{"id":2996,"date":"2021-12-08T20:48:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T00:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusfoundation.org\/?post_type=sw_disease_condition&p=2996"},"modified":"2026-05-13T17:57:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T21:57:56","slug":"depression","status":"publish","type":"sw_disease_condition","link":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Focused Ultrasound Therapy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with depression. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasonic energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the brain without damaging surrounding normal tissue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it Works<\/strong>
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces thermal ablation, meaning that the targeted tissue is heated and destroyed where the beams converge. Additional research is using neuromodulation, where lower intensity focused ultrasound is used to alter the activity of targets to improve depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advantages<\/strong>
Current treatments for depression include medications, electroconvulsive therapy, surgery (radiofrequency or laser ablation, deep brain stimulation), or stereotactic radiosurgery (gamma knife, linear accelerator), all of which have limitations and side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focused ultrasound has the potential to provide an alternative to invasive surgery or radiosurgery via precise thermal ablation, or to augment drug therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focused ultrasound is noninvasive \u2013 no incisions, holes in the skull, electrodes in the brain \u2013 and therefore has reduced risk for infection and blood clots. It also enables precise targeting and minimizes damage to non-targeted, healthy brain. Focused ultrasound can also be a complement to drug therapy, enabling enhanced delivery of therapies into the brain via temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A\u00a0clinical trial<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in Tulsa Oklahoma is using low intensity focused ultrasound to\u00a0improve the communications\u00a0in the brain for patients with treatment resistant depression.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in Utah is using low intensity focused ultrasound to treat patients with depression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in South Carolina is using low intensity focused ultrasound to treat patients with treatment resistant depression.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in Ontario, Canada is using the next generation dome helmet to treat patients with treatment resistant depression. \u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in France is using low intensity focused ultrasound to treat patients with treatment resistant depression.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/a> <\/strong>in Rhode Island is using neuromodulation to the amygdala to treat depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in Los Angeles is treating depression. This trial is recruiting patients by invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here<\/strong><\/a>, it will take you to the latest information available from https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

See here for a list of treatment sites<\/a>
See here for a list of clinical trials sites<\/a>
See here for a list of laboratory research sites<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a Treatment Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Search for a treatment center or clinical trial near you.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Focused ultrasound is only approved by for the treatment of depression in Korea. Outside of the South Korean National Health Insurance System, we are not aware of this treatment reimbursed by any other medical insurance providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

National Institute of Mental Health<\/a>
One Mind<\/a>
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable Papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arulpragasam\u00a0AR,\u00a0Theyel\u00a0B, Barredo J, Pouille F, Gillotti JG, Greenberg BD, Wout-Frank MV’, Philip NS.\u00a0Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation in Psychiatric Disorders: Mechanisms, Models, and Missing Links<\/strong><\/a>. Biol Psychiatry. 2026 Mar\u00a06:S0006-3223(26)00097-1.\u00a0doi: 10.1016\/j.biopsych.2026.02.019. PMID: 41796716\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang K, Wang L, Huang D, Zhen F, Wang R, An C.\u00a0Parameter-Specific Effects of Low-Intensity Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation on Depression-Like Behaviors in\u00a0a CUMS Mouse Model<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0Neuropsychiatr\u00a0Dis Treat. 2026 Mar\u00a012;22:586583.\u00a0doi: 10.2147\/NDT.S586583.\u00a0eCollection\u00a02026. PMID: 41847603\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tan G, Chen H,\u00a0Leuthardt\u00a0EC.