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Chen Y, Li Y, Du M, Yu J, Gao F, Yuan Z, Chen Z. Ultrasound Neuromodulation: Integrating Medicine and Engineering for Neurological Disease Treatment. BIO INTEGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.15212/bioi-2020-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Neurological diseases associated with dysfunctions of neural circuits, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), depression and epilepsy, have been increasingly prevalent. To tackle these issues, artificial stimulation or regulation of specific neural circuits and
nuclei are employed to alleviate or cure certain neurological diseases. In particular, ultrasound neuromodulation has been an emerging interdisciplinary approach, which integrates medicine and engineering methodologies in the treatment. With the development of medicine and engineering, ultrasound
neuromodulation has gradually been applied in the treatment of central nervous system diseases. In this review, we aimed to summarize the mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation and the advances of focused ultrasound (FUS) in neuromodulation in recent years, with a special emphasis on its
application in central nervous system disease treatment. FUS showed great feasibility in the treatment of epilepsy, tremor, AD, depression, and brain trauma. We also suggested future directions of ultrasound neuromodulation in clinical settings, with a focus on its fusion with genetic engineering
or nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Meng Du
- Medical Imaging Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Jinsui Yu
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- Medical Imaging Centre, First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
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Effects of Noninvasive Low-Intensity Focus Ultrasound Neuromodulation on Spinal Cord Neurocircuits In Vivo. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:8534466. [PMID: 34873411 PMCID: PMC8643243 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8534466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Although neurocircuits can be activated by focused ultrasound stimulation, it is unclear whether this is also true for spinal cord neurocircuits. In this study, we used low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to stimulate lumbar 4–lumbar 5 (L4–L5) segments of the spinal cord of normal Sprague Dawley rats with a clapper. The activation of the spinal cord neurocircuits enhanced soleus muscle contraction as measured by electromyography (EMG). Neuronal activation and injury were assessed by EMG, western blotting (WB), immunofluorescence, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Nissl staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry (IHC), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and the Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan locomotor rating scale. When the LIFU intensity was more than 0.5 MPa, LIFU stimulation induced soleus muscle contraction and increased the EMG amplitudes (P < 0.05) and the number of c-fos- and GAD65-positive cells (P < 0.05). When the LIFU intensity was 3.0 MPa, the LIFU stimulation led to spinal cord damage and decreased SEP amplitudes for electrophysiological assessment (P < 0.05); this resulted in coagulation necrosis, structural destruction, neuronal loss in the dorsal horn by H&E and Nissl staining, and increased expression of GFAP, IL-1β, TNF-α, and caspase-3 by IHC, ELISA, and WB (P < 0.05). These results show that LIFU can activate spinal cord neurocircuits and that LIFU stimulation with an irradiation intensity ≤1.5 MPa is a safe neurostimulation method for the spinal cord.
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Vion-Bailly J, Suarez-Castellanos IM, Chapelon JY, Carpentier A, N'Djin WA. Neurostimulation success rate of repetitive-pulse focused ultrasound in an in vivo giant axon model: An acoustic parametric study. Med Phys 2021; 49:682-701. [PMID: 34796512 DOI: 10.1002/mp.15358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a promising tool to develop new modalities of therapeutic neurostimulation. The ability of FUS to stimulate the nervous system, in a noninvasive and spatiotemporally precise manner, has been demonstrated in animals and human subjects, but the underlying biomechanisms are not fully understood yet. The objective of the present study was to investigate the bioeffects involved in the generation of trains of action potentials (APs) by repetitive-pulse FUS stimuli in a simple invertebrate neural model. METHODS The respective influences of different acoustic parameters on the neurostimulation success rate (NSR), defined as the rate of FUS stimuli capable of evoking at least one AP, were explored using the system of afferent nerves and giant fibers of Lumbricus terrestris as neural model. Each parameter was studied independently by administering random FUS sequences while keeping all but one FUS parameter constant. The NSR was evaluated as a function of (i) the spatial-average pulse-average intensity (Isapa ); (ii) the pulse duration (PD); (iii) the pulse repetition frequency (PRF); iv) the number of cycles per pulse (Ncycles ); (v) two ultrasound frequencies, f0 = 1.1 MHz and f3 = 3.3 MHz, corresponding to the fundamental and third-harmonic resonant frequencies of the FUS transducer, respectively (spherical, radius of curvature: 50 mm); and (vi) levels of emerging stable cavitation and inertial cavitation. RESULTS The NSR associated to 1.1 MHz repetitive-pulse FUS stimuli was found to increase as a function of increasing Isapa , PD, PRF, and Ncycles . When evaluating each parameter at f = 1.1 MHz, it was observed that NSRs close to 100% were achieved when sufficiently elevating their respective values. When computing the NSR as a function of the spatial-average, temporal-average intensity (Isata ), defined as the product of PRF, PD, and Isapa , a significant elevation of the NSR from 0% to close to 100% was measured by increasing Isata from values approximate to 4 W/cm2 to values higher than 12 W/cm2 . No clear and consistent trend was observed in trials aimed at exploring the effects of different levels of stable and inertial acoustic cavitation on the NSR. Finally, the feasibility of inducing neural responses with 3.3 MHz repetitive-pulse FUS stimuli was also demonstrated with NSRs reaching up to 60%, in the range of FUS parameters studied. CONCLUSION The time-averaged value of the radiation force per unit volume of tissue is proportional to the acoustic intensity. As a result, the observations from this study suggest that the neural structure responding to the stimulus is sensitive to the mean radiation force carried by the FUS sequence, regardless of the combination of FUS parameters giving rise to such force. The results from this study further revealed the existence of a minimal activation threshold with regard to Isapa .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Vion-Bailly
- LabTAU, INSERM, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, Univ Lyon, F-69003, Lyon, France
| | | | - Jean-Yves Chapelon
- LabTAU, INSERM, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, Univ Lyon, F-69003, Lyon, France
| | - Alexandre Carpentier
- AP-HP, Neurosurgery department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France.,Sorbonne University, GRC23, Interface Neuro Machine Team, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - W Apoutou N'Djin
- LabTAU, INSERM, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, Univ Lyon, F-69003, Lyon, France
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204
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Kim MG, Yu K, Niu X, He B. Investigation of displacement of intracranial electrode induced by focused ultrasound stimulation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT 2021; 70:9600509. [PMID: 34819696 PMCID: PMC8608250 DOI: 10.1109/tim.2021.3125978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging neuromodulation technique to modulate brain activity non-invasively with high spatial specificity and focality. Given the influence of tFUS on brain activity, combining tFUS with multi-channel intracranial electrophysiological recordings enables monitoring of the activity of large populations of neurons with high temporal resolution. However, the physical interactions between tFUS and the electrode may affect a reliable assessment of neuronal activity, which remains poorly understood. In this paper, high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) system was developed and integrated into tFUS neuromodulation system. The performance of the HFUS-based displacement tracking and analysis was evaluated by the theoretical analysis in the literature. The effects of various pressure levels on the displacements of the silicon-based microelectrode array in ex vivo brain tissue were investigated. The developed approach was capable of tracking and measuring the motion of a solid sphere in a tissue-mimicking phantom and measured displacements were comparable to theoretical predictions. The significant changes in the averaged peak displacements of the microelectrode array in ex vivo brain were observed with a pulse duration of 200 μs and a peak-to-peak pressure from 131 kPa at a center frequency of 500 kHz compared with the values from the negative control group. The present results demonstrate the relationship between several pressure levels and displacements of the microelectrode array in ex vivo brain through the developed approach. This approach can be used to determine a vibration-free threshold of ultrasound parameters in multi-channel intracranial recordings for a reliable assessment of electrophysiological activities of living neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Gon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kai Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Xiaodan Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Bin He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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205
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From Focused Ultrasound Tumor Ablation to Brain Blood Barrier Opening for High Grade Glioma: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225614. [PMID: 34830769 PMCID: PMC8615744 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Focused Ultrasound (FUS) is gaining a therapeutic role in neuro-oncology considering its novelty and non-invasiveness. Multiple pre-clinical studies show the efficacy of FUS mediated ablation and Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) opening in high-grade glioma (HGG), but there is still poor evidence in humans, mainly aimed towards assessing FUS safety. METHODS With this systematic review our aim is, firstly, to summarize how FUS is proposed for human HGG treatment. Secondly, we focus on future perspectives and new therapeutic options. Using PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we reviewed case series and trials with description of patient characteristics, pre- and post-operative treatments and FUS outcomes. We considered nine case series (five about tumor ablation and four about BBB opening) with FUS-treated HGG patients between 1991 and 2021. RESULTS Sixty-eight patients were considered in total, mostly males (67.6%), with a mean age of 50.5 ± 15.3 years old. Major complication rates were found in the tumor ablation group (26.1%). FUS has been rarely applied for direct tumoral ablation in human HGG patients with controversial results, but at the best of current studies, FUS-mediated BBB opening is showing good results with very low complication rates, paving the way for a new reliable technique to improve local chemotherapy delivery and antitumoral immune response. CONCLUSIONS FUS can become a complementary technique to surgical resection and standard radiochemotherapy in recurrent HGG. Ongoing trials could provide in the near future more data on FUS-mediated BBB opening impact on progression-free survival, overall survival and potential drug-delivery capacities.
