{"id":3044,"date":"2022-02-14T13:46:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T17:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusfoundation.org\/?post_type=sw_disease_condition&p=3044"},"modified":"2026-05-20T11:12:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:12:48","slug":"parkinsons-disease","status":"publish","type":"sw_disease_condition","link":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/parkinsons-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Parkinson’s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Find a Treatment Site or Clinical Trial<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\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 symptoms secondary to Parkinson\u2019s disease. 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

Please note that for work being done on dementia, including that which is associated with Parkinson\u2019s disease, please see the Disease and Conditions listing for Dementia<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it Works<\/strong>
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces a variety of therapeutic effects enabling Parkinson\u2019s disease to be treated without surgery. For movement disorders, the mechanism of action is ablation (thermal disruption of the tissue) that can be aimed at several different treatment targets. For the preclinical work that one day may treat the underlying causes for Parkinson\u2019s, the mechanisms can be temporarily disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which will allow desired therapeutics the ability to enter the brain. Opening the BBB also can enable undesired materials to more easily depart from the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD). Treatment options include drug therapies and in select patients, surgeries such as deep brain stimulation or radiofrequency ablation. Focused ultrasound has the ability to noninvasively treat some Parkinson\u2019s disease patients through thermal ablation of the brain circuits that cause motor symptoms. Focused ultrasound can also open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a naturally occurring barrier of tightly aligned cells along the blood vessels, allowing the diffusion of medications and antibodies into the brain that can potentially prevent progression and\/or restore function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n