\u00a0Ultrasound Applications in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Therapeutic Potentials in Clinical Trials and Animal Model Studies<\/strong><\/a>. Neuromodulation. 2026 Feb;29(2):187-204.\u00a0doi: 10.1016\/j.neurom.2025.08.001.\u00a0Epub\u00a02025 Oct 16. PMID: 41105071\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitterwallner\u00a0M, Radjenovic S, Grigoryeva D, Bender L, Gaal M,\u00a0Osou\u00a0S, Zettl AA,\u00a0Plischek\u00a0N,\u00a0Lachmair\u00a0P,\u00a0Herzhauser\u00a0K, Matt E,\u00a0Beisteiner\u00a0R. Antidepressant effect of transcranial pulse\u00a0stimulation (TPS) targeting neuropsychiatric disorders: a retrospective analysis<\/strong><\/a>. Psychol Med. 2026 Feb 6;56:e40.\u00a0doi: 10.1017\/S0033291726103274. PMID: 41646033\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davidson B, Clappison A, Mithani K, Favi Bocca L, Giacobbe P, Nestor S, Meng Y,\u00a0Ottoy\u00a0J, Rabin JS, Burke M,\u00a0Uludag\u00a0K, Hamani C, Lipsman N,\u00a0Goubran\u00a0M.\u00a0Microstructural, morphological, and metabolic changes following magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound capsulotomy<\/strong><\/a>. Biol Psychiatry\u00a0Cogn\u00a0Neurosci\u00a0Neuroimaging. 2026 Feb\u00a09:S2451-9022(26)00029-7.\u00a0doi: 10.1016\/j.bpsc.2026.01.011. PMID: 41672276\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prasad D, Jain R, Samal B, Sriram N,\u00a0Drysch\u00a0A, Menon SS, Selner AN, Mossner JM, Rosenow JM.\u00a0Focused ultrasound neuromodulation for psychiatric disorders: a scoping review of clinical applications and current progress<\/strong><\/a>. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2026 Feb 19.\u00a0doi: 10.1007\/s00702-026-03113-3. PMID: 41711827\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mirjalili M, Blumberger DM, Brunoni AR, Mulsant BH, Rajji TK. Neuromodulation and cognition in late-life depression<\/strong><\/a>. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2026 Jan 17. doi: 10.1038\/s41386-026-02323-3. PMID: 41545465 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arulpragasam AR, Philip NS. Quiet waves, deep impact: acoustic modeling of low-intensity focused ultrasound<\/strong><\/a>. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2026 Jan;51(1):351-353. doi: 10.1038\/s41386-025-02191-3. PMID: 40764758 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wang F, Ye K, Paerhati H, Suo J, Shen Z, Zhang J, Li D, Zhan S, Lai Y, Sun B. Imaging characteristics correlated with outcomes of cranial MRgFUS – a systematic review<\/strong><\/a>. Neuroimage. 2025 Nov 7;323:121571. doi: 10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2025.121571. PMID: 41207452 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luo Y, Luo K, Zhang X, Feng X, Lei L, Cheng S, Meng F, Xu X, Chen M, Ao L. Low-intensity focused ultrasound stimulation on the hippocampus improved CSDS-induced neuroinflammation through the Notch1 signaling pathway<\/strong><\/a>. J Affect Disord. 2025 Dec 1;390:119793. doi: 10.1016\/j.jad.2025.119793. Epub 2025 Jun 30. PMID: 40602537 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmadnia H, Abdollahzadeh R, Hatami H, Masoumi S, Moezzi SMI, Shahsavari K, Khanavi M, Yazarlu O, Tohidy Majd M, Hasanpour M. Neurobiological mechanisms and recent advances in drug-based therapeutics in depression<\/strong><\/a>. Neuroscience. 2025 Nov 6;590:120-142. doi: 10.1016\/j.neuroscience.2025.11.002. PMID: 41205901 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wang P, Gao Y, Li H, Tian J, Chai S, Zhou Z, Huang X, Bao W, Hu X, Zhang L, Xing H, Li B, Gong Q, Huang X. Comparison of multiple non-invasive neuromodulation strategies for depressive episodes in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials<\/strong><\/a>. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2025 Nov 11. doi: 10.1111\/pcn.13918. PMID: 41217021 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polte S, Klingmann L, Se\u00dfmann A, Schwichtenberg S, Herrmann CS, Witt K, Roheger M. Neuromodulatory Effects of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis<\/strong><\/a>. Neurol Int. 2025 Nov 18;17(11):188. doi: 10.3390\/neurolint17110188. PMID: 41295447 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