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206
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Omata D, Munakata L, Maruyama K, Suzuki R. Enhanced Vascular Permeability by Microbubbles and Ultrasound in Drug Delivery. Biol Pharm Bull 2021; 44:1391-1398. [PMID: 34602547 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Ultrasound and microbubbles, an ultrasound contrast agent, have recently increased attention to developing novel drug delivery systems. Ultrasound exposure can induce mechanical effects derived from microbubbles behaviors such as an expansion, contraction, and collapse depending on ultrasound conditions. These mechanical effects induce several biological effects, including enhancement of vascular permeability. For drug delivery, one promising approach is enhancing vascular permeability using ultrasound and microbubbles, resulting in improved drug transport to targeted tissues. This approach is applied to several tissues and drugs to cure diseases. This review describes the enhancement of vascular permeability by ultrasound and microbubbles and its therapeutic application, including our recent study. We also discuss the current situation of the field and its potential future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Omata
- Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University
| | - Lisa Munakata
- Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University
| | - Kazuo Maruyama
- Laboratory of Theranostics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University.,Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization (ACRO), Teikyo University
| | - Ryo Suzuki
- Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University.,Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization (ACRO), Teikyo University
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207
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Tseng HA, Sherman J, Bortz E, Mohammed A, Gritton HJ, Bensussen S, Tang RP, Zemel D, Szabo T, Han X. Region-specific effects of ultrasound on individual neurons in the awake mammalian brain. iScience 2021; 24:102955. [PMID: 34458703 PMCID: PMC8379692 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound modulates brain activity. However, it remains unclear how ultrasound affects individual neurons in the brain, where neural circuit architecture is intact and different brain regions exhibit distinct tissue properties. Using a high-resolution calcium imaging technique, we characterized the effect of ultrasound stimulation on thousands of individual neurons in the hippocampus and the motor cortex of awake mice. We found that brief 100-ms-long ultrasound pulses increase intracellular calcium in a large fraction of individual neurons in both brain regions. Ultrasound-evoked calcium response in hippocampal neurons exhibits a rapid onset with a latency shorter than 50 ms. The evoked response in the hippocampus is shorter in duration and smaller in magnitude than that in the motor cortex. These results demonstrate that noninvasive ultrasound stimulation transiently increases intracellular calcium in individual neurons in awake mice, and the evoked response profiles are brain region specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-an Tseng
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jack Sherman
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Emma Bortz
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ali Mohammed
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Howard J. Gritton
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Seth Bensussen
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Rockwell P. Tang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dana Zemel
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Thomas Szabo
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Xue Han
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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208
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Monteiro F, Sotiropoulos I, Carvalho Ó, Sousa N, Silva FS. Multi-mechanical waves against Alzheimer's disease pathology: a systematic review. Transl Neurodegener 2021; 10:36. [PMID: 34560902 PMCID: PMC8464104 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-021-00256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting approximately 40 million people worldwide. The ineffectiveness of the available pharmacological treatments against AD has fostered researchers to focus on alternative strategies to overcome this challenge. Mechanical vibrations delivered in different stimulation modes have been associated with marked improvements in cognitive and physical performance in both demented and non-demented elderly. Some of the mechanical-based stimulation modalities in efforts are earlier whole-body vibration, transcranial ultrasound stimulation with microbubble injection, and more recently, auditory stimulation. However, there is a huge variety of treatment specifications, and in many cases, conflicting results are reported. In this review, a search on Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was performed, resulting in 37 papers . These studies suggest that mechanical vibrations delivered through different stimulation modes are effective in attenuating many parameters of AD pathology including functional connectivity and neuronal circuit integrity deficits in the brains of AD patients, as well as in subjects with cognitive decline and non-demented older adults. Despite the evolving preclinical and clinical evidence on these therapeutic modalities, their translation into clinical practice is not consolidated yet. Thus, this comprehensive and critical systematic review aims to address the most important gaps in the reviewed protocols and propose optimal regimens for future clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Monteiro
- Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS), University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058, Guimarães, Portugal. .,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Ioannis Sotiropoulos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Institute of Biosciences & Applications NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Óscar Carvalho
- Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS), University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Filipe S Silva
- Center for Microelectromechanical Systems (CMEMS), University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058, Guimarães, Portugal
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209
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Xia X, Fomenko A, Nankoo JF, Zeng K, Wang Y, Zhang J, Lozano AM, Chen R. Time course of the effects of low-intensity transcranial ultrasound on the excitability of ipsilateral and contralateral human primary motor cortex. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118557. [PMID: 34487826 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation technique that can modulate the excitability of cortical and deep brain structures with a high degree of focality. Previous human studies showed that TUS decreases motor cortex (M1) excitability measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), but whether the effects appear beyond sonication and whether TUS affects the excitability of other interconnected cortical areas is not known. The time course of M1 TUS on ipsilateral and contralateral M1 excitability was investigated in 22 healthy human subjects via TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials. With sonication duration of 500 ms, we found suppression of M1 excitability from 10 ms before to 20 ms after the end of sonication, and the effects were stronger with blocked design compared to interleaved design. There was no significant effect on contralateral M1 excitability. Using ex-vivo measurements, we showed that the ultrasound transducer did not affect the magnitude or time course of the TMS-induced electromagnetic field. We conclude that the online-suppressive effects of TUS on ipsilateral M1 cortical excitability slightly outlast the sonication but did not produce long-lasting effects. The absence of contralateral effects may suggest that there are little tonic interhemispheric interactions in the resting state, or the intensity of TUS was too low to induce transcallosal inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xia
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China; Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anton Fomenko
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Ke Zeng
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yanqiu Wang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China; Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Andres M Lozano
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Chen
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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210
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Zhang H, Zhang Y, Xu M, Song X, Chen S, Jian X, Ming D. The Effects of the Structural and Acoustic Parameters of the Skull Model on Transcranial Focused Ultrasound. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21175962. [PMID: 34502853 PMCID: PMC8434628 DOI: 10.3390/s21175962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has great potential in brain imaging and therapy. However, the structural and acoustic differences of the skull will cause a large number of technical problems in the application of tFUS, such as low focus energy, focal shift, and defocusing. To have a comprehensive understanding of the skull effect on tFUS, this study investigated the effects of the structural parameters (thickness, radius of curvature, and distance from the transducer) and acoustic parameters (density, acoustic speed, and absorption coefficient) of the skull model on tFUS based on acrylic plates and two simulation methods (self-programming and COMSOL). For structural parameters, our research shows that as the three factors increase the unit distance, the attenuation caused from large to small is the thickness (0.357 dB/mm), the distance to transducer (0.048 dB/mm), and the radius of curvature (0.027 dB/mm). For acoustic parameters, the attenuation caused by density (0.024 dB/30 kg/m3) and acoustic speed (0.021 dB/30 m/s) are basically the same. Additionally, as the absorption coefficient increases, the focus acoustic pressure decays exponentially. The thickness of the structural parameters and the absorption coefficient of the acoustic parameters are the most important factors leading to the attenuation of tFUS. The experimental and simulation trends are highly consistent. This work contributes to the comprehensive and quantitative understanding of how the skull influences tFUS, which further enhances the application of tFUS in neuromodulation research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (H.Z.); (M.X.); (S.C.)
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; (Y.Z.); (X.J.)
| | - Minpeng Xu
- Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (H.Z.); (M.X.); (S.C.)
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
| | - Xizi Song
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
| | - Shanguang Chen
- Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (H.Z.); (M.X.); (S.C.)
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
- National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Xiqi Jian
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; (Y.Z.); (X.J.)
| | - Dong Ming
- Laboratory of Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (H.Z.); (M.X.); (S.C.)
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
- Correspondence:
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211
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Johnstone A, Nandi T, Martin E, Bestmann S, Stagg C, Treeby B. A range of pulses commonly used for human transcranial ultrasound stimulation are clearly audible. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:1353-1355. [PMID: 34481096 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ainslie Johnstone
- Department for Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tulika Nandi
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Neuroimaging Center (NIC), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Eleanor Martin
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK; Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional & Surgical Sciences (WEISS), University College London, London, UK
| | - Sven Bestmann
- Department for Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Stagg
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bradley Treeby
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
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212
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Prieto ML, Firouzi K, Khuri-Yakub BT, Madison DV, Maduke M. Spike frequency-dependent inhibition and excitation of neural activity by high-frequency ultrasound. J Gen Physiol 2021; 152:182190. [PMID: 33074301 PMCID: PMC7534904 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound can modulate action potential firing in vivo and in vitro, but the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon is not well understood. To address this problem, we used patch-clamp recording to quantify the effects of focused, high-frequency (43 MHz) ultrasound on evoked action potential firing in CA1 pyramidal neurons in acute rodent hippocampal brain slices. We find that ultrasound can either inhibit or potentiate firing in a spike frequency–dependent manner: at low (near-threshold) input currents and low firing frequencies, ultrasound inhibits firing, while at higher input currents and higher firing frequencies, ultrasound potentiates firing. The net result of these two competing effects is that ultrasound increases the threshold current for action potential firing, the slope of frequency-input curves, and the maximum firing frequency. In addition, ultrasound slightly hyperpolarizes the resting membrane potential, decreases action potential width, and increases the depth of the after-hyperpolarization. All of these results can be explained by the hypothesis that ultrasound activates a sustained potassium conductance. According to this hypothesis, increased outward potassium currents hyperpolarize the resting membrane potential and inhibit firing at near-threshold input currents but potentiate firing in response to higher-input currents by limiting inactivation of voltage-dependent sodium channels during the action potential. This latter effect is a consequence of faster action potential repolarization, which limits inactivation of voltage-dependent sodium channels, and deeper (more negative) after-hyperpolarization, which increases the rate of recovery from inactivation. Based on these results, we propose that ultrasound activates thermosensitive and mechanosensitive two-pore-domain potassium (K2P) channels through heating or mechanical effects of acoustic radiation force. Finite-element modeling of the effects of ultrasound on brain tissue suggests that the effects of ultrasound on firing frequency are caused by a small (<2°C) increase in temperature, with possible additional contributions from mechanical effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Loynaz Prieto
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Kamyar Firouzi
- E.L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | | | - Daniel V Madison
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Merritt Maduke
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
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213
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Zhong Y, Wang Y, He Z, Lin Z, Pang N, Niu L, Guo Y, Pan M, Meng L. Closed-loop wearable ultrasound deep brain stimulation system based on EEG in mice. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34388739 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac1d5c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Objective. Epilepsy is one of the most common severe brain disorders. Ultrasound deep brain stimulation (UDBS) has shown a potential capability to suppress seizures. However, because seizures occur sporadically, it is necessary to develop a closed-loop system to suppress them. Therefore, we developed a closed-loop wearable UDBS system that delivers ultrasound to the hippocampus to suppress epileptic seizures.Approach.Mice were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg kg-1kainic acid and divided into sham and UDBS groups. Epileptic seizures were detected by applying both long short-term memory (LSTM) and bidirectional LSTM (BILSTM) networks according to EEG signal characteristics. When epileptic seizures were detected, the closed-loop UDBS system automatically activated a trigger switch to stimulate the hippocampus for 10 min and continuously record EEG signals until 20 min after ultrasonic stimulation. EEG signals were analyzed using the MATLAB software. After EEG recording, we observed the survival rate of the experimental mice for 72 h.Main results.The BiLSTM network was found to have preferable classification performance over the LSTM network. The closed-loop UDBS system with BiLSTM could automatically detect epileptic seizures using EEG signals and effectively reduce epileptic EEG power spectral density and seizure duration by 10.73%, eventually improving the survival rate of early epileptic mice from 67.57% in the sham group to 88.89% in the UDBS group.Significance.The closed-loop UDBS system developed in this study could be an effective clinical tool for the control of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Zhong
- Neurosurgery Center, Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China on Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibo Wang
- Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuoyi He
- Neurosurgery Center, Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China on Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengrong Lin
- Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Pang
- Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Lili Niu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanwu Guo
- Neurosurgery Center, Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China on Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Pan
- Department of Ultrasound, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518034, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Meng
- Institute of Biomedical and Health engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
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214
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Clinical effectiveness of non-TMS neurostimulation in depression: Clinical trials from 2010 to 2020. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 110:110287. [PMID: 33610609 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) have evolved, although there is still a strong unmet need for more effective and tolerable options. The present study summarizes and discusses recent evidence regarding the non-transcranial magnetic stimulation (non-TMS) neurostimulation treatment for MDD. METHODS The authors reviewed non-TMS neurostimulation clinical trials for MDD between 2010 and 2020. Electroconvulsive therapy was not included in this review. A systematic review was performed in MEDLINE database through PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration's Clinical Trials Register (CENTRAL), PsycINFO and Thomson Reuters's Web of Science. RESULTS Only 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. Randomized controlled trials demonstrated efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in five of seven trials. tDCS augmented with sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram and escitalopram was superior to placebo and to tDCS only. A comparative trial demonstrated that the duration of tDCS sessions can modulate the effectiveness of this treatment. Open trials indicated that deep brain stimulation, epidural cortical stimulation, trigeminal nerve stimulation, magnetic seizure therapy and vagus nerve stimulation may be effective in treatment-resistant depression. CONCLUSION This review confirmed the efficacy of tDCS in MDD. Despite new evidence showing effectiveness for other non-TMS neurostimulation, their effectiveness is still unclear. Non-TMS neurostimulation RCTs with large samples and head-to-head studies comparing non-TMS neurostimulation and gold standard pharmacological treatments are still lacking.
