Publications by authors named "Fotios Tsitsos"
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits drug delivery to the brain and the movement of neurological biomarkers between the brain and blood. Focused ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening (FUS-BBBO) noninvasively opens the BBB, allowing increased molecular transport to and from the brain parenchyma. Despite being initially developed as a drug delivery method, FUS-BBBO has shown promise both as a neuroimmunotherapeutic modality, and as a way of improving neurological disease diagnosis via amplification of disease biomarker circulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFeasibility of Hologram-Assisted Bilateral Blood-Brain Barrier Opening in Non-Human Primates.
IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control
October 2024
Focused ultrasound (FUS) and microbubbles facilitate blood-brain barrier opening (BBBO) noninvasively, transiently, and safely for targeted drug delivery. Unlike state-of-the-art approaches, in this study, we demonstrate for the first time the simultaneous, bilateral BBBO in non-human primates (NHPs) using acoustic holograms at caudate and putamen structures. The simple and low-cost system with a single-element FUS transducer and 3-D printed acoustic hologram was guided by neuronavigation and a robotic arm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles shows potential for enhancing drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in Alzheimer's disease, but current methods are limited by their reliance on MRI facilities or invasive procedures.
- A pilot study evaluated a new portable system, neuronavigation-guided FUS (NgFUS), in six mild to moderate Alzheimer’s patients, using real-time mapping of microbubble activity to ensure safety and efficacy during treatment.
- Results indicated that BBB opening was achieved in 5 out of 6 subjects, with significant correlations between cavitation dose, BBB opening volume, and increased levels of Alzheimer’s biomarkers, demonstrating the system's capability for real-time monitoring and safety in outpatient settings.
Article Synopsis
- Focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles shows potential for opening the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to improve drug delivery in Alzheimer's disease, but current methods are limited to MRI-equipped settings or invasive implants.
- A pilot study involving 6 mild to moderate AD patients tested a new portable, non-invasive NgFUS system that monitored real-time microbubble activity to confirm safety and effectiveness during a single treatment session.
- The results indicated that BBB opening was successfully achieved in 5 out of 6 patients, with significant correlations observed between microbubble activity and BBB opening volume, alongside increases in Alzheimer-related biomarkers in the blood, suggesting effective drug delivery methods can emerge from this technology.