Focused ultrasound treatment for seizures and anxiety

This trial is testing a procedure called MRI-guided focused ultrasound ablation (MRgFUSA) in people with epilepsy that hasn't responded to multiple anti-seizure medications and who also have moderate to severe anxiety. The procedure uses sound waves guided by MRI imaging to create a small, precise lesion in a specific part of the brain called the anterior nucleus of the thalamus. Researchers believe this treatment may reduce both seizures and anxiety symptoms.

Seizures that don't respond to medication are often accompanied by severe anxiety, which can be just as disabling as the seizures themselves. This trial is exploring whether this focused ultrasound treatment can safely address both problems at once—reducing seizure frequency while also helping with anxiety.