Background: Increasing evidence suggests that ultrasound (US) imaging may provide biomarkers and therapeutic options in mental disorders. We systematically reviewed the literature to provide a global overview of the possibilities of US for psychiatry.
Methods: Original English language articles published between January 2000 and September 2019 were identified through databases searching and analyzed to summarize existing evidence according to PRISMA methodology.
Results: A total of 81 articles were included. Various US techniques and markers have been used in mental disorders, including Transcranial Doppler and Intima-Media Thickness. Most of the studies have focused on characterizing the pathophysiology of mental disorders, especially vascular physiology. Studies on therapeutic applications are still scarce.
Discussion: US imaging has proved to be useful in characterizing vascular impairment and structural and functional brain changes in mental disorders. Preliminary findings also suggest potential interests for therapeutic applications. Growing evidence suggests that US imaging could provide a non-invasive, portable and low-cost tool for pathophysiological characterization, prognostic assessment and therapeutic applications in mental disorders.
Keywords: Depressive disorders; Flow-mediated dilatation; Intima-media thickness; Transcranial Doppler; Transcranial focused ultrasound; Transcranial sonography.
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