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Hou JF, Nayeem MOG, Caplan KA, Ruesch EA, Caban-Murillo A, Criado-Hidalgo E, Ornellas SB, Williams B, Pearce AA, Dagdeviren HE, Surets M, White JA, Shapiro MG, Wang F, Ramirez S, Dagdeviren C. An implantable piezoelectric ultrasound stimulator (ImPULS) for deep brain activation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4601. [PMID: 38834558 PMCID: PMC11150473 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Precise neurostimulation can revolutionize therapies for neurological disorders. Electrode-based stimulation devices face challenges in achieving precise and consistent targeting due to the immune response and the limited penetration of electrical fields. Ultrasound can aid in energy propagation, but transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the deep brain has limited spatial resolution caused by bone and tissue scattering. Here, we report an implantable piezoelectric ultrasound stimulator (ImPULS) that generates an ultrasonic focal pressure of 100 kPa to modulate the activity of neurons. ImPULS is a fully-encapsulated, flexible piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer that incorporates a biocompatible piezoceramic, potassium sodium niobate [(K,Na)NbO3]. The absence of electrochemically active elements poses a new strategy for achieving long-term stability. We demonstrated that ImPULS can i) excite neurons in a mouse hippocampal slice ex vivo, ii) activate cells in the hippocampus of an anesthetized mouse to induce expression of activity-dependent gene c-Fos, and iii) stimulate dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta to elicit time-locked modulation of nigrostriatal dopamine release. This work introduces a non-genetic ultrasound platform for spatially-localized neural stimulation and exploration of basic functions in the deep brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason F Hou
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Kian A Caplan
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Evan A Ruesch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, 02215, MA, USA
| | - Albit Caban-Murillo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, 02215, MA, USA
| | - Ernesto Criado-Hidalgo
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Sarah B Ornellas
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Brandon Williams
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ayeilla A Pearce
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Huseyin E Dagdeviren
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, 34093, Turkey
| | - Michelle Surets
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, 02215, MA, USA
| | - John A White
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mikhail G Shapiro
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, 02215, MA, USA
| | - Canan Dagdeviren
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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2
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Hsieh TH, Chu PC, Nguyen TXD, Kuo CW, Chang PK, Chen KHS, Liu HL. Neuromodulatory Responses Elicited by Intermittent versus Continuous Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Motor Cortex in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5687. [PMID: 38891875 PMCID: PMC11171676 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) has emerged as a promising neuromodulation technique that delivers acoustic energy with high spatial resolution for inducing long-term potentiation (LTP)- or depression (LTD)-like plasticity. The variability in the primary effects of tFUS-induced plasticity could be due to different stimulation patterns, such as intermittent versus continuous, and is an aspect that requires further detailed exploration. In this study, we developed a platform to evaluate the neuromodulatory effects of intermittent and continuous tFUS on motor cortical plasticity before and after tFUS application. Three groups of rats were exposed to either intermittent, continuous, or sham tFUS. We analyzed the neuromodulatory effects on motor cortical excitability by examining changes in motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We also investigated the effects of different stimulation patterns on excitatory and inhibitory neural biomarkers, examining c-Fos and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-65) expression using immunohistochemistry staining. Additionally, we evaluated the safety of tFUS by analyzing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression. The current results indicated that intermittent tFUS produced a facilitation effect on motor excitability, while continuous tFUS significantly inhibited motor excitability. Furthermore, neither tFUS approach caused injury to the stimulation sites in rats. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed increased c-Fos and decreased GAD-65 expression following intermittent tFUS. Conversely, continuous tFUS downregulated c-Fos and upregulated GAD-65 expression. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that both intermittent and continuous tFUS effectively modulate cortical excitability. The neuromodulatory effects may result from the activation or deactivation of cortical neurons following tFUS intervention. These effects are considered safe and well-tolerated, highlighting the potential for using different patterns of tFUS in future clinical neuromodulatory applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Hsun Hsieh
- School of Physical Therapy, Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.X.D.N.); (C.-W.K.); (P.-K.C.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
- Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chun Chu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;
| | - Thi Xuan Dieu Nguyen
- School of Physical Therapy, Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.X.D.N.); (C.-W.K.); (P.-K.C.)
| | - Chi-Wei Kuo
- School of Physical Therapy, Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.X.D.N.); (C.-W.K.); (P.-K.C.)
| | - Pi-Kai Chang
- School of Physical Therapy, Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.X.D.N.); (C.-W.K.); (P.-K.C.)
| | - Kai-Hsiang Stanley Chen
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu 300195, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;
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3
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Winkler-Ferenczi Z, Pelyvas B, Nagy M, Marosi M, Beresova M, Varga R, Bencze J, Szucs P, Berenyi E, Englohner A, Meszar Z, Papp T. Repeated diagnostic ultrasound exposure modifies the structural properties of CA1 dendrites and alters the hippocampal transcriptome. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11713. [PMID: 38778177 PMCID: PMC11111781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62621-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of neurons is regulated by several spatiotemporally changing factors, which are crucial to give the ability of neurons to form functional networks. While external physical stimuli may impact the early developmental stages of neurons, the medium and long-term consequences of these influences have yet to be thoroughly examined. Using an animal model, this study focuses on the morphological and transcriptome changes of the hippocampus that may occur as a consequence of fetal ultrasound examination. We selectively labeled CA1 neurons of the hippocampus with in-utero electroporation to analyze their morphological features. Furthermore, certain samples also went through RNA sequencing after repetitive ultrasound exposure. US exposure significantly changed several morphological properties of the basal dendritic tree. A notable increase was also observed in the density of spines on the basal dendrites, accompanied by various alterations in individual spine morphology. Transcriptome analysis revealed several up or downregulated genes, which may explain the molecular background of these alterations. Our results suggest that US-derived changes in the dendritic trees of CA1 pyramidal cells might be connected to modification of the transcriptome of the hippocampus and may lead to an increased dendritic input.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bence Pelyvas
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Marianna Nagy
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Maria Marosi
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Monika Beresova
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Rita Varga
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Janos Bencze
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Peter Szucs
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
- HUN-REN-DE Neuroscience Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ervin Berenyi
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Angelika Englohner
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Zoltan Meszar
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032
| | - Tamas Papp
- Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 4032.
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Osada T, Konishi S. Noninvasive intervention by transcranial ultrasound stimulation: Modulation of neural circuits and its clinical perspectives. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 78:273-281. [PMID: 38505983 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Low-intensity focused transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is an emerging noninvasive technique capable of stimulating both the cerebral cortex and deep brain structures with high spatial precision. This method is recognized for its potential to comprehensively perturb various brain regions, enabling the modulation of neural circuits, in a manner not achievable through conventional magnetic or electrical brain stimulation techniques. The underlying mechanisms of neuromodulation are based on a phenomenon where mechanical waves of ultrasound kinetically interact with neurons, specifically affecting neuronal membranes and mechanosensitive channels. This interaction induces alterations in the excitability of neurons within the stimulated region. In this review, we briefly present the fundamental principles of ultrasound physics and the physiological mechanisms of TUS neuromodulation. We explain the experimental apparatus and procedures for TUS in humans. Due to the focality, the integration of various methods, including magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance-guided neuronavigation systems, is important to perform TUS experiments for precise targeting. We then review the current state of the literature on TUS neuromodulation, with a particular focus on human subjects, targeting both the cerebral cortex and deep subcortical structures. Finally, we outline future perspectives of TUS in clinical applications in psychiatric and neurological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Osada
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiki Konishi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Research Institute for Diseases of Old Age, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Sportology Center, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Advanced Research Institute for Health Science, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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5