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215
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Zhang M, Li B, Liu Y, Tang R, Lang Y, Huang Q, He J. Different Modes of Low-Frequency Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Attenuation of Epilepsy Based on the Topological Theory. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12081001. [PMID: 34442623 PMCID: PMC8399944 DOI: 10.3390/mi12081001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is common brain dysfunction, where abnormal synchronized activities can be observed across multiple brain regions. Low-frequency focused pulsed ultrasound has been proven to modulate the epileptic brain network. In this study, we used two modes of low-intensity focused ultrasound (pulsed-wave and continuous-wave) to sonicate the brains of KA-induced epileptic rats, analyzed the EEG functional brain connections to explore their respective effect on the epileptic brain network, and discuss the mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation. By comparing the brain network characteristics before and after sonication, we found that two modes of ultrasound both significantly affected the functional brain network, especially in the low-frequency band below 12 Hz. After two modes of sonication, the power spectral density of the EEG signals and the connection strength of the brain network were significantly reduced, but there was no significant difference between the two modes. Our results indicated that the ultrasound neuromodulation could effectively regulate the epileptic brain connections. The ultrasound-mediated attenuation of epilepsy was independent of modes of ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjian Zhang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.)
| | - Bo Li
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.)
| | - Yafei Liu
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.)
| | - Rongyu Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (R.T.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yiran Lang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (R.T.); (Y.L.)
| | - Qiang Huang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.)
| | - Jiping He
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-010-68917396
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216
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Seok C, Yamaner FY, Sahin M, Oralkan O. A Wearable Ultrasonic Neurostimulator - Part I: A 1D CMUT Phased Array System for Chronic Implantation in Small Animals. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2021; 15:692-704. [PMID: 34314360 PMCID: PMC9579984 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2021.3100458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we present a wireless ultrasonic neurostimulator, aiming at a truly wearable device for brain stimulation in small behaving animals. A 1D 5-MHz capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array is adopted to implement a head-mounted stimulation device. A companion ASIC with integrated 16-channel high-voltage (60-V) pulsers was designed to drive the 16-element CMUT array. The ASIC can generate excitation signals with element-wise programmable phases and amplitudes: 1) programmable sixteen phase delays enable electrical beam focusing and steering, and 2) four scalable amplitude levels, implemented with a symmetric pulse-width-modulation technique, are sufficient to suppress unwanted sidelobes (apodization). The ASIC was fabricated in the TSMC 0.18- μm HV BCD process within a die size of 2.5 × 2.5 mm2. To realize a completely wearable system, the system is partitioned into two parts for weight distribution: 1) a head unit (17 mg) with the CMUT array, 2) a backpack unit (19.7 g) that includes electronics such as the ASIC, a power management unit, a wireless module, and a battery. Hydrophone-based acoustic measurements were performed to demonstrate the focusing and beam steering capability of the proposed system. Also, we achieved a peak-to-peak pressure of 2.1 MPa, which corresponds to a spatial peak pulse average intensity ( ISPPA) of 33.5 W/cm2, with a lateral full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.6 mm at a depth of 3.5 mm.
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217
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Guinjoan SM, Bär KJ, Camprodon JA. Cognitive effects of rapid-acting treatments for resistant depression: Just adverse, or contributing to clinical efficacy? J Psychiatr Res 2021; 140:512-521. [PMID: 34157590 PMCID: PMC8319118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder is a major public health problem and has a high rate of treatment resistance. Fear conditioning has been proposed as a potential mechanism sustaining negative affect in mood disorders. With the aim of exploring cognitive effects of rapid-acting antidepressant treatments as a potential mechanism of action that can be targeted by neuromodulation, we performed a narrative review of the extant literature on effects of electroconvulsive therapy, ketamine or esketamine, and sleep deprivation on emotional/fear memory retrieval-reconsolidation. We explore interference with reconsolidation as a potential common pathway that explains in part the efficacy of rapid-acting antidepressant treatments with disparate mechanisms of action. We propose the testable hypothesis that fear learning circuits can be specifically targeted by neuromodulation to attempt rapid amelioration of depressive symptoms (especially repetitive negative thinking) while limiting unspecific, untoward cognitive side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador M. Guinjoan
- Principal Investigator, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America,Schools of Medicine and Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, CONICET, Argentina,Mailing Address: Salvador M. Guinjoan, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, 6655 South Yale Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136-3326, United States of America,
| | - Karl-Jürgen Bär
- Chief, Departments of Psychosomatic Medicine and Gerontopsychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Joan A. Camprodon
- Director, Division of Neuropsychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
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218
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Wang X, Zhang Y, Zhang K, Yuan Y. Influence of behavioral state on the neuromodulatory effect of low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation on hippocampal CA1 in mouse. Neuroimage 2021; 241:118441. [PMID: 34339832 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In process of brain stimulation, the influence of any external stimulus depends on the features of the stimulus and the initial state of the brain. Understanding the state-dependence of brain stimulation is very important. However, it remains unclear whether neural activity induced by ultrasound stimulation is modulated by the behavioral state. We used low-intensity focused ultrasound to stimulate the hippocampal CA1 regions of mice with different behavioral states (anesthesia, awake, and running) and recorded the neural activity in the target area before and after stimulation. We found the following: (1) there were different spike firing rates and response delays computed as the time to reach peak for all behavioral states; (2) the behavioral state significantly modulates the spike firing rate linearly increased with an increase in ultrasound intensity under different behavioral states; (3) the mean power of local field potential induced by TUS significantly increased under anesthesia and awake states; (4) ultrasound stimulation enhanced phase-locking between spike and ripple oscillation under anesthesia state. These results suggest that ultrasound stimulation-induced neural activity is modulated by the behavioral state. Our study has great potential benefits for the application of ultrasound stimulation in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingran Wang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, No.438, Hebei Street, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Yiyao Zhang
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York 10016, USA
| | - Kaiqing Zhang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, No.438, Hebei Street, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, No.438, Hebei Street, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China.
