- May
- 05
- 2020
Enhancing Well-being and Mindfulness with Ultrasonic Neuromodulation
Methods for non invasively modulating human brain function with weak electric currents and magnetic fields have become popular in the last few decades. These tools have been useful scientific tools and have shown promise in the treatment of disorders like depression. In this talk, I will discuss our ongoing research with a novel neuromodulation technique using transcranial ultrasound (TUS) to influence mood and accelerate mindfulness training in healthy participants. In five experiments with over 200 volunteers, we have found that TUS to the right inferior frontal gyrus enhances mood, overall emotional states, and functional connectivity. Our team tested this new technique on a group of patients with depression and found that a single dose reduces depression and anxiety scores, suggesting a novel intervention for depression. Then I will turn to…
About Speaker
Dr. Jay Sanguinetti is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico. His training was in philosophy, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology, and his dissertation investigated the neural processes of conscious and unconscious visual perception. Dr. Sanguinetti specializes in psychophysiological measures (EEG, fMRI, eye-tracking) of visual perception, emotion, and mindfulness meditation. His team investigates novel forms of brain stimulation, including the use of ultrasound and light-based stimulation to enhance memory, perception, and well-being. Dr. Sanguinetti has published widely, from topics on the neural basis of vision and the temporal dynamics of perception to understanding how the brain changes in Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. His current interests include using noninvasive brain stimulation to enhance cognition and well-being.
Dr. Sanguinetti is presently investigating whether focused ultrasound neuromodulation can augment mindfulness practice in collaboration with Shinzen Young. They recently launched the Sonication Enhanced Mindful Awareness (SEMA) lab at the University of Arizona in collaboration with the Center for Consciousness Studies. The SEMA lab is developing accelerated mindfulness protocols for therapeutic interventions to treat addiction, chronic pain, and depression. Dr. Sanguinetti is the Assistant Director for the Center for Consciousness Studies, which runs the largest international conference on consciousness studies.