MORGANTOWN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) is set to launch groundbreaking clinical research to address conditions such as food addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and others through focused ultrasound neuromodulation.
This new initiative is funded by a $2 million supplemental appropriation approved during a recent special session of the West Virginia Legislature.
According to WVU, the funding supports RNI’s ongoing research with focused ultrasound technology, which is already being used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, substance use disorders, and other neurological conditions.
This latest boost will enable RNI to extend its research to include food addiction and PTSD, marking an ambitious step forward in the institute’s mission.
Dr. Ali Rezai, executive chair of RNI, joined West Virginia University President Gordon Gee to welcome Governor Jim Justice, state lawmakers, and university leaders for the announcement on campus.
“I want to thank Gov. Justice and our friends in the Legislature,” said Gee. “With their continued support, West Virginia University is on the cutting edge of patient care and neurological research.”
RNI’s research team made headlines earlier this year with a pioneering human study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and highlighted on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
This study revealed that focused ultrasound, combined with anti-amyloid-beta monoclonal antibody treatment, can accelerate the clearance of amyloid-beta plaques in Alzheimer’s patients.
The RNI’s preliminary findings also show that focused ultrasound can safely reduce cravings and drug use in individuals struggling with addiction.
The institute’s researchers hope to build on this success by initiating clinical trials aimed at alleviating food addiction cravings and easing PTSD symptoms, particularly for veterans.
“On behalf of the RNI team, I would like to thank Gov. Justice, Speaker Roger Hanshaw, and the West Virginia Legislature for their visionary leadership and support in making West Virginia a world leader in research innovation for the treatment of addictions, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Rezai.