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219
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Fan CH, Wei KC, Chiu NH, Liao EC, Wang HC, Wu RY, Ho YJ, Chan HL, Wang TSA, Huang YZ, Hsieh TH, Lin CH, Lin YC, Yeh CK. Sonogenetic-Based Neuromodulation for the Amelioration of Parkinson's Disease. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:5967-5976. [PMID: 34264082 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sonogenetics is a promising strategy allowing the noninvasive and selective activation of targeted neurons in deep brain regions; nevertheless, its therapeutic outcome for neurodegeneration diseases that need long-term treatment remains to be verified. We previously enhanced the ultrasound (US) sensitivity of targeted cells by genetic modification with an engineered auditory-sensing protein, mPrestin (N7T, N308S). In this study, we expressed mPrestin in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease (PD) mice and used 0.5 MHz US for repeated and localized brain stimulation. The mPrestin expression in dopaminergic neurons persisted for at least 56 days after a single shot of adeno-associated virus, suggesting that the period of expression was long enough for US treatment in mice. Compared to untreated mice, US stimulation ameliorated the dopaminergic neurodegeneration 10-fold and mitigated the PD symptoms of the mice 4-fold, suggesting that this sonogenetic strategy has the clinical potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kuo-Chen Wei
- New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236017, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Ruo-Yu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Chin-Hsien Lin
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan
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220
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Pouliopoulos AN, Kwon N, Jensen G, Meaney A, Niimi Y, Burgess MT, Ji R, McLuckie AJ, Munoz FA, Kamimura HAS, Teich AF, Ferrera VP, Konofagou EE. Safety evaluation of a clinical focused ultrasound system for neuronavigation guided blood-brain barrier opening in non-human primates. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15043. [PMID: 34294761 PMCID: PMC8298475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94188-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An emerging approach with potential in improving the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors is the use of focused ultrasound (FUS) to bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a non-invasive and localized manner. A large body of pre-clinical work has paved the way for the gradual clinical implementation of FUS-induced BBB opening. Even though the safety profile of FUS treatments in rodents has been extensively studied, the histological and behavioral effects of clinically relevant BBB opening in large animals are relatively understudied. Here, we examine the histological and behavioral safety profile following localized BBB opening in non-human primates (NHPs), using a neuronavigation-guided clinical system prototype. We show that FUS treatment triggers a short-lived immune response within the targeted region without exacerbating the touch accuracy or reaction time in visual-motor cognitive tasks. Our experiments were designed using a multiple-case-study approach, in order to maximize the acquired data and support translation of the FUS system into human studies. Four NHPs underwent a single session of FUS-mediated BBB opening in the prefrontal cortex. Two NHPs were treated bilaterally at different pressures, sacrificed on day 2 and 18 post-FUS, respectively, and their brains were histologically processed. In separate experiments, two NHPs that were earlier trained in a behavioral task were exposed to FUS unilaterally, and their performance was tracked for at least 3 weeks after BBB opening. An increased microglia density around blood vessels was detected on day 2, but was resolved by day 18. We also detected signs of enhanced immature neuron presence within areas that underwent BBB opening, compared to regions with an intact BBB, confirming previous rodent studies. Logistic regression analysis showed that the NHP cognitive performance did not deteriorate following BBB opening. These preliminary results demonstrate that neuronavigation-guided FUS with a single-element transducer is a non-invasive method capable of reversibly opening the BBB, without substantial histological or behavioral impact in an animal model closely resembling humans. Future work should confirm the observations of this multiple-case-study work across animals, species and tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios N. Pouliopoulos
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Nancy Kwon
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Greg Jensen
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Anna Meaney
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027 USA
| | - Yusuke Niimi
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Mark T. Burgess
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Robin Ji
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Alicia J. McLuckie
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Institute of Comparative Medicine, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Fabian A. Munoz
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027 USA
| | - Hermes A. S. Kamimura
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Andrew F. Teich
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
| | - Vincent P. Ferrera
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City, NY
10032
USA
| | - Elisa E. Konofagou
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Radiology, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032 USA
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221
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Klink PC, Aubry JF, Ferrera VP, Fox AS, Froudist-Walsh S, Jarraya B, Konofagou EE, Krauzlis RJ, Messinger A, Mitchell AS, Ortiz-Rios M, Oya H, Roberts AC, Roe AW, Rushworth MFS, Sallet J, Schmid MC, Schroeder CE, Tasserie J, Tsao DY, Uhrig L, Vanduffel W, Wilke M, Kagan I, Petkov CI. Combining brain perturbation and neuroimaging in non-human primates. Neuroimage 2021; 235:118017. [PMID: 33794355 PMCID: PMC11178240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain perturbation studies allow detailed causal inferences of behavioral and neural processes. Because the combination of brain perturbation methods and neural measurement techniques is inherently challenging, research in humans has predominantly focused on non-invasive, indirect brain perturbations, or neurological lesion studies. Non-human primates have been indispensable as a neurobiological system that is highly similar to humans while simultaneously being more experimentally tractable, allowing visualization of the functional and structural impact of systematic brain perturbation. This review considers the state of the art in non-human primate brain perturbation with a focus on approaches that can be combined with neuroimaging. We consider both non-reversible (lesions) and reversible or temporary perturbations such as electrical, pharmacological, optical, optogenetic, chemogenetic, pathway-selective, and ultrasound based interference methods. Method-specific considerations from the research and development community are offered to facilitate research in this field and support further innovations. We conclude by identifying novel avenues for further research and innovation and by highlighting the clinical translational potential of the methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Christiaan Klink
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jean-François Aubry
- Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, CNRS UMR 8063, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Vincent P Ferrera
- Department of Neuroscience & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology & California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Béchir Jarraya
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France; Foch Hospital, UVSQ, Suresnes, France
| | - Elisa E Konofagou
- Ultrasound and Elasticity Imaging Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard J Krauzlis
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adam Messinger
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna S Mitchell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Ortiz-Rios
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hiroyuki Oya
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa, Iowa city, IA, USA
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Wang Roe
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | | | - Jérôme Sallet
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom; Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208 Bron, France; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Christoph Schmid
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordy Tasserie
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Doris Y Tsao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience; Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Computation and Neural Systems, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Lynn Uhrig
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Wim Vanduffel
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Neurosciences Department, KU Leuven Medical School, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven Belgium; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Melanie Wilke
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Department of Cognitive Neurology, University Medicine Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Igor Kagan
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Christopher I Petkov
- Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
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Shi L, Jiang Y, Fernandez FR, Chen G, Lan L, Man HY, White JA, Cheng JX, Yang C. Non-genetic photoacoustic stimulation of single neurons by a tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2021; 10:143. [PMID: 34257273 PMCID: PMC8277806 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-021-00580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Neuromodulation at high spatial resolution poses great significance in advancing fundamental knowledge in the field of neuroscience and offering novel clinical treatments. Here, we developed a tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter (TFOE) generating an ultrasound field with a high spatial precision of 39.6 µm, enabling optoacoustic activation of single neurons or subcellular structures, such as axons and dendrites. Temporally, a single acoustic pulse of sub-microsecond converted by the TFOE from a single laser pulse of 3 ns is shown as the shortest acoustic stimuli so far for successful neuron activation. The precise ultrasound generated by the TFOE enabled the integration of the optoacoustic stimulation with highly stable patch-clamp recording on single neurons. Direct measurements of the electrical response of single neurons to acoustic stimulation, which is difficult for conventional ultrasound stimulation, have been demonstrated. By coupling TFOE with ex vivo brain slice electrophysiology, we unveil cell-type-specific responses of excitatory and inhibitory neurons to acoustic stimulation. These results demonstrate that TFOE is a non-genetic single-cell and sub-cellular modulation technology, which could shed new insights into the mechanism of ultrasound neurostimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linli Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 580 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ying Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Fernando R Fernandez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Neurophotonics Center, Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Guo Chen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Lu Lan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - John A White
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Neurophotonics Center, Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 580 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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223
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Sammartino F, Snell J, Eames M, Krishna V. Thermal Neuromodulation With Focused Ultrasound: Implications for the Technique of Subthreshold Testing. Neurosurgery 2021; 89:610-616. [PMID: 34245158 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyab238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During focused ultrasound ablation (FUSA), the presumed stereotactic target is tested with subthreshold sonications before permanent ablation. This testing relies on ultrasound-induced reversible clinical effects (thermal neuromodulation, TN). However, the thermal dose and spot size thresholds to induce TN are not yet defined. OBJECTIVE To define the thermal dose and spot size thresholds associated with TN. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of intraoperative FUSA data of essential tremor patients. Sonications with a thermal dose of less than 25 cumulative equivalent minutes (CEM) were classified as subthreshold. The intraoperative writing samples were independently rated by 2 raters using the clinical rating scale for tremor. The association between thermal dose and tremor scores was statistically analyzed, and the thermal dose and spot size thresholds for TN were computed using leave-one-out cross-validation analysis. RESULTS A total of 331 pairs of sonications and writing samples were analyzed; 97 were classified as subthreshold sonications. TN was observed in 23 (24%) subthreshold sonications. The median tremor improvement during TN was 20% (interquartile range = 41.6). The thermal dose threshold for TN was 0.67 CEM (equivalent to 30 s thermal exposure at 43°C). The spot size threshold for TN was 2.46 mm. Ventral intermediate medial nucleus was exposed to TN thermal dose during subablative and ablative sonications. CONCLUSION The TN thermal dose and spot size thresholds are significantly higher than the current FUSA standard of care. We recommend long duration (>30 s), subthreshold sonications for intraoperative testing during FUSA. Future investigations should test whether the thermal dose threshold is tissue-specific and determine the mechanisms underlying focused ultrasound TN.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Snell
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.,Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Matthew Eames
- Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Vibhor Krishna
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Baek H, Yang Y, Pacia CP, Xu L, Yue Y, Bruchas MR, Chen H. Mechanical and mechanothermal effects of focused ultrasound elicited distinct electromyographic responses in mice. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 34098539 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac08b1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare focused ultrasound (FUS) neuromodulation-induced motor responses under two physical mechanisms: mechanical and mechanothermal effects. Mice were divided into two groups. One group was subjected to short-duration FUS stimulation (0.3 s) that induced mechanical effects (mechanical group). The other group underwent long-duration FUS stimulation (15 s) that produced not only mechanical but also thermal effects (mechanothermal group). FUS was targeted at the deep cerebellar nucleus in the cerebellum to induce motor responses, which were evaluated by recording the evoked electromyographic (EMG) signals and tail movements. Brain tissue temperature rise associated with the FUS stimulation was quantified by noninvasive magnetic resonance thermometryin vivo. Temperature rise was negligible for the mechanical group (0.2 °C ± 0.1 °C) but did rise within the range of 0.6 °C ± 0.2 °C-3.3 °C ± 0.9 °C for the mechanothermal group. The elongated FUS beam also induced heating in the dorsal brain (below the top skull) and ventral brain (above the bottom skull) along the beam path for the mechanothermal group. Both mechanical and mechanothermal groups achieved successful FUS neuromodulation. EMG response latencies were within the range of 0.03-0.1 s at different intensity levels for the mechanical group. The mechanothermal effect of FUS could induce both short-latency EMG (0.2-1.4 s) and long-latency EMG (8.7-13.0 s) under the same intensity levels as the mechanical group. The different temporal dynamics of evoked EMG suggested that FUS-induced mechanical and mechanothermal effects could evoke different responses in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchae Baek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Yaoheng Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Christopher Pham Pacia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Lu Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Yimei Yue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion. University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States of America
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, United States of America.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63108, United States of America
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225
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Stern JM, Spivak NM, Becerra SA, Kuhn TP, Korb AS, Kronemyer D, Khanlou N, Reyes SD, Monti MM, Schnakers C, Walshaw P, Keselman I, Cohen MS, Yong W, Fried I, Jordan SE, Schafer ME, Engel J, Bystritsky A. Safety of focused ultrasound neuromodulation in humans with temporal lobe epilepsy. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:1022-1031. [PMID: 34198105 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transcranial Focused Ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising new potential neuromodulation tool. However, the safety of tFUS neuromodulation has not yet been assessed adequately. Patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy electing to undergo an anterior temporal lobe resection present a unique opportunity to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tFUS neuromodulation. Histological changes in tissue after tFUS can be examined after surgical resection, while further potential safety concerns can be assessed using neuropsychological testing. METHODS Neuropsychological functions were assessed in eight patients before and after focused ultrasound sonication of the temporal lobe at intensities up to 5760 mW/cm2. Using the BrainSonix Pulsar 1002, tFUS was delivered under MR guidance, using the Siemens Magnetom 3T Prisma scanner. Neuropsychological changes were assessed using various batteries. Histological changes were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining, among others. RESULTS With respect to safety, the histological analysis did not reveal any detectable damage to the tissue, except for one subject for whom the histology findings were inconclusive. In addition, neuropsychological testing did not show any statistically significant changes in any test, except for a slight decrease in performance on one of the tests after tFUS. SIGNIFICANCE This study supports the hypothesis that low-intensity Transcranial Focused Ultrasound (tFUS) used for neuromodulation of brain circuits at intensities up to 5760 mW/cm2 may be safe for use in human research. However, due to methodological limitations in this study and inconclusive findings, more work is warranted to establish the safety. Future directions include greater number of sonications as well as longer exposure at higher intensity levels to further assess the safety of tFUS for modulation of neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Stern
- Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Norman M Spivak
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Sergio A Becerra
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Taylor P Kuhn
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Alexander S Korb
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; BrainSonix Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Kronemyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Négar Khanlou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Samuel D Reyes
- Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Martin M Monti
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA College of Letters and Science, USA; Brain Research Institute, UCLA, USA
| | | | - Patricia Walshaw
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Inna Keselman
- Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Mark S Cohen
- Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA College of Letters and Science, USA; Department of Radiology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Biomedical Physics, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Bioengineering, UCLA School of Engineering, USA; California Nanosystems Institute, UCLA, USA; Brain Research Institute, UCLA, USA
| | - William Yong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Itzhak Fried
- Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Brain Research Institute, UCLA, USA
| | - Sheldon E Jordan
- Neurology Management Associates- Los Angeles, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Mark E Schafer
- BrainSonix Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA; School of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jerome Engel
- Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Department of Neurobiology, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; Brain Research Institute, UCLA, USA
| | - Alexander Bystritsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, USA; BrainSonix Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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226
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Kim E, Anguluan E, Kum J, Sanchez-Casanova J, Park TY, Kim JG, Kim H. Wearable Transcranial Ultrasound System for Remote Stimulation of Freely Moving Animal. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:2195-2202. [PMID: 33186099 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2020.3038018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has drawn considerable attention in the neuroscience field as a noninvasive approach to modulate brain circuits. However, the conventional approach requires the use of anesthetized or immobilized animal models, which places considerable restrictions on behavior and affects treatment. Thus, this work presents a wireless, wearable system to achieve ultrasound brain stimulation in freely behaving animals. METHODS The wearable tFUS system was developed based on a microcontroller and amplifier circuit. Brain activity induced by tFUS was monitored through cerebral hemodynamic changes using near-infrared spectroscopy. The system was also applied to stroke rehabilitation after temporal middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) in rats. Temperature calculations and histological results showed the safety of the application even with prolonged 40 min sonication. RESULTS The output ultrasonic wave produced from a custom PZT transducer had a central frequency of 457 kHz and peak to peak pressure of 426 kPa. The device weight was 20 g, allowing a full range of motion. The stimulation was found to induce hemodynamic changes in the sonicated area, while open-field tests showed that ultrasound applied to the ipsilateral hemisphere for 5 consecutive days after the stroke facilitated recovery. CONCLUSION The wearable tFUS system has been designed and implemented on moving rats. The results showed the ability of device to cause both short- and long lasting effects. SIGNIFICANCE The proposed device provides a more natural environment to investigate the effects of tFUS for behavioral and long-term studies.
