Burning Brain Cells: The Controversial Technique to Treat Tremor

Essential tremor, a neurological disorder that results in uncontrollable shaking, can make it impossible for a person to perform everyday tasks

A new, minimally-invasive treatment which uses ultrasound to burn away the brain cells causing the problem, is undergoing FDA trials. While the patient lies in an MRI unit for real-time control, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves are directed at the deep tissue. Sessions may last four hours, but a single treatment can produce significant improvement. Since doctors don’t know the long-term effects of permanently destroying these brain cells, HIFU is an option for those who haven’t responded to traditional treatments.