The Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is one of the world’s first to offer a complete range of neuromodulation strategies in one state-of-the-art facility. We are a recruitment epicentre for first-in-the-world clinical trials of highly sophisticated neuromodulation technologies and provide leading-edge care to influence brain circuitry in oncology, neurodegenerative, psychiatry and movement disorders.
Using non-invasive and innovative technology, experts at the Harquail Centre are focused on treating common and challenging brain disorders. The brain is a delicate structure made up of many circuits and when these malfunction, it can affect many different things, including memory, mood and body movements and may even lead to brain cancers. Using a wide range of imaging modalities, we have the ability to interact directly with the brain to target and repair the damaged brain areas and influence brain function.
Through Research and Innovation, Patient Care and Advocacy and Outreach we drive scientific advances, and connect with patients and communities. Our internationally recognized researchers and scientists are committed to investigating and developing novel treatments that are individualized and tailored to our patients’ needs.
Mission
Provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary and compassionate:
- Clinical care
- State of the art impactful basic and clinical research
- Education of mental health professionals, patients and families
- Advocacy for individuals affected by conditions
Vision
Improving lives of individuals with the most common, and challenging, brain disorders, including, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, essential tremor, major depression, OCD, and others
What is Neuromodulation?
At the Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, the focus of this rapidly evolving field is on the ability to influence brain circuitry to stop, start and interrupt the systems at the root of the most common and challenging brain disorders. This can be accomplished using a variety of neuromodulation treatments which are led by the expertise of our world-leading researchers and clinical teams who strive beyond excellence in providing treatment options and care to patients.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) involves applying magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain, altering electrical activity. By directing this stimulation to particular regions that may be underactive or overactive in certain mental illnesses, such as depression, and with repeated stimulation over time, networks in the brain may eventually be altered. Although rTMS is currently only clinically approved for treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), it is under investigation for many other psychiatric and neurological disorders, including: Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
DBS is a neurosurgical procedure that involves the administration of small amounts of electricity to disrupt abnormal activity of brain structures associated with disease symptoms. It involves inserting thin electrodes into deep brain structures and electrically stimulating them in a controllable and ultimately reversible manner. The electrodes are connected to an internal pulse generator that is implanted in the upper chest region, below your collarbone.
Currently, we are investigating the use of DBS in treating treatment-resistant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We are also investigating the use of DBS in treating treatment-resistant Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
Read more information about these trials.
Focused Ultrasound (FUS)
Focused Ultrasound (FUS) uses high-intensity and low-intensity ultrasound waves to perform scalpel-free neurosurgery. Focused ultrasound is an incision-free, image-guided technology that targets specific areas of the brain using high frequency ultrasound waves that pass through the scalp and skull. Thousands of ultrasound waves, when converged on a single point, can heat up and cause a lesion to a very small portion of brain tissue. Targeting is highly precise, with millimeter-level accuracy, and done using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Currently, our North American first, clinical trials are investigating the use of FUS in treating treatment-resistant obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Low-intensity ultrasound waves are being investigated in trials using focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is a protective wrap around the brain that prevents dangerous compounds from entering the brain. However, the BBB also blocks potential treatments, such as medications, antibodies or chemotherapy agents from entering as well.
In a first-in-the-world clinical trial our researchers have demonstrated safe and non-invasive ways to open the blood-brain barrier in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. MRI-guided low frequency sound waves can target blood vessels in the brain causing microscopic bubbles that have been injected into the bloodstream, to vibrate, which opens up the BBB.