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227
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Tarnaud T, Joseph W, Schoeters R, Martens L, Tanghe E. Membrane Charge Oscillations During Ultrasonic Neuromodulation by Intramembrane Cavitation. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:2892-2903. [PMID: 34086559 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3086594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the importance of membrane charge oscillations and redistribution in multi-compartmental ultrasonic neuromodulation (UNMOD) intramembrane cavitation models. METHODS The Neuronal Intramembrane Cavitation Excitation (NICE) model and multiScale Optimized model of Neuronal Intramembrane Cavitation (SONIC) of UNMOD are compared for a nanoscale multi-compartmental and point neuron approximation of the bilayer sonophore and surrounding proteins. The temporal dynamics of charge oscillations and their effect on the resulting voltage oscillations are investigated by fourier series analysis. RESULTS Comparison of excitation thresholds and neuronal response between nanoscale multi-compartmental and point models, implemented in the SONIC and NICE framework, demonstrates that the explicit modeling of fast spatial charge redistribution is critical for an accurate multi-compartmental UNMOD-model. Furthermore, the importance of modeling partial protein coverage is quantified by the excitability thresholds. Subsequently, we establish by fourier analysis that these charge oscillations are slowly changing in time. CONCLUSION Fast charge redistribution significantly alters neuronal excitability in a multi-compartmental nanoscale UNMOD-model. Also the mutual exclusivity between protein and sonophore coverage should be taken into account, when simulating the dependency of neuronal excitability on coverage fractions. Charge oscillations are periodic and their fourier components change on a slow timescale. Furthermore, the resulting voltage oscillations decrease in energy with overtone number, implying that an extension of the existing multiscale model (SONIC) to multi-compartmental neurons is possible by taking into account a limited number of fourier components. SIGNIFICANCE First steps are taken towards a morphologically realistic and computationally efficient UNMOD-model, improving our understanding of the underlying ultrasonic neuromodulation mechanisms.
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228
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Yu K, Liu C, Niu X, He B. Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of Voluntary Movement-Related Cortical Activity in Humans. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:1923-1931. [PMID: 33055021 PMCID: PMC8046844 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2020.3030892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging non-invasive brain stimulation tool for safely and reversibly modulating brain circuits. The effectiveness of tFUS on human brain has been demonstrated, but how tFUS influences the human voluntary motor processing in the brain remains unclear. METHODS We apply low-intensity tFUS to modulate the movement-related cortical potential (MRCP) originating from human subjects practicing a voluntary foot tapping task. 64-channel electroencephalograph (EEG) is recorded concurrently and further used to reconstruct the brain source activity specifically at the primary leg motor cortical area using the electrophysiological source imaging (ESI). RESULTS The ESI illustrates the ultrasound modulated MRCP source dynamics with high spatiotemporal resolutions. The MRCP source is imaged and its source profile is further evaluated for assessing the tFUS neuromodulatory effects on the voluntary MRCP. Moreover, the effect of ultrasound pulse repetition frequency (UPRF) is further assessed in modulating the MRCP. The ESI results show that tFUS significantly increases the MRCP source profile amplitude (MSPA) comparing to a sham ultrasound condition, and further, a high UPRF enhances the MSPA more than a low UPRF does. CONCLUSION The present results demonstrate the neuromodulatory effects of the low-intensity tFUS on enhancing the human voluntary movement-related cortical activities evidenced through the ESI. SIGNIFICANCE This work provides the first evidence of tFUS enhancing the human endogenous motor cortical activities through excitatory modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yu
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Xiaodan Niu
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bin He
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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229
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Xian Q, Qiu Z, Kala S, Wong KF, Guo J, Sun L. Behavioral and Functional Assessment of Ultrasound Neuromodulation on Caenorhabditis Elegans. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:2150-2154. [PMID: 33556006 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2021.3057873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound brain stimulation is a promising modality for probing brain function and treating brain diseases. However, its mechanism is as yet unclear, and in vivo effects are not well-understood. Here, we present a top-down strategy for assessing ultrasound bioeffects in vivo, using Caenorhabditis elegans. Behavioral and functional changes of single worms and of large populations upon ultrasound stimulation were studied. Worms were observed to significantly increase their average speed upon ultrasound stimulation, adapting to it upon continued treatment. Worms also generated more reversal turns when ultrasound was ON, and within a minute post-stimulation, they performed significantly more reversal and omega turns than prior to ultrasound. In addition, in vivo calcium imaging showed that the neural activity in the worms' heads and tails was increased significantly by ultrasound stimulation. In all, we conclude that ultrasound can directly activate the neurons of worms in vivo, in both of their major neuronal ganglia, and modify their behavior.
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230
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Qiu Z, Kala S, Guo J, Xian Q, Zhu J, Zhu T, Hou X, Wong KF, Yang M, Wang H, Sun L. Targeted Neurostimulation in Mouse Brains with Non-invasive Ultrasound. Cell Rep 2021; 32:108033. [PMID: 32814040 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently developed brain stimulation techniques have significantly advanced our ability to manipulate the brain's function. However, stimulating specific neurons in a desired region without significant surgical invasion remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a neuron-specific and region-targeted neural excitation strategy using non-invasive ultrasound through activation of heterologously expressed mechanosensitive ion channels (MscL-G22S). Low-intensity ultrasound is significantly better at inducing Ca2+ influx and neuron activation in vitro and at evoking electromyogram (EMG) responses in vivo in targeted cells expressing MscL-G22S. Neurons in the cerebral cortex or dorsomedial striatum of mice are made to express MscL-G22S and stimulated ultrasonically. We find significant upregulation of c-Fos in neuron nuclei only in the regions expressing MscL-G22S compared with the non-MscL controls, as well as in various other regions in the same brain. Thus, we detail an effective approach for activating specific regions and cell types in intact mouse brains by sensitizing them to ultrasound using a mechanosensitive ion channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihai Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Shashwati Kala
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Jinghui Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Quanxiang Xian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Jiejun Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Ting Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Xuandi Hou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Kin Fung Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Minyi Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Haoru Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China, 999077.
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Zhang M, Li B, Lv X, Liu S, Liu Y, Tang R, Lang Y, Huang Q, He J. Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Attenuation of Acute Seizure Activity Based on EEG Brain Functional Connectivity. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060711. [PMID: 34071964 PMCID: PMC8228165 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Ultrasound has been used for noninvasive stimulation and is a promising technique for treating neurological diseases. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, that is attributed to uncontrollable abnormal neuronal hyperexcitability. Abnormal synchronized activities can be observed across multiple brain regions during a seizure. (2) Methods: we used low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to sonicate the brains of epileptic rats, analyzed the EEG functional brain network to explore the effect of LIFU on the epileptic brain network, and continued to explore the mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation. LIFU was used in the hippocampus of epileptic rats in which a seizure was induced by kainic acid. (3) Results: By comparing the brain network characteristics before and after sonication, we found that LIFU significantly impacted the functional brain network, especially in the low-frequency band. The brain network connection strength across multiple brain regions significantly decreased after sonication compared to the connection strength in the control group. The brain network indicators (the path length, clustering coefficient, small-worldness, local efficiency and global efficiency) all changed significantly in the low-frequency. (4) Conclusions: These results revealed that LIFU could reduce the network connections of epilepsy circuits and change the structure of the brain network at the whole-brain level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjian Zhang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Bo Li
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Xiaodong Lv
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (X.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Sican Liu
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Yafei Liu
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Rongyu Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (X.L.); (Y.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Yiran Lang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (X.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Qiang Huang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Jiping He
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; (M.Z.); (B.L.); (S.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.H.); (J.H.)
