Clinical Research Directory

Transcranial Ultrasonic Neuromodulation of Primary Visual Cortex and Primary Auditory Cortex in Humans

There are a number of disorders of the brain that have limited treatment options, such as chronic pain, addiction, and major depression. A new technology has emerged in the last decade known as transcranial focused ultrasound, which can deliver focused acoustic signals through the skull to modulate brain activity over a small region, including structures deep in the brain. This has resulted in many ongoing clinical trials for various disorders, but there is still a lack of understanding of the optimal sonication parameters for increasing versus decreasing brain activity. The investigators aim to address this open question by sonicating the primary visual cortex and primary auditory cortex in human with a range of sonication parameters. These brain structures were chosen to target because they are expected to elicit perceptual responses in the subject (i.e., the subject will report visual and auditory perception during sonication), allowing the experimenters to infer directly the extent to which neural signals can propagate through the visual and auditory systems in a way that is sufficient to produce conscious perception. Such findings have applications not only in clinical treatments, but also in the fundamental science of the neural basis of sensory perception. Previous work has shown that sonicating the visual cortex in humans can elicit visual perception, but the ultrasonic system in prior work did not have the focusing capabilities that will be employed in this study. At the end of this study, the investigators will have determined the optimal sonication parameters that can elicit neural responses over a small volume over sensory cortex, which can be inferred from visual percepts being localized in space (e.g., a bright spot as opposed to a diffuse light), and auditory percepts that sound like pure tones rather than a broad set of frequencies (e.g., sounding like white noise or static).

OH Baseline Research Study

The One Health baseline research study is essential to comprehensively understand human, animal, and environmental health interrelation within Zambia's diverse ecosystems. The rationale for this study is grounded in three key factors: Firstly, Zambia faces significant health challenges due to zoonotic diseases, which account for a considerable proportion of public health threats. This study aims to gather insights into the knowledge and practices of various system actors regarding food safety, animal disease surveillance, animal medicines controls, and one health systems regulation to provide critical data that will inform targeted interventions and policies. This research aligns with programmed activities under Zambia's National One Health Strategy 2022-2026. Secondly, the agricultural sector, which is a cornerstone of Zambia's rural economy, heavily relies on healthy livestock and sustainable farming practices. The study will gather insights on the practices of food producers, traders, and markets, essential for the identification of potential areas of improvement and innovation. This is particularly crucial as the agricultural sector supports the livelihoods of a large portion of the population and plays a vital role in food security. Thirdly, the One Health approach emphasises the importance of collaboration between various sectors and disciplines. This baseline study aims to ascertain levels of awareness among health professionals, veterinarians, environmental scientists, and policymakers. The data collected will serve as a foundation for future research and intervention strategies, ultimately aiming to reduce the incidence of zoonotic diseases and improve overall health outcomes.