ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2026
Modulation of cortical functional connectivity and spectrum with transcranial focused ultrasound in chronic disorders of consciousness: a case report.
Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Objectives: Chronic disorders of consciousness (DOC) represent a profound clinical challenge with few effective therapeutic options. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging non-invasive neuromodulation technique capable of targeting deep brain structures implicated in consciousness, such as the thalamus. In this work, we present a longitudinal, multi-modal investigation into the clinical and neural outcomes following thalamic tFUS in a patient with chronic DOC. Methods: A patient in a chronic minimally conscious state underwent a course of tFUS treatment targeting the right central thalamus. The intervention was applied for 20 minutes, three times per week, over a period of four weeks (12 sessions in total). We conducted comprehensive longitudinal assessments using clinical scales (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised and Glasgow Coma Scale). Besides, resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure cortical functional connectivity, and electroencephalogram (EEG) to analyze neurophysiological dynamics. Results: The patient demonstrated a progressive and clinically significant behavioral recovery, ultimately emerging from the minimally conscious state. This recovery was accompanied by observable neural reorganization. fNIRS revealed a systematic enhancement of functional connectivity, especially within the prefrontal cortex and between prefrontal-sensorimotor networks. Concurrently, EEG analysis showed a marked, progressive suppression of pathological slow-wave (Delta and Theta) power in frontal regions. The intervention was well-tolerated with no adverse events or structural brain changes observed. Conclusions: This case provides cohesive, multi-modal evidence suggesting that targeted thalamic tFUS may be associated with a restorative process, concurrent with the normalization of dysfunctional cortical rhythms and the reintegration of large-scale brain networks that parallel the recovery of consciousness. Our findings offer preliminary insights supporting the continued investigation of tFUS as a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with severe brain injury.
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