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Effects of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation on Trigeminal Blink Reflex Excitability. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050645. [PMID: 34063492 PMCID: PMC8156436 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) modulates sensorimotor cortex excitability. However, no study has assessed possible TUS effects on the excitability of deeper brain areas, such as the brainstem. In this study, we investigated whether TUS delivered on the substantia nigra, superior colliculus, and nucleus raphe magnus modulates the excitability of trigeminal blink reflex, a reliable neurophysiological technique to assess brainstem functions in humans. The recovery cycle of the trigeminal blink reflex (interstimulus intervals of 250 and 500 ms) was tested before (T0), and 3 (T1) and 30 min (T2) after TUS. The effects of substantia nigra-TUS, superior colliculus-TUS, nucleus raphe magnus-TUS and sham-TUS were assessed in separate and randomized sessions. In the superior colliculus-TUS session, the conditioned R2 area increased at T1 compared with T0, while T2 and T0 values did not differ. Results were independent of the interstimulus intervals tested and were not related to trigeminal blink reflex baseline (T0) excitability. Conversely, the conditioned R2 area was comparable at T0, T1, and T2 in the nucleus raphe magnus-TUS and substantia nigra-TUS sessions. Our findings demonstrate that the excitability of brainstem circuits, as evaluated by testing the recovery cycle of the trigeminal blink reflex, can be increased by TUS. This result may reflect the modulation of inhibitory interneurons within the superior colliculus.
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233
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Yang Y, Pacia CP, Ye D, Zhu L, Baek H, Yue Y, Yuan J, Miller MJ, Cui J, Culver JP, Bruchas MR, Chen H. Sonothermogenetics for noninvasive and cell-type specific deep brain neuromodulation. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:790-800. [PMID: 33989819 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critical advances in the investigation of brain functions and treatment of brain disorders are hindered by our inability to selectively target neurons in a noninvasive manner in the deep brain. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop sonothermogenetics for noninvasive, deep-penetrating, and cell-type-specific neuromodulation by combining a thermosensitive ion channel TRPV1 with focused ultrasound (FUS)-induced brief, non-noxious thermal effect. METHODS The sensitivity of TRPV1 to FUS sonication was evaluated in vitro. It was followed by in vivo assessment of sonothermogenetics in the activation of genetically defined neurons in the mouse brain by two-photon calcium imaging. Behavioral response evoked by sonothermogenetic stimulation at a deep brain target was recorded in freely moving mice. Immunohistochemistry staining of ex vivo brain slices was performed to evaluate the safety of FUS sonication. RESULTS TRPV1 was found to be an ultrasound-sensitive ion channel. FUS sonication at the mouse brain in vivo selectively activated neurons that were genetically modified to express TRPV1. Temporally precise activation of TRPV1-expressing neurons was achieved with its success rate linearly correlated with the peak temperature within the FUS-targeted brain region as measured by in vivo magnetic resonance thermometry. FUS stimulation of TRPV1-expressing neurons at the striatum repeatedly evoked locomotor behavior in freely moving mice. FUS sonication was confirmed to be safe based on inspection of neuronal integrity, inflammation, and apoptosis markers. CONCLUSIONS This noninvasive and cell-type-specific neuromodulation approach with the capability to stimulate deep brain has the promise to advance the study of the intact nervous system and uncover new ways to treat neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoheng Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Christopher Pham Pacia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Dezhuang Ye
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Lifei Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Hongchae Baek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Yimei Yue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Jinyun Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Mark J Miller
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Joseph P Culver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA; Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
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234
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Hung TH, Liu YC, Wu CH, Chen CC, Chao H, Yang FY, Chen SF. Antenatal low-intensity pulsed ultrasound reduces neurobehavioral deficits and brain injury following dexamethasone-induced intrauterine growth restriction. BRAIN PATHOLOGY (ZURICH, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 31:e12968. [PMID: 33960564 PMCID: PMC8549022 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity, and IUGR survivors are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental deficits. No effective interventions are currently available to improve the structure and function of the IUGR brain before birth. This study investigated the protective effects of low‐intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes and brain injury using a rat model of IUGR induced by maternal exposure to dexamethasone (DEX). Pregnant rats were treated with DEX (200 μg/kg, s.c.) and LIPUS daily from gestational day (GD) 14 to 19. Behavioral assessments were performed on the IUGR offspring to examine neurological function. Neuropathology, levels of neurotrophic factors, and CaMKII‐Akt‐related molecules were assessed in the IUGR brain, and expression of glucose and amino acid transporters and neurotrophic factors were examined in the placenta. Maternal LIPUS treatment increased fetal weight, fetal liver weight, and placental weight following IUGR. LIPUS treatment also increased neuronal number and myelin protein expression in the IUGR brain, and attenuated neurodevelopmental deficits at postnatal day (PND) 18. However, the number of oligodendrocytes or microglia was not affected. These changes were associated with the upregulation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and placental growth factor (PlGF) protein expression, and enhancement of neuronal CaMKII and Akt activation in the IUGR brain at PND 1. Additionally, LIPUS treatment promoted glucose transporter (GLUT) 1 production and BDNF expression in the placenta, but had no effects on GLUT3 or amino acid transporter expression. Our findings suggest that antenatal LIPUS treatment may reduce IUGR‐induced brain injury via enhancing cerebral BDNF/CaMKII/Akt signaling. These data provide new evidence that LIPUS stimulation could be considered for antenatal neuroprotective therapy in IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai-Ho Hung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hu Wu
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Cheng Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Gerontology and Health Care Management, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsien Chao
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yi Yang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Fu Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
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235
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Li X, Xiong H, Rommelfanger N, Xu X, Youn J, Slesinger PA, Hong G, Qin Z. Nanotransducers for Wireless Neuromodulation. MATTER 2021; 4:1484-1510. [PMID: 33997768 PMCID: PMC8117115 DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2021.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the signal transmission and processing within the central nervous system (CNS) is a grand challenge in neuroscience. The past decade has witnessed significant advances in the development of new tools to address this challenge. Development of these new tools draws diverse expertise from genetics, materials science, electrical engineering, photonics and other disciplines. Among these tools, nanomaterials have emerged as a unique class of neural interfaces due to their small size, remote coupling and conversion of different energy modalities, various delivery methods, and mitigated chronic immune responses. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in nanotransducers to modulate and interface with the neural system without physical wires. Nanotransducers work collectively to modulate brain activity through optogenetic, mechanical, thermal, electrical and chemical modalities. We will compare important parameters among these techniques including the invasiveness, spatiotemporal precision, cell-type specificity, brain penetration, and translation to large animals and humans. Important areas for future research include a better understanding of the nanomaterials-brain interface, integration of sensing capability for bidirectional closed-loop neuromodulation, and genetically engineered functional materials for cell-type specific neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuying Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Hejian Xiong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Nicholas Rommelfanger
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xueqi Xu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Jonghae Youn
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Paul A. Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY,10029, USA
| | - Guosong Hong
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Zhenpeng Qin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75080, USA
- The Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75080, USA
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236
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Yu K, Niu X, Krook-Magnuson E, He B. Intrinsic functional neuron-type selectivity of transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2519. [PMID: 33947867 PMCID: PMC8097024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22743-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising neuromodulation technique, but its mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that if tFUS parameters exhibit distinct modulation effects in different neuron populations, then the mechanism can be understood through identifying unique features in these neuron populations. In this work, we investigate the effect of tFUS stimulation on different functional neuron types in in vivo anesthetized rodent brains. Single neuron recordings were separated into regular-spiking and fast-spiking units based on their extracellular spike shapes acquired through intracranial electrophysiological recordings, and further validated in transgenic optogenetic mice models of light-excitable excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We show that excitatory and inhibitory neurons are intrinsically different in response to ultrasound pulse repetition frequency (PRF). The results suggest that we can preferentially target specific neuron types noninvasively by tuning the tFUS PRF. Chemically deafened rats and genetically deafened mice were further tested for validating the directly local neural effects induced by tFUS without potential auditory confounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Xiaodan Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Bin He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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237
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Montanaro H, Pasquinelli C, Lee HJ, Kim H, Siebner HR, Kuster N, Thielscher A, Neufeld E. The impact of CT image parameters and skull heterogeneity modeling on the accuracy of transcranial focused ultrasound simulations. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33836508 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abf68d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective. Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique. TUS can reach deeper areas and target smaller regions in the brain than other NIBS techniques, but its application in humans is hampered by the lack of a straightforward and reliable procedure to predict the induced ultrasound exposure. Here, we examined how skull modeling affects computer simulations of TUS.Approach. We characterized the ultrasonic beam after transmission through a sheep skull with a hydrophone and performed computed tomography (CT) image-based simulations of the experimental setup. To study the skull model's impact, we varied: CT acquisition parameters (tube voltage, dose, filter sharpness), image interpolation, segmentation parameters, acoustic property maps (speed-of-sound, density, attenuation), and transducer-position mismatches. We compared the impact of modeling parameter changes on model predictions and on measurement agreement. Spatial-peak intensity and location, total power, and the Gamma metric (a measure for distribution differences) were used as quantitative criteria. Modeling-based sensitivity analysis was also performed for two human head models.Main results. Sheep skull attenuation assignment and transducer positioning had the most important impact on spatial peak intensity (overestimation up to 300%, respectively 30%), followed by filter sharpness and tube voltage (up to 20%), requiring calibration of the mapping functions. Positioning and skull-heterogeneity-structure strongly affected the intensity distribution (gamma tolerances exceeded in>80%, respectively>150%, of the focus-volume in water), necessitating image-based personalized modeling. Simulation results in human models consistently demonstrate a high sensitivity to the skull-heterogeneity model, attenuation tuning, and transducer shifts, the magnitude of which depends on the underlying skull structure complexity.Significance. Our study reveals the importance of properly modeling the skull-heterogeneity and its structure and of accurately reproducing the transducer position. The results raise red flags when translating modeling approaches among clinical sites without proper standardization and/or recalibration of the imaging and modeling parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazael Montanaro
- Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT'IS), Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland.,Laboratory for Acoustics/Noise Control, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland.,The authors contributed equally to the work
| | - Cristina Pasquinelli
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.,The authors contributed equally to the work
| | - Hyunjoo J Lee
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunggug Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hartwig R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurology , Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Kuster
- Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT'IS), Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Axel Thielscher
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Center for Magnetic Resonance, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Esra Neufeld
- Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT'IS), Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
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238
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Webb TD, Leung SA, Ghanouni P, Dahl JJ, Pelc NJ, Pauly KB. Acoustic Attenuation: Multifrequency Measurement and Relationship to CT and MR Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:1532-1545. [PMID: 33226938 PMCID: PMC8580404 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2020.3039743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS) is gaining significant acceptance as a noninvasive treatment for motion disorders and shows promise for novel applications such as blood-brain barrier opening for tumor treatment. A typical procedure relies on CT-derived acoustic property maps to simulate the transfer of ultrasound through the skull. Accurate estimates of the acoustic attenuation in the skull are essential to accurate simulations, but there is no consensus about how attenuation should be estimated from CT images and there is interest in exploring MR as a predictor of attenuation in the skull. In this study, we measure the acoustic attenuation at 0.5, 1, and 2.25 MHz in 89 samples taken from two ex vivo human skulls. CT scans acquired with a variety of X-ray energies, reconstruction kernels, and reconstruction algorithms, and MR images acquired with ultrashort and zero echo time sequences are used to estimate the average Hounsfield unit value, MR magnitude, and T2* value in each sample. The measurements are used to develop a model of attenuation as a function of frequency and each individual imaging parameter.
