Ultrasound Used to Revive Man in Coma

                In a first, US scientists have used low-intensity ultrasound to jump-start the brain of a 25 year old man recovering from coma. The advance may lead to a portable device that can no invasively “wake up” patients in vegetative state. The technique uses sonic stimulation to excite neurons in the thalamus, the brain’s central hub. Until now, the only way to achieve this was a risky surgical procedure known as deep brain stimulation, in which electrodes are implanted inside the thalamus. Researchers used a device about the size of a coffee cup saucer which creates a small sphere of acoustic energy that can be aimed at different regions of the brain to excite its tissue. They placed it by the side of the man’s head and activated it 10 times for 30 seconds each in a 10-minute period. The device is safe because it emits only a small amount of energy.