3D Printed Acoustic Holograms to be Used to Treat Nervous System Diseases

Recently, a research team has used 3D printing to create acoustic holograms to treat diseases in the nervous system. The project has been developed thanks to a collaboration between the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Columbia University in the USA. Thanks to these devices, the blood-brain barrier could be opened in a selective, efficient and targeted manner. This would facilitate the administration of therapeutic drugs to treat this type of nerve pathology.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in 2019 neurological conditions accounted for 533,172 deaths in total or about 32.9 deaths per 100,000 people. This encompasses diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. However, already in 2020 it was possible to see advancements in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases with 3D printing, thanks to a device created by the company Renishaw. Now, the research team made up of the aforementioned organizations continues to bet on this technology thanks to the multiple advantages it offers in the field of health and the development of medical devices.

Photo Credits: UPV

3D Printed Acoustic Holograms

According to project experts, focused ultrasound has great potential in the treatment of neurological diseases. This is due to the ability to generate therapeutic effects in a precise and noninvasive manner. However, it is difficult to apply them to the structures of the nervous system for various reasons. These include the aberration and attenuation effects of the skull bones, and the complex spatial distribution of brain structures. To solve this problem, the researchers resorted to the additive fabrication of 3D acoustic holograms.