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239
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Asan AS, Kang Q, Oralkan Ö, Sahin M. Entrainment of cerebellar Purkinje cell spiking activity using pulsed ultrasound stimulation. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:598-606. [PMID: 33774207 PMCID: PMC8164992 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Focused ultrasound (FUS) has excellent characteristics over other non-invasive stimulation methods in terms of spatial resolution and steering capability of the target. FUS has not been tested in the cerebellar cortex and cellular effects of FUS are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS To investigate how the activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) is modulated by FUS with varying pulse durations and pulse repetition frequencies. METHODS A glass microelectrode was inserted into the cerebellar vermis lobule 6 from the dorsal side to extracellularly record single unit activity of the PCs in anesthetized rats. Ultrasonic stimulation (500 kHz) was applied through a coupling cone, filled with degassed water, from the posterior side to target the recording area with varying pulse durations and frequencies. RESULTS Simple spike (SS) activity of PCs was entrained by the FUS pattern where the probability of spike occurrences peaked at around 1 ms following the onset of the stimulus regardless of its duration (0.5, 1, or 2 ms). The level of entrainment was stronger with shorter pulse durations at 50-Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF), however, peri-event histograms spread wider and the peaks delayed slightly at 100-Hz PRF, suggesting involvement of a long-lasting inhibitory mechanism. There was no significant difference between the average firing rates in the baseline and stimulation periods. CONCLUSION FUS can entrain spiking activity of single cells on a spike-by-spike basis as demonstrated here in the rat cerebellar cortex. The observed modulation potentially results from the aggregate of excitatory and inhibitory effects of FUS on the entire cortical network rather than on the PCs alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet S Asan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Qi Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Ömer Oralkan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Mesut Sahin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
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240
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Liu C, Yu K, Niu X, He B. Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Enhances Sensory Discrimination Capability through Somatosensory Cortical Excitation. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2021; 47:1356-1366. [PMID: 33622622 PMCID: PMC8011531 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a non-invasive brain neuromodulation tool with high spatial specificity. Previous studies attributed tFUS-enhanced sensory performance to the ultrasound-induced inhibitory neural effects. However, to date there is no direct evidence validating the neural mechanism underlying ultrasound-mediated somatosensory enhancement. In this study, healthy human subjects (N = 9) were asked to perform tactile vibration frequency discrimination tasks while tFUS was directed onto the primary somatosensory cortex. During this task, we simultaneously recorded 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) signals and investigated the brain responses at both EEG sensors and source domains by means of electrophysiological source imaging (ESI). The behavioral results indicated that the subjects' discrimination ability was improved by tFUS with an increased percentage of correct responses. EEG and ESI results revealed that tFUS neuromodulation was able to improve sensory discrimination capability through excitatory effects at the targeted sensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kai Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xiaodan Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bin He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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241
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Guo H, Baker G, Hartle K, Fujiwara E, Wang J, Zhang Y, Xing J, Lyu H, Li XM, Chen J. Exploratory study on neurochemical effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in brains of mice. Med Biol Eng Comput 2021; 59:1099-1110. [PMID: 33881705 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-021-02351-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
There is now a relatively large body of evidence suggesting a relationship between dysfunction of myelin and oligodendrocytes and the etiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia, and also suggesting that ultrasound methods may alleviate some of the symptoms of depression. We have applied low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) to the brains of mice treated with the demyelinating drug cuprizone, a drug that has been used as the basis for a rodent model relevant to a number of psychiatric and neurologic disorders including depression, schizophrenia, and multiple sclerosis. Prior to conducting the studies in mice, preliminary studies were carried out on the effects of LIPUS in vitro in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells and primary glial cells. In subsequent studies in mice, female C57BL/6 mice were restrained in plastic tubes for 20 min daily with the ultrasound transducer near the end of the tube directly above the mouse's head. LIPUS was used at an intensity of 25 mW/cm2 once daily for 22 days in control mice and in mice undergoing daily repetitive restraint stress (RRS). Behavioral or neurochemical studies were done on the mice or the brain tissue obtained from them. The studies in vitro indicated that LIPUS stimulation at an intensity of 15 mW/cm2 delivered for 5 min daily for 3 days in an enclosed sterile cell culture plate in an incubator increased the viability of SH-SY5Y and primary glial cells. In the studies in mice, LIPUS elevated levels of doublecortin, a marker for neurogenesis, in the cortex compared to levels in the RRS mice and caused a trend in elevation of brain levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus relative to control levels. LIPUS also increased sucrose preference (a measure of the attenuation of anhedonia, a common symptom of several psychiatric disorders) in the RRS model in mice. The ability of LIPUS administered daily to rescue damaged myelin and oligodendrocytes was studied in mice treated chronically with cuprizone for 35 days. LIPUS increased cortex and corpus callosum levels of myelin basic protein, a protein marker for mature oligodendrocytes, and neural/glial antigen 2, a protein marker for oligodendrocyte precursor cells, relative to levels in the cuprizone + sham animals. These results of this exploratory study suggest that future comprehensive time-related studies with LIPUS on brain chemistry and behavior related to neuropsychiatric disorders are warranted. Exploratory Study on Neurochemical Effects of Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound in Brains of Mice. Upper part of figure: LIPUS device and in-vitro cell experimental set-up. The center image is the LIPUS generating box; the image in the upper left shows the cell experiment set-up; the image in the upper right shows a zoomed-in sketch for the cell experiment; the image in the lower left shows the set-up of repetitive restraint stress (RRS) with a mouse; the image in the lower middle shows the set-up of LIPUS treatment of a mouse; the image in the lower right shows a zoomed-in sketch for the LIPUS treatment of a mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huining Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada
| | - Glen Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kelly Hartle
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Esther Fujiwara
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Junhui Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada
| | - Yanbo Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada.,Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jida Xing
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Haiyan Lyu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xianyue Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Xin-Min Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, TGG 2B7, Canada. .,Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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242
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Yuan Y, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Yan J, Wang Z, Wang X, Liu M, Li X. The Effect of Low-Intensity Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation on Neural Oscillation and Hemodynamics in the Mouse Visual Cortex Depends on Anesthesia Level and Ultrasound Intensity. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:1619-1626. [PMID: 33434119 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3050797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can induce motor responses, neural oscillation and hemodynamic responses. Early studies demonstrated that the motor responses evoked by TUS critically depend on anesthesia levels and ultrasound intensity. However, the neural mechanism of how anesthesia levels and ultrasound intensity influence on brain responses during TUS has never been explored yet. To investigate this question, we applied different anesthesia levels and ultrasound intensities on the visual cortex of mouse and observed neural oscillation change and hemodynamic responses during TUS. METHODS low-intensity ultrasound was delivered to mouse visual cortex under different anesthesia levels, and simultaneous recordings for local field potentials (LFPs) and hemodynamic responses were carried out to measure and analyze the changes quantitatively. RESULTS (i) The change of mean amplitude and mean relative power of sharp wave-ripple (SPW-R) in LFPs induced by TUS decreased as the anesthesia level increased (from awake to 1.5% isoflurane). (ii) The hemodynamic response level induced by TUS decreased as the anesthesia level increased (from awake to1.5% isoflurane). (iii) The coupling strength between neural activities and hemodynamic responses was dependent on anesthesia level. (iv) The neural activities and hemodynamic responses increase as a function of ultrasound intensity. CONCLUSION These results support that the neural activities and hemodynamic response of the mouse visual cortex induced by TUS are related to the anesthesia level and ultrasound intensity. SIGNIFICANCE This finding suggests that careful maintenance of anesthesia level and ultrasound intensity is required to acquire accurate LFP and hemodynamic data from samples with TUS.
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Neuromodulation-Based Stem Cell Therapy in Brain Repair: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:735-745. [PMID: 33871821 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00667-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell transplantation holds a promising future for central nervous system repair. Current challenges, however, include spatially and temporally defined cell differentiation and maturation, plus the integration of transplanted neural cells into host circuits. Here we discuss the potential advantages of neuromodulation-based stem cell therapy, which can improve the viability and proliferation of stem cells, guide migration to the repair site, orchestrate the differentiation process, and promote the integration of neural circuitry for functional rehabilitation. All these advantages of neuromodulation make it one potentially valuable tool for further improving the efficiency of stem cell transplantation.
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Liu Y, Wang G, Cao C, Zhang G, Tanzi EB, Zhang Y, Zhou W, Li Y. Neuromodulation Effect of Very Low Intensity Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation on Multiple Nuclei in Rat Brain. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:656430. [PMID: 33935688 PMCID: PMC8081960 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.656430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique with high spatial resolution and feasible penetration depth. To date, the mechanisms of TUS modulated neural oscillations are not fully understood. This study designed a very low acoustic intensity (AI) TUS system that produces considerably reduced AI Ultrasound pulses (ISPTA < 0.5 W/cm2) when compared to previous methods used to measure regional neural oscillation patterns under different TUS parameters. Methods We recorded the local field potential (LFP) of five brain nuclei under TUS with three groups of simulating parameters. Spectrum estimation, time-frequency analysis (TFA), and relative power analysis methods have been applied to investigate neural oscillation patterns under different stimulation parameters. Results Under PRF, 500 Hz and 1 kHz TUS, high-amplitude LFP activity with the auto-rhythmic pattern appeared in selected nuclei when ISPTA exceeded 12 mW/cm2. With TFA, high-frequency energy (slow gamma and high gamma) was significantly increased during the auto-rhythmic patterns. We observed an initial plateau in nuclei response when ISPTA reached 16.4 mW/cm2 for RPF 500 Hz and 20.8 mW/cm2 for RPF 1 kHz. The number of responding nuclei started decreasing while ISPTA continued increasing. Under 1.5 kHz TUS, no auto-rhythmic patterns have been observed, but slow frequency power was increased during TUS. TUS inhibited most of the frequency band and generated obvious slow waves (theta and delta band) when stimulated at RPF = 1.5 kHz, ISPTA = 8.8 mW/cm2. Conclusion These results demonstrate that very low intensity Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (VLTUS) exerts significant neuromodulator effects under specific parameters in rat models and may be a valid tool to study neuronal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjian Liu
- School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Gang Wang
- School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Cao
- School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Gaorui Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.,School of Medical Imaging, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | | | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Weidong Zhou
- School of Microelectronics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yi Li
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Low-Intensity Ultrasound Causes Direct Excitation of Auditory Cortical Neurons. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:8855055. [PMID: 33883994 PMCID: PMC8041518 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8855055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cochlear implantation is the first-line treatment for severe and profound hearing loss in children and adults. However, deaf patients with cochlear malformations or with cochlear nerve deficiencies are ineligible for cochlear implants. Meanwhile, the limited spatial selectivity and high risk of invasive craniotomy restrict the wide application of auditory brainstem implants. A noninvasive alternative strategy for safe and effective neuronal stimulation is urgently needed to address this issue. Because of its advantage in neural modulation over electrical stimulation, low-intensity ultrasound (US) is considered a safe modality for eliciting neural activity in the central auditory system. Although the neural modulation ability of low-intensity US has been demonstrated in the human primary somatosensory cortex and primary visual cortex, whether low-intensity US can directly activate auditory cortical neurons is still a topic of debate. To clarify the direct effects on auditory neurons, in the present study, we employed low-intensity US to stimulate auditory cortical neurons in vitro. Our data show that both low-frequency (0.8 MHz) and high-frequency (>27 MHz) US stimulation can elicit the inward current and action potentials in cultured neurons. c-Fos staining results indicate that low-intensity US is efficient for stimulating most neurons. Our study suggests that low-intensity US can excite auditory cortical neurons directly, implying that US-induced neural modulation can be a potential approach for activating the auditory cortex of deaf patients.
