VIM-TUS-ET
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Safety and Target Engagement of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation of the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus for Essential Tremor: A First-in-Patient Proof-of-Concept Study
IRAS ID
365666
Contact name
Anna Latorre
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NeuroHarmonics Ltd
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN17201632
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 0 days
Research summary
Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, causing involuntary shaking, most often of the hands, that can significantly affect daily life. Medication and surgery help many people, but a substantial proportion do not get adequate relief or cannot tolerate side effects.
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a new technique that uses low-intensity focused sound waves, delivered through the intact skull, to temporarily alter brain cell activity. Unlike the established focused ultrasound treatment some may be familiar with, TUS does not destroy brain tissue and causes no permanent changes. It is entirely non-invasive: no surgery, no radiation, and no head-shaving.
This study will investigate whether TUS can safely target the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus, a deep brain structure that plays a key role in controlling tremor, using a helmet-shaped device called Meridian, developed by NeuroHarmonics. The study will assess whether stimulation is safe and well-tolerated, and whether it produces any measurable change in tremor. This is a first-in-patient study; it is not designed to provide lasting tremor relief, and any effects are expected to be temporary.
Ten adults aged 18 to 80 with essential tremor affecting both hands, whose medications have not worked adequately, will be recruited at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London. Each participant attends three sessions: a screening visit including a brain MRI scan (approximately 90 minutes); a stimulation session during which tremor is measured continuously and TUS is delivered (approximately 2.5-3 hours); and a telephone follow-up call the next day (approximately 30 minutes). Stimulation is delivered in four periods, one sham and three active, to assess whether any tremor changes are caused by the stimulation itself.
Results will guide future studies investigating whether repeated TUS sessions could provide lasting benefit for people with essential tremor.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
26/WS/0096
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion