Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study
Ablative neurosurgical approaches targeting the nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been explored for treating substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the neuropsychologic morbidity paid special consideration to the indications of these surgical techniques. This study presen...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214751925000611 |
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| author | Kun-Hong Li Wei-Chun Chen Pei-Han Wu Wei-Chieh Chang |
| author_facet | Kun-Hong Li Wei-Chun Chen Pei-Han Wu Wei-Chieh Chang |
| author_sort | Kun-Hong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ablative neurosurgical approaches targeting the nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been explored for treating substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the neuropsychologic morbidity paid special consideration to the indications of these surgical techniques. This study presents the outcomes of two male patients, aged 42 and 47 years, diagnosed with severe AUD who underwent magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) sub-ablative thermo-stimulation targeting the bilateral NAc. At 1-month and 3-month follow-ups, Patient 1 exhibited reductions of 14 % and 54 % in Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores, 11 % and 56 % in craving visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, and 90 % and 50 % in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores. Patient 2 demonstrated reductions of 3 % and 27 % in AUDIT scores, 14 % and 43 % in VAS scores, and 44 % and 28 % in BDI-II scores. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging at 3 months revealed significant changes in regional brain activity comparing with baseline images for both patients. These findings highlight the potential of MRgFUS sub-ablative thermo-stimulation as an alternative minimally invasive intervention for AUD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-16253e994f2f4847af6d4afbca9d6c9d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2214-7519 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery |
| spelling | doaj-art-16253e994f2f4847af6d4afbca9d6c9d2025-08-20T02:57:18ZengElsevierInterdisciplinary Neurosurgery2214-75192025-06-014010204910.1016/j.inat.2025.102049Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility studyKun-Hong Li0Wei-Chun Chen1Pei-Han Wu2Wei-Chieh Chang3MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Center, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, TaiwanDepartment of Psychiatry, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, TaiwanMR-guided Focused Ultrasound Center, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, TaiwanMR-guided Focused Ultrasound Center, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan; Corresponding author at: Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.Ablative neurosurgical approaches targeting the nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been explored for treating substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the neuropsychologic morbidity paid special consideration to the indications of these surgical techniques. This study presents the outcomes of two male patients, aged 42 and 47 years, diagnosed with severe AUD who underwent magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) sub-ablative thermo-stimulation targeting the bilateral NAc. At 1-month and 3-month follow-ups, Patient 1 exhibited reductions of 14 % and 54 % in Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores, 11 % and 56 % in craving visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, and 90 % and 50 % in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores. Patient 2 demonstrated reductions of 3 % and 27 % in AUDIT scores, 14 % and 43 % in VAS scores, and 44 % and 28 % in BDI-II scores. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging at 3 months revealed significant changes in regional brain activity comparing with baseline images for both patients. These findings highlight the potential of MRgFUS sub-ablative thermo-stimulation as an alternative minimally invasive intervention for AUD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214751925000611Nucleus accumbensAlcohol use disorderMagnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound |
| spellingShingle | Kun-Hong Li Wei-Chun Chen Pei-Han Wu Wei-Chieh Chang Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery Nucleus accumbens Alcohol use disorder Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound |
| title | Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study |
| title_full | Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study |
| title_fullStr | Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study |
| title_short | Sub-ablative thermo-stimulation with high-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder: a feasibility study |
| title_sort | sub ablative thermo stimulation with high intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens for severe alcohol use disorder a feasibility study |
| topic | Nucleus accumbens Alcohol use disorder Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214751925000611 |
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