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Yuan D, Tian H, Zhou Y, Wu J, Sun T, Xiao Z, Shang C, Wang J, Chen X, Sun Y, Tang J, Qiu S, Tan LH. Acupoint-brain (acubrain) mapping: Common and distinct cortical language regions activated by focused ultrasound stimulation on two language-relevant acupoints. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 215:104920. [PMID: 33561785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.104920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Acupuncture, taking the advantage of modality-specific neural pathways, has shown promising results in the treatment of brain disorders that affect different modalities such as pain and vision. However, the precise underlying mechanisms of within-modality neuromodulation of acupoints on human high-order cognition remain largely unknown. In the present study, we used a non-invasive and easy-operating method, focused ultrasound, to stimulate two language-relevant acupoints, namely GB39 (Xuanzhong) and SJ8 (Sanyangluo), of thirty healthy adults. The effect of focused ultrasound stimulation (FUS) on brain activation was examined by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that stimulating GB39 and SJ8 by FUS evoked overlapping but distinct brain activation patterns. Our findings provide a major step toward within-modality (in this case, language) acupoint-brain (acubrain) mapping and shed light on to the potential use of FUS as a personalized treatment option for brain disorders that affect high-level cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yuan
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration and Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haoyue Tian
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration and Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yulong Zhou
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration and Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinjian Wu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tong Sun
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhuoni Xiao
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration and Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunfeng Shang
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yimin Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical Systems Biology Research Center, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Joey Tang
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shijun Qiu
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Li Hai Tan
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration and Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China.
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Wear KA. Hydrophone Spatial Averaging Correction for Acoustic Exposure Measurements From Arrays-Part I: Theory and Impact on Diagnostic Safety Indexes. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:358-375. [PMID: 33186102 PMCID: PMC8325172 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2020.3037946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
This article reports underestimation of mechanical index (MI) and nonscanned thermal index for bone near focus (TIB) due to hydrophone spatial averaging effects that occur during acoustic output measurements for clinical linear and phased arrays. TIB is the appropriate version of thermal index (TI) for fetal imaging after ten weeks from the last menstrual period according to the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). Spatial averaging is particularly troublesome for highly focused beams and nonlinear, nonscanned modes such as acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) and pulsed Doppler. MI and variants of TI (e.g., TIB), which are displayed in real-time during imaging, are often not corrected for hydrophone spatial averaging because a standardized method for doing so does not exist for linear and phased arrays. A novel analytic inverse-filter method to correct for spatial averaging for pressure waves from linear and phased arrays is derived in this article (Part I) and experimentally validated in a companion article (Part II). A simulation was developed to estimate potential spatial-averaging errors for typical clinical ultrasound imaging systems based on the theoretical inverse filter and specifications for 124 scanner/transducer combinations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) database from 2015 to 2019. Specifications included center frequency, aperture size, acoustic output parameters, hydrophone geometrical sensitive element diameter, etc. Correction for hydrophone spatial averaging using the inverse filter suggests that maximally achievable values for MI, TIB, thermal dose ( t 43 ), and spatial-peak-temporal-average intensity ( [Formula: see text]) for typical clinical systems are potentially higher than uncorrected values by (means ± standard deviations) 9% ± 4% (ARFI MI), 19% ± 15% (ARFI TIB), 50% ± 41% (ARFI t 43 ), 43% ± 39% (ARFI [Formula: see text]), 7% ± 5% (pulsed Doppler MI), 15% ± 11% (pulsed Doppler TIB), 42% ± 31% (pulsed Doppler t 43 ), and 33% ± 27% (pulsed Doppler [Formula: see text]). These values correspond to frequencies of 3.2 ± 1.3 (ARFI) and 4.1 ± 1.4 MHz (pulsed Doppler), and the model predicts that they would increase with frequency. Inverse filtering for hydrophone spatial averaging significantly improves the accuracy of estimates of MI, TIB, t 43 , and [Formula: see text] for ARFI and pulsed Doppler signals.
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Collins MN, Legon W, Mesce KA. The Inhibitory Thermal Effects of Focused Ultrasound on an Identified, Single Motoneuron. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0514-20.2021. [PMID: 33853851 PMCID: PMC8174046 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0514-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (US) is an emerging neuromodulation technology that has gained much attention because of its ability to modulate, noninvasively, neuronal activity in a variety of animals, including humans. However, there has been considerable debate about exactly which types of neurons can be influenced and what underlying mechanisms are in play. Are US-evoked motor changes driven indirectly by activated mechanosensory inputs, or more directly via central interneurons or motoneurons? Although it has been shown that US can mechanically depolarize mechanosensory neurons, there are no studies that have yet tested how identified motoneurons respond directly to US and what the underlying mechanism might be. Here, we examined the effects of US on a single, identified motoneuron within a well-studied and tractable invertebrate preparation, the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana Our approach aimed to clarify single neuronal responses to US, which may be obscured in other studies whereby US is applied across a diverse population of cells. We found that US has the ability to inhibit tonic spiking activity through a predominately thermal mechanism. US-evoked effects persisted after blocking synaptic inputs, indicating that its actions were direct. Experiments also revealed that US-comparable heating blocked the axonal conduction of spontaneous action potentials. Finally, we found no evidence that US had significant mechanical effects on the neurons tested, a finding counter to prevailing views. We conclude that a non-sensory neuron can be directly inhibited via a thermal mechanism, a finding that holds promise for clinical neuromodulatory applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan N Collins
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
| | - Wynn Legon
- Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22901
| | - Karen A Mesce
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
- Departments of Entomology and Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
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Lee W, Weisholtz DS, Strangman GE, Yoo SS. Safety Review and Perspectives of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Brain Stimulation. BRAIN & NEUROREHABILITATION 2021; 14:e4. [PMID: 36742103 PMCID: PMC9879416 DOI: 10.12786/bn.2021.14.e4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound is an important theragnostic modality in modern medicine. Technical advancement of both acoustic focusing and transcranial delivery have enabled administration of ultrasound waves to localized brain areas with few millimeters of spatial specificity and penetration depth sufficient to reach the thalamus. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) given at a low acoustic intensity has been shown to increase or suppress the excitability of region-specific brain areas. The neuromodulatory effects can outlast the sonication, suggesting the possibility of inducing neural plasticity needed for neurorehabilitation. Increasing numbers of studies have shown the efficacy and excellent safety profile of the technique, yet comparisons among the safety-related parameters have not been compiled. This review aims to provide safety information and perspectives of tFUS brain stimulation. First, the acoustic parameters most relevant to thermal/mechanical tissue damage are discussed along with regulated parameters for existing ultrasound therapies/diagnostic imaging. Subsequently, the parameters used in studies of large animals, non-human primates, and humans are surveyed and summarized in terms of the acoustic intensity and the mechanical index. The pulse-mode operation and the use of low ultrasound frequency for tFUS-mediated brain stimulation warrant the establishment of new safety guidelines/recommendations for the use of the technique among healthy volunteers, with additional cautionary requirements for its clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonhye Lee
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel S. Weisholtz
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gary E. Strangman
- Neural Systems Group, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Translational Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Lee SA, Kamimura HAS, Konofagou EE. Displacement Imaging During Focused Ultrasound Median Nerve Modulation: A Preliminary Study in Human Pain Sensation Mitigation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:526-537. [PMID: 32746236 PMCID: PMC7858702 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2020.3014183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS)-based viscoelastic imaging techniques using high frame rate (HFR) ultrasound to track tissue displacement can be used for mechanistic monitoring of FUS neuromodulation. However, a majority of techniques avoid imaging during the active push transmit (interleaved or postpush acquisitions) to mitigate ultrasound interference, which leads to missing temporal information of ultrasound effects when FUS is being applied. Furthermore, critical for clinical translation, use of both axial steering and real-time (<1 s) capabilities for optimizing acoustic parameters for tissue engagement are largely missing. In this study, we describe a method of noninterleaved, single Vantage imaging displacement within an active FUS push with simultaneous axial steering and real-time capabilities using a single ultrasound acquisition machine. Results show that the pulse sequence can track micron-sized displacements using frame rates determined by the calculated time-of-flight (TOF), without interleaving the FUS pulses and imaging acquisition. Decimation by 3-7 frames increases signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by 15.09±7.03 dB. Benchmarking tests of CUDA-optimized code show increase in processing speed of 35- and 300-fold in comparison with MATLAB parallel processing GPU and CPU functions, respectively, and we can estimate displacement from steered push beams ±10 mm from the geometric focus. Preliminary validation of displacement imaging in humans shows that the same driving pressures led to variable nerve engagement, demonstrating important feedback to improve transducer coupling, FUS incident angle, and targeting. Regarding the use of our technique for neuromodulation, we found that FUS altered thermal perception of thermal pain by 0.9643 units of pain ratings in a single trial. Additionally, 5 [Formula: see text] of nerve displacement was shown in on-target versus off-target sonications. The initial feasibility in healthy volunteers warrants further study for potential clinical translation of FUS for pain suppression.
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