Ultrasound to counter neuroinflammation: new perspectives for developing therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative diseases
A study coordinated by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna has demonstrated the effects of ultrasound on the inflammatory response of microglia, the brain’s immune cells
Ultrasound may become a powerful tool to counteract neuroinflammatory processes associated with many neurological diseases. This is the finding of a study published in npj Acoustics, which shows how specific low-intensity ultrasound parameters can modulate the activity of microglia, the brain’s immune cell population.
The research was carried out by the BioRobotics Institute of the Sant’Anna School in collaboration with Imperial College London, and opens the way to the development of new non-invasive therapeutic strategies for diseases characterized by neuroinflammation, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The role of microglia in neuroinflammation
Microglia are cells that perform functions similar to those of the immune system in the rest of the body. These cells continuously monitor the brain environment, remove cellular debris and potentially harmful agents, and coordinate inflammatory responses. However, there is also a risk: when microglial activity becomes excessive and prolonged, large amounts of pro-inflammatory molecules can be produced, contributing to the onset and progression of several neurological diseases.
The beneficial effects of ultrasound stimulation
The study investigated how ultrasound can influence microglial behavior. Through experiments conducted in collaboration with Imperial College London, the research team — composed of researcher Andrea Cafarelli, Professor Leonardo Ricotti, and PhD student Francesco Iacoponi from the Regenerative Technologies Lab — observed that specific combinations of ultrasound parameters can significantly reduce the production of inflammatory molecules.
The results show that ultrasound stimulation can reduce the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines and act on specific molecular mechanisms involved in inflammatory processes, opening new perspectives for the use of ultrasound as a non-invasive neuromodulation tool.
“With this study, we observed that ultrasound, when properly controlled, can modulate microglial activity and reduce inflammatory responses in the brain. This is a promising result for the development of non-invasive strategies against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” said Andrea Cafarelli.
