A 25-year-old man became the first person to regain consciousness without risky surgery after acting as a guinea pig for the pioneering procedure.
His brain was rebooted with groundbreaking new technology used in an “experiment” by doctors at UCLA.
They were stunned to see the patient fully conscious, talking, nodding and even giving his consultant a fist-bump just three days later.
The breakthrough has been heralded as a huge leap in our medical understanding.
And it could transform the lives of millions who have suffered brain injuries.
UCLA / M.MONTI
Scientists used ultrasound waves to “wake up” nerve cells in the thalamus – the brain’s sensory hub – which controls alertness and arousal.
They attached a saucer-sized device to the patient’s head for 10 minutes before stimulating brain tissue using low-intensity pulses.
The man, who has not been identified, made his incredible progress despite showing minimal signs of consciousness.
And the experiment, reported in medical journal Brain Stimulation, could even provide a lifeline for those in a vegetative state.
UCLA / M.MONTI
“It’s almost as if we were jump-starting the neurons back into function...the changes were remarkable”Dr Martin Monti
The study was conducted by Dr Martin Monti, professor of psychology and neurosurgery at UCLA, who described the effect on the patient as "remarkable".
"It’s almost as if we were jump-starting the neurons back into function," Dr Monti revealed.
"Until now, the only way to achieve this was a risky surgical procedure known as deep brain stimulation, in which electrodes are implanted directly inside the thalamus," he said.
"Our approach directly targets the thalamus but is non-invasive.
"The changes were remarkable."
But the treatment needs further testing before potentially being rolled out to coma patients.
Ultrasound devices are also being tested for conditions including chronic pain and dementia.