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Brain Pain Map Researchers used ultrasound pulses to map deep brain area responses related to pain and mood. On August 19, authors released a preliminary scientific paper analyzing 36 participants: 19 with chronic pain and 17 with treatment-resistant depression. After brief ultrasound exposures at neighboring points in the anterior cingulate cortex, participants more often reported positive changes than after sham procedures. The anterior cingulate cortex is a deep brain area along the brain's midline involved in experiencing pain and regulating mood. Authors checked if they could consistently target several nearby points in this area, obtain brief self-reports after each, and find points with consistent responses. An MRI scan linked exposure coordinates to individual anatomy. A double-grid ultrasound transducer accounted for skull distortion of the beam and shifted focus between points about four millimeters apart. After each 30-second to three-minute trial, participants described any changes in pain or mood, allowing researchers to match each point with the person's immediate response. In two preliminary studies, each participant underwent both active and sham procedures on different visits. In both versions, white noise and pulse recordings sounded through headphones; in the sham procedure, the device did not deliver ultrasound energy. Responses were deemed positive in 29% of 807 responses after active exposure and 8% of 797 after sham exposure. The response map differed between groups. For chronic pain, the greatest distinction from sham procedures was found in the anterior part of the anterior cingulate cortex, while for depression, it was in the middle section of its lower part. Participants with a higher proportion of positive responses on the first visit had greater reductions in pain or depressive symptoms 24 hours later. Authors obtained a consistent sequence in which the exposure point, rapid self-report, and comparison to sham were linked in a single experience, as reported in the preliminary scientific paper. 🔗 Read original →