De Schlichting E, Huang Y, Jones RM, Meng Y, Cao X, Baskaran A, Hynynen K, Hamani C, Lipsman N, Goubran M, Davidson B. Focused ultrasound capsulotomy: predicting the probability of successful lesioning based on skull morphology<\/strong><\/a>. J Neurosurg. 2025 Oct 10:1-10. doi: 10.3171\/2025.6.JNS2588. PMID: 41072044 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Du A, Huang M, Wang Z, Zhou H, Duan H, Hu S, Zheng Y. Using Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound to Treat Depression and Anxiety Disorders: A Review of Current Evidence<\/a><\/strong>. Brain Sci. 2025 Oct 21;15(10):1129. doi: 10.3390\/brainsci15101129. PMID: 41154223<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tan G, Chen H, Leuthardt EC. Ultrasound Applications in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Therapeutic Potentials in Clinical Trials and Animal Model Studies<\/strong><\/a>. Neuromodulation. 2025 Oct 16:S1094-7159(25)00275-2. doi: 10.1016\/j.neurom.2025.08.001. PMID: 41105071 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tsuchiyagaito A, Kuplicki R, Misaki M, Edwards L, Camprodon JA, Fitzgerald K, Khalsa SS, Philip NS, Paulus MP, Guinjoan SM. Reversible modulation of a deep white matter surgical target for depression with low-intensity focused ultrasound<\/strong><\/a>. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025 Sep 25. doi: 10.1038\/s41386-025-02252-7. PMID: 40999237 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michalopoulou PG, Meshreky KM, Hommerich Z, Shergill SS. Neuromodulation and neural networks in psychiatric disorders: current status and emerging prospects<\/strong><\/a>. Psychol Med. 2025 Sep 26;55:e281. doi: 10.1017\/S003329172510158X. PMID: 40999798 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martin E, Roberts M, Grigoras IF, Wright O, Nandi T, Rieger SW, Campbell J, den Boer T, Cox BT, Stagg CJ, Treeby BE. Ultrasound\u202fsystem\u202ffor\u202fprecise\u202fneuromodulation\u202fof\u202fhuman\u202fdeep\u202fbrain\u202fcircuits<\/strong><\/a>. Nat Commun. 2025 Sep 5;16(1):8024. doi: 10.1038\/s41467-025-63020-1. PMID:\u202f40913042\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here<\/a> for additional references from PubMed.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"sw_disease_condition_cat":[6,259],"sw_disease_condition_stage":[19,20],"class_list":["post-2996","sw_disease_condition","type-sw_disease_condition","status-publish","hentry","sw_disease_condition_cat-neurological","sw_disease_condition_cat-psychiatric"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDepression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Depression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Focused Ultrasound Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-13T21:57:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/\",\"name\":\"Depression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-12-09T00:48:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-13T21:57:56+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Depression\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/\",\"name\":\"Focused Ultrasound Foundation\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Focused Ultrasound Foundation\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.fusfoundation.org\/2023\/08\/24140306\/focused-ultrasound-foundation-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.fusfoundation.org\/2023\/08\/24140306\/focused-ultrasound-foundation-logo.png\",\"width\":730,\"height\":76,\"caption\":\"Focused Ultrasound Foundation\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Depression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation","description":"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Depression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation","og_description":"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression","og_url":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/","og_site_name":"Focused Ultrasound Foundation","article_modified_time":"2026-05-13T21:57:56+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/","url":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/","name":"Depression - Focused Ultrasound Foundation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-12-09T00:48:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-13T21:57:56+00:00","description":"Learn how focused ultrasound could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with Depression","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/depression\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Depression"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/","name":"Focused Ultrasound Foundation","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#organization","name":"Focused Ultrasound Foundation","url":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.fusfoundation.org\/2023\/08\/24140306\/focused-ultrasound-foundation-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.fusfoundation.org\/2023\/08\/24140306\/focused-ultrasound-foundation-logo.png","width":730,"height":76,"caption":"Focused Ultrasound Foundation"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition\/2996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/sw_disease_condition"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition\/2996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41001,"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition\/2996\/revisions\/41001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"sw_disease_condition_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition_cat?post=2996"},{"taxonomy":"sw_disease_condition_stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw_disease_condition_stage?post=2996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}