Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AEGEUS (AEGEUS - A Novel EEG Ultrasound Device for Functional Brain Imaging and Neurostimulation)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-03-01 al 2025-08-31
AEGEUS - A Novel EEG Ultrasound Device for Functional Brain Imaging and Neurostimulation - is an EU-funded project involving seven partners from four different countries: Germany, Austria, Italy, and Iceland.
The long-term vision of AEGEUS is to develop a highly innovative technology to measure and modulate brain activity. This novel device could be used to aid in the management of brain diseases such as epilepsy. The envisioned technique is based on the combination of an existing method, electroencephalography (EEG), a new approach to functional ultrasound (US) imaging, and ultrasound-based neuro-stimulation. EEG is a well-established neurological method to measure the electrical activity of the brain. It enables the acquisition of data with high temporal resolution, especially recording brain activity in neocortical structures close to the skull. The disadvantage of EEG is that it does not give accurate information about regions that lie deeper in the brain. Therefore, the novel device extends the depth of EEG measurement by an US component that allows to measure brain activity – so-called functional information - from deeper brain regions. Furthermore, focused ultrasound can be used to modulate neural activity. With these three components the project aims for a new medical technology that can localize brain regions that need stimulation, non-invasively stimulate them, and control the effects of stimulation. Realizing this ambitious vision would result in an US stimulation in a closed-loop manner for diagnostic purposes. As part of the AEGEUS project, the newly developed device will undergo proof-of-concept testingto demonstrate that it indeed measures and stimulates the brain and is at the same time safe to be used in healthy volunteers and patients with epilepsy. We believe that the device developed in AEGEUS will lead to new avenues for diagnosis, treatment and research of neurological diseases.
The long-term vision of AEGEUS is to develop a highly innovative technology to measure and modulate brain activity. This novel device could be used to aid in the management of brain diseases such as epilepsy. The envisioned technique is based on the combination of an existing method, electroencephalography (EEG), a new approach to functional ultrasound (US) imaging, and ultrasound-based neuro-stimulation. EEG is a well-established neurological method to measure the electrical activity of the brain. It enables the acquisition of data with high temporal resolution, especially recording brain activity in neocortical structures close to the skull. The disadvantage of EEG is that it does not give accurate information about regions that lie deeper in the brain. Therefore, the novel device extends the depth of EEG measurement by an US component that allows to measure brain activity – so-called functional information - from deeper brain regions. Furthermore, focused ultrasound can be used to modulate neural activity. With these three components the project aims for a new medical technology that can localize brain regions that need stimulation, non-invasively stimulate them, and control the effects of stimulation. Realizing this ambitious vision would result in an US stimulation in a closed-loop manner for diagnostic purposes. As part of the AEGEUS project, the newly developed device will undergo proof-of-concept testingto demonstrate that it indeed measures and stimulates the brain and is at the same time safe to be used in healthy volunteers and patients with epilepsy. We believe that the device developed in AEGEUS will lead to new avenues for diagnosis, treatment and research of neurological diseases.
Within the first two years, the AEGEUS project has developed a technical prototype for an application in functional neuroimaging. Initially, the clinical specifications had been defined, including defining which stakeholders and users will be most likely working with the device, the requirements from them, as well as the main target applications.
The target application for the proof-of-concept study in healthy volunteers and patients with epilepsy will be initially focused on two regions of interest which were chosen in line with the complementary nature of EEG and US. Because of the higher resolution of the EEG on the surface, the neocortical region of the motor cortex was chosen. In contrast, the hippocampus is a brain region that lies deep under the cortex, out of range for the EEG to capture its signal, but – so our vision – more accessible to functional US.
Within the first year, the clinical specification was used to drive further specification of hardware.
The AEGEUS hardware consists of ultrasound and EEG driving units, which operate the joint ultrasound and EEG headset. Through an iterative process, the hardware was drafted and manufactured in the second year. New diagnostic multichannel ultrasound transducers were developed for transmitting and receiving short ultrasound pulses. Particular emphasis was placed on achieving clean and reliable acoustic coupling and on overcoming the challenges posed by the skull bone. These were complemented by small, novel variable focusing ultrasound transducers designed for the stimulation of deeper brain regions. Together with the EEG system, these components were integrated into an easily applicable cap. The entire setup is controlled by software that reflects the clinical workflow and can also integrate MR and CT data. At the end of the second reporting period, the technical prototype was finalized. This laid the foundation for the clinical testing and optimization of the AEGEUS system, starting in the final project phase in 2026.
The target application for the proof-of-concept study in healthy volunteers and patients with epilepsy will be initially focused on two regions of interest which were chosen in line with the complementary nature of EEG and US. Because of the higher resolution of the EEG on the surface, the neocortical region of the motor cortex was chosen. In contrast, the hippocampus is a brain region that lies deep under the cortex, out of range for the EEG to capture its signal, but – so our vision – more accessible to functional US.
Within the first year, the clinical specification was used to drive further specification of hardware.
The AEGEUS hardware consists of ultrasound and EEG driving units, which operate the joint ultrasound and EEG headset. Through an iterative process, the hardware was drafted and manufactured in the second year. New diagnostic multichannel ultrasound transducers were developed for transmitting and receiving short ultrasound pulses. Particular emphasis was placed on achieving clean and reliable acoustic coupling and on overcoming the challenges posed by the skull bone. These were complemented by small, novel variable focusing ultrasound transducers designed for the stimulation of deeper brain regions. Together with the EEG system, these components were integrated into an easily applicable cap. The entire setup is controlled by software that reflects the clinical workflow and can also integrate MR and CT data. At the end of the second reporting period, the technical prototype was finalized. This laid the foundation for the clinical testing and optimization of the AEGEUS system, starting in the final project phase in 2026.
The projected AEGEUS has produced novel hardware for combining ultrasound imaging and neurostimulation that can be carried out simultaneously with EEG data acquisition. Dedicated software was developed to guide the clinical workflow and set the system up as well as record data during the experiment.