arizona State is
developing transcranial pulsed ultrasound technology that could be
implanted in troops' battle helmets, allowing soldiers to manipulate
brain functions to boost alertness, relieve stress, or even reduce the
effects of traumatic brain injury.
Manipulating the brain to enhance warfighting capabilities and maintain
mental acuity on the battlefield has long been a topic of interest for
DARPA and various military research labs, but the technology to do so
remains limited. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), for instance, requires
surgically implanted electrodes to stimulate neural tissues, while
less-invasive methods like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
possess limited reach and low spatial resolution.
But Dr. William J. Tyler, an assistant professor of life sciences at
ASU, writes on the DoD's "Armed With Science" blog: "To overcome the
above limitations, my laboratory has engineered a novel technology which
implements transcranial pulsed ultrasound to remotely and directly
stimulate brain circuits without requiring surgery. Further, we have
shown this ultrasonic neuromodulation approach confers a spatial
resolution approximately five times greater than TMS and can exert its
effects upon subcortical brain circuits deep within the brain."
Tyler's technology, packaged in a warfighter's helmet, would allow
soldiers to flip a switch to stimulate different regions of their
brains, helping them relieve battle stress when it's time to get some
rest, or to boost alertness during long periods without sleep. Grunts
could even relieve pain from injuries or wounds without resorting to
pharmaceutical drugs. More importantly, in the periods after brain
trauma ultrasound technology could reduce swelling and metabolic damage
that is often the root cause of lasting brain damage.
"
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