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Mesik L, Parkins S, Severin D, Grier BD, Ewall G, Kotha S, Wesselborg C, Moreno C, Jaoui Y, Felder A, Huang B, Johnson MB, Harrigan TP, Knight AE, Lani SW, Lemaire T, Kirkwood A, Hwang GM, Lee HK. Transcranial Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Visual Thalamus Produces Long-Term Depression of Thalamocortical Synapses in the Adult Visual Cortex. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0784232024. [PMID: 38316559 PMCID: PMC10941064 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0784-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, which can penetrate deeper and modulate neural activity with a greater spatial resolution (on the order of millimeters) than currently available noninvasive brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). While there are several studies demonstrating the ability of tFUS to modulate neuronal activity, it is unclear whether it can be used for producing long-term plasticity as needed to modify circuit function, especially in adult brain circuits with limited plasticity such as the thalamocortical synapses. Here we demonstrate that transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) stimulation of the visual thalamus (dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, dLGN), a deep brain structure, leads to NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term depression of its synaptic transmission onto layer 4 neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) of adult mice of both sexes. This change is not accompanied by large increases in neuronal activity, as visualized using the cFos Targeted Recombination in Active Populations (cFosTRAP2) mouse line, or activation of microglia, which was assessed with IBA-1 staining. Using a model (SONIC) based on the neuronal intramembrane cavitation excitation (NICE) theory of ultrasound neuromodulation, we find that the predicted activity pattern of dLGN neurons upon sonication is state-dependent with a range of activity that falls within the parameter space conducive for inducing long-term synaptic depression. Our results suggest that noninvasive transcranial LIFU stimulation has a potential for recovering long-term plasticity of thalamocortical synapses in the postcritical period adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Mesik
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Samuel Parkins
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Cell Molecular Developmental Biology and Biophysics Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Daniel Severin
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Bryce D Grier
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Gabrielle Ewall
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Sumasri Kotha
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Christian Wesselborg
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Cell Molecular Developmental Biology and Biophysics Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Cristian Moreno
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Yanis Jaoui
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Adrianna Felder
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Brian Huang
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Marina B Johnson
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Timothy P Harrigan
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Anna E Knight
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Shane W Lani
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Théo Lemaire
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York 10016
| | - Alfredo Kirkwood
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Grace M Hwang
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Zanvyl-Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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6
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Strohman A, Isaac G, Payne B, Verdonk C, Khalsa SS, Legon W. Low-intensity focused ultrasound to the human insular cortex differentially modulates the heartbeat-evoked potential: a proof-of-concept study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584152. [PMID: 38559271 PMCID: PMC10979877 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Background The heartbeat evoked potential (HEP) is a brain response time-locked to the heartbeat and a potential marker of interoceptive processing. The insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) are brain regions that may be involved in generating the HEP. Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that can selectively target sub-regions of the insula and dACC to better understand their contributions to the HEP. Objective Proof-of-concept study to determine whether LIFU modulation of the anterior insula (AI), posterior insula (PI), and dACC influences the HEP. Methods In a within-subject, repeated-measures design, healthy human participants (n=16) received 10 minutes of stereotaxically targeted LIFU to the AI, PI, dACC or Sham at rest during continuous electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) recording on separate days. Primary outcome was change in HEP amplitudes. Relationships between LIFU pressure and HEP changes were examined using linear mixed modelling. Peripheral indices of visceromotor output including heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) were explored between conditions. Results Relative to sham, LIFU to the PI, but not AI or dACC, decreased HEP amplitudes; this was partially explained by increased LIFU pressure. LIFU did not affect time or frequency dependent measures of HRV. Conclusions These results demonstrate the ability to modulate HEP amplitudes via non-invasive targeting of key interoceptive brain regions. Our findings have implications for the causal role of these areas in bottom-up heart-brain communication that could guide future work investigating the HEP as a marker of interoceptive processing in healthy and clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Strohman
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Gabriel Isaac
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Brighton Payne
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Charles Verdonk
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- VIFASOM (EA 7330 Vigilance Fatigue, Sommeil et Santé Publique), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Sahib S. Khalsa
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Wynn Legon
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Center for Human Neuroscience Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Center for Health Behaviors Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24016, USA
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
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7
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Wen Y, Lin M, Liu J, Tang J, Qi X. Low-intensity ultrasound activates transmembrane chloride flow through CFTR. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 37:101604. [PMID: 38188360 PMCID: PMC10767314 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound has been demonstrated to activate mechanosensitive channels, which is considered the main mechanism of ultrasound neuromodulation. Currently, all channels that have been shown to be sensitive to ultrasound are cation channels. In addition to cation channels, anion channels also play indispensable roles in neural function. However, there have been no research on ultrasound regulation of anion channels until now. If anion channels can be activated by ultrasound as well, they will inevitably lead to more versatility in ultrasound neuromodulation. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane transduction regulator (CFTR) has been demonstrated to be a mechanically sensitive channel, mediating anionic transmembrane flow. To identify that CFTR is sensitive to ultrasound, CFTR was exogenously expressed in HEK293T cells and was stimulated by low intensity ultrasound. Outward currents in CFTR-expressed HEK293T cells were observed by using whole-cell patch clamp when ultrasound (0.8 MHz, 0.20 MPa) was delivered to these cells. These currents were abolished when the CFTR inhibitor (GlyH101) was applied to the solution or chloride ions was cleared from the solution. Meanwhile, the amplitude of these currents increased when the CFTR agonist (Forskolin) was applied. These results suggest that ultrasound stimuli can activate the CFTR to mediate transmembrane flowing of chloride ions at the single cell level. These findings may expand the application of ultrasound in the neuromodulation field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinchuan Wen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Manjia Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Tang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Qi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
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8
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Riis TS, Losser AJ, Kassavetis P, Moretti P, Kubanek J. Noninvasive modulation of essential tremor with focused ultrasonic waves. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:016033. [PMID: 38335553 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad27ef] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Objective: Transcranial focused low-intensity ultrasound has the potential to noninvasively modulate confined regions deep inside the human brain, which could provide a new tool for causal interrogation of circuit function in humans. However, it has been unclear whether the approach is potent enough to modulate behavior.Approach: To test this, we applied low-intensity ultrasound to a deep brain thalamic target, the ventral intermediate nucleus, in three patients with essential tremor.Main results: Brief, 15 s stimulations of the target at 10% duty cycle with low-intensity ultrasound, repeated less than 30 times over a period of 90 min, nearly abolished tremor (98% and 97% tremor amplitude reduction) in 2 out of 3 patients. The effect was observed within seconds of the stimulation onset and increased with ultrasound exposure time. The effect gradually vanished following the stimulation, suggesting that the stimulation was safe with no harmful long-term consequences detected.Significance: This result demonstrates that low-intensity focused ultrasound can robustly modulate deep brain regions in humans with notable effects on overt motor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Riis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States of America
| | - Adam J Losser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States of America
| | - Panagiotis Kassavetis
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States of America
| | - Paolo Moretti
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States of America
- George E. Wahlen, VA, Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT 84148, United States of America
| | - Jan Kubanek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States of America
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9
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Zhang J, Gong C, Yang Z, Wei F, Sun X, Ji J, Zeng Y, Chang CF, Liu X, Nair DSR, Thomas BB, Zhou Q. Ultrasound Flow Imaging Study on Rat Brain with Ultrasound and Light Stimulations. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:174. [PMID: 38391660 PMCID: PMC10886342 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Functional ultrasound (fUS) flow imaging provides a non-invasive method for the in vivo study of cerebral blood flow and neural activity. This study used functional flow imaging to investigate rat brain's response to ultrasound and colored-light stimuli. Male Long-Evan rats were exposed to direct full-field strobe flashes light and ultrasound stimulation to their retinas, while brain activity was measured using high-frequency ultrasound imaging. Our study found that light stimuli, particularly blue light, elicited strong responses in the visual cortex and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), as evidenced by changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV). In contrast, ultrasound stimulation elicited responses undetectable with fUS flow imaging, although these were observable when directly measuring the brain's electrical signals. These findings suggest that fUS flow imaging can effectively differentiate neural responses to visual stimuli, with potential applications in understanding visual processing and developing new diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhang Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Chen Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Zihan Yang
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Fan Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yushun Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Chi-Feng Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Xunan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Deepthi S Rajendran Nair
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Biju B Thomas
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Qifa Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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10
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Jiao H, Mao Q, Razzaq N, Ankri R, Cui J. Ultrasound technology assisted colloidal nanocrystal synthesis and biomedical applications. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2024; 103:106798. [PMID: 38330546 PMCID: PMC10865478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.106798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Non-invasive and high spatiotemporal resolution mythologies for the diagnosis and treatment of disease in clinical medicine promote the development of modern medicine. Ultrasound (US) technology provides a non-invasive, real-time, and cost-effective clinical imaging modality, which plays a significant role in chemical synthesis and clinical translation, especially in in vivo imaging and cancer therapy. On the one hand, the US treatment is usually accompanied by cavitation, leading to high temperature and pressure, so-called "hot spot", playing a significant role in sonochemical-based colloidal synthesis. Compared with the classical nucleation synthetic method, the sonochemical synthesis strategy presents high efficiency for the fabrication of colloidal nanocrystals due to its fast nucleation and growth procedure. On the other hand, the US is attractive for in vivo and medical treatment, with applications increasing with the development of novel contrast agents, such as the micro and nano bubbles, which are widely used in neuromodulation, with which the US can breach the blood-brain barrier temporarily and safely, opening a new door to neuromodulation and therapy. In terms of cancer treatment, sonodynamic therapy and US-assisted synergetic therapy show great effects against cancer and sonodynamic immunotherapy present unparalleled potentiality compared with other synergetic therapies. Further development of ultrasound technology can revolutionize both chemical synthesis and clinical translation by improving efficiency, precision, and accessibility while reducing environmental impact and enhancing patient care. In this paper, we review the US-assisted sonochemical synthesis and biological applications, to promote the next generation US technology-assisted applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haorong Jiao
- The Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiulian Mao
- The Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Noman Razzaq
- The Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rinat Ankri
- The Biomolecular and Nanophotonics Lab, Ariel University, 407000, P.O.B. 3, Ariel, Israel.
| | - Jiabin Cui
- The Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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11
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Meng W, Lin Z, Bian T, Chen X, Meng L, Yuan T, Niu L, Zheng H. Ultrasound Deep Brain Stimulation Regulates Food Intake and Body Weight in Mice. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2024; 32:366-377. [PMID: 38194393 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2024.3351312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Given the widespread occurrence of obesity, new strategies are urgently needed to prevent, halt and reverse this condition. We proposed a noninvasive neurostimulation tool, ultrasound deep brain stimulation (UDBS), which can specifically modulate the hypothalamus and effectively regulate food intake and body weight in mice. Fifteen-min UDBS of hypothalamus decreased 41.4% food intake within 2 hours. Prolonged 1-hour UDBS significantly decreased daily food intake lasting 4 days. UDBS also effectively restrained body weight gain in leptin-receptor knockout mice (Sham: 96.19%, UDBS: 58.61%). High-fat diet (HFD) mice treated with 4-week UDBS (15 min / 2 days) reduced 28.70% of the body weight compared to the Sham group. Meanwhile, UDBS significantly modulated glucose-lipid metabolism and decreased the body fat. The potential mechanism is that ultrasound actives pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamus for reduction of food intake and body weight. These results provide a noninvasive tool for controlling food intake, enabling systematic treatment of obesity.
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12
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Hwang S, Jun SB. Ultrasound neuromodulation of cultured hippocampal neurons. Biomed Eng Lett 2024; 14:79-89. [PMID: 38186947 PMCID: PMC10769976 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00314-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound is becoming an emerging and promising method for neuromodulation due to its advantage of noninvasiveness and its high spatial resolution. However, the underlying principles of ultrasound neuromodulation have not yet been elucidated. We have herein developed a new in vitro setup to study the ultrasonic neuromodulation, and examined various parameters of ultrasound to verify the effective conditions to evoke the neural activity. Neurons were stimulated with 0.5 MHz center frequency ultrasound, and the action potentials were recorded from rat hippocampal neural cells cultured on microelectrode arrays. As the intensity of ultrasound increased, the neuronal activity also increased. There was a notable and significant increase in both the spike rate and the number of bursts at 50% duty cycle, 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency, and the acoustic intensities of 7.6 W/cm2 and 3.8 W/cm2 in terms of spatial-peak pulse-average intensity and spatial-peak temporal-average intensity, respectively. In addition, the impact of ultrasonic neuromodulation was assessed in the presence of a gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor antagonist to exclude the effect of activated inhibitory neurons. Interestingly, it is noteworthy that the predominant neuromodulatory effects of ultrasound disappeared when the GABAA blocker was introduced, suggesting the potential of ultrasonic stimulation specifically targeting inhibitory neurons. The experimental setup proposed herein could serve as a useful tool for the clarification of the mechanisms underlying the electrophysiological effects of ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seoyoung Hwang
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760 Republic of Korea
- Seoul National University Hospital Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Beom Jun
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760 Republic of Korea
- Graduate Program in Smart Factory, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Fine JM, Mysore AS, Fini ME, Tyler WJ, Santello M. Transcranial focused ultrasound to human rIFG improves response inhibition through modulation of the P300 onset latency. eLife 2023; 12:e86190. [PMID: 38117053 PMCID: PMC10796145 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Response inhibition in humans is important to avoid undesirable behavioral action consequences. Neuroimaging and lesion studies point to a locus of inhibitory control in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG). Electrophysiology studies have implicated a downstream event-related potential from rIFG, the fronto-central P300, as a putative neural marker of the success and timing of inhibition over behavioral responses. However, it remains to be established whether rIFG effectively drives inhibition and which aspect of P300 activity uniquely indexes inhibitory control-ERP timing or amplitude. Here, we dissect the connection between rIFG and P300 for inhibition by using transcranial-focused ultrasound (tFUS) to target rIFG of human subjects while they performed a Stop-Signal task. By applying tFUS simultaneously with different task events, we found behavioral inhibition was improved, but only when applied to rIFG simultaneously with a 'stop' signal. Improved inhibition through tFUS to rIFG was indexed by faster stopping times that aligned with significantly shorter N200/P300 onset latencies. In contrast, P300 amplitude was modulated during tFUS across all groups without a paired change in behavior. Using tFUS, we provide evidence for a causal connection between anatomy, behavior, and electrophysiology underlying response inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Fine
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Archana S Mysore
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Maria E Fini
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - William J Tyler
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Marco Santello
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
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14
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Sharma V, Páscoa dos Santos F, Verschure PFMJ. Patient-specific modeling for guided rehabilitation of stroke patients: the BrainX3 use-case. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1279875. [PMID: 38099071 PMCID: PMC10719856 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1279875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BrainX3 is an interactive neuroinformatics platform that has been thoughtfully designed to support neuroscientists and clinicians with the visualization, analysis, and simulation of human neuroimaging, electrophysiological data, and brain models. The platform is intended to facilitate research and clinical use cases, with a focus on personalized medicine diagnostics, prognostics, and intervention decisions. BrainX3 is designed to provide an intuitive user experience and is equipped to handle different data types and 3D visualizations. To enhance patient-based analysis, and in keeping with the principles of personalized medicine, we propose a framework that can assist clinicians in identifying lesions and making patient-specific intervention decisions. To this end, we are developing an AI-based model for lesion identification, along with a mapping of tract information. By leveraging the patient's lesion information, we can gain valuable insights into the structural damage caused by the lesion. Furthermore, constraining whole-brain models with patient-specific disconnection masks can allow for the detection of mesoscale excitatory-inhibitory imbalances that cause disruptions in macroscale network properties. Finally, such information has the potential to guide neuromodulation approaches, assisting in the choice of candidate targets for stimulation techniques such as Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS), which modulate E-I balance, potentiating cortical reorganization and the restoration of the dynamics and functionality disrupted due to the lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Sharma
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Francisco Páscoa dos Santos
- Eodyne Systems S.L., Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paul F. M. J. Verschure
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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15
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Chang H, Wang Q, Liu T, Chen L, Hong J, Liu K, Li Y, Yang N, Han D, Mi X, Li X, Guo X, Li Y, Li Z. A Bibliometric Analysis for Low-Intensity Ultrasound Study Over the Past Three Decades. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2023; 42:2215-2232. [PMID: 37129170 DOI: 10.1002/jum.16245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Low-intensity ultrasound (LI-US) is a non-invasive stimulation technique that has emerged in recent years and has been shown to have positive effects on neuromodulation, fracture healing, inflammation improvement, and metabolic regulation. This study reports the conclusions of a bibliometric analysis of LI-US. Input data for the period between 1995 and 2022, including 7209 related articles in the field of LI-US, were collected from the core library of the Web of Science (WOS) database. Using these data, a set of bibliometric indicators was obtained to gain knowledge on different aspects: global production, research areas, and sources analysis, contributions of countries and institutions, author analysis, citation analysis, and keyword analysis. This study combined the data analysis capabilities provided by the WOS database, making use of two bibliometric software tools: R software and VOS viewer to achieve analysis and data exploration visualization, and predicted the further development trends of LI-US. It turns out that the United States and China are co-leaders while Zhang ZG is the most significant author in LI-US. In the future, the hot spots of LI-US will continue to focus on parameter research, mechanism discussion, safety regulations, and neuromodulation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixian Chang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Taotao Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jingshu Hong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Kaixi Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yitong Li
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Ning Yang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Dengyang Han
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinning Mi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyang Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Center of Quality Control and Improvement on Clinical Anesthesia, Beijing, China
| | - Yingwei Li
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Zhengqian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Center of Quality Control and Improvement on Clinical Anesthesia, Beijing, China
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16
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Zhang Z, You Y, Ge M, Lin H, Shi J. Functional nanoparticle-enabled non-genetic neuromodulation. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:319. [PMID: 37674191 PMCID: PMC10483742 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02084-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Stimulating ion channels targeting in neuromodulation by external signals with the help of functionalized nanoparticles, which integrates the pioneering achievements in the fields of neurosciences and nanomaterials, has involved into a novel interdisciplinary field. The emerging technique developed in this field enable simple, remote, non-invasive, and spatiotemporally precise nerve regulations and disease therapeutics, beyond traditional treatment methods. In this paper, we define this emerging field as nano-neuromodulation and summarize the most recent developments of non-genetic nano-neuromodulation (non-genetic NNM) over the past decade based on the innovative design concepts of neuromodulation nanoparticle systems. These nanosystems, which feature diverse compositions, structures and synthesis approaches, could absorb certain exogenous stimuli like light, sound, electric or magnetic signals, and subsequently mediate mutual transformations between above signals, or chemical reactions, to regulate stimuli-sensitive ion channels and ion migrations which play vital roles in the nervous system. We will also discuss the obstacles and challenges in the future development of non-genetic NNM, and propose its future developments, to add the further progress of this promising field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Unit of Nanocatalytic Medicine in Specific Therapy for Serious Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanling You
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Unit of Nanocatalytic Medicine in Specific Therapy for Serious Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Ge
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Unit of Nanocatalytic Medicine in Specific Therapy for Serious Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Han Lin
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Unit of Nanocatalytic Medicine in Specific Therapy for Serious Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200331, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianlin Shi
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Unit of Nanocatalytic Medicine in Specific Therapy for Serious Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200331, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
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17
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Zhang Z, You Y, Ge M, Lin H, Shi J. Functional nanoparticle-enabled non-genetic neuromodulation. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:319. [DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s12951-023-02084-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractStimulating ion channels targeting in neuromodulation by external signals with the help of functionalized nanoparticles, which integrates the pioneering achievements in the fields of neurosciences and nanomaterials, has involved into a novel interdisciplinary field. The emerging technique developed in this field enable simple, remote, non-invasive, and spatiotemporally precise nerve regulations and disease therapeutics, beyond traditional treatment methods. In this paper, we define this emerging field as nano-neuromodulation and summarize the most recent developments of non-genetic nano-neuromodulation (non-genetic NNM) over the past decade based on the innovative design concepts of neuromodulation nanoparticle systems. These nanosystems, which feature diverse compositions, structures and synthesis approaches, could absorb certain exogenous stimuli like light, sound, electric or magnetic signals, and subsequently mediate mutual transformations between above signals, or chemical reactions, to regulate stimuli-sensitive ion channels and ion migrations which play vital roles in the nervous system. We will also discuss the obstacles and challenges in the future development of non-genetic NNM, and propose its future developments, to add the further progress of this promising field.
Graphical Abstract
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18
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Wang L, Chang G, Yang M, Xu Z, Wang J, Xu H, He M, Dai L, Zhao Y, Ji Z, Zhang L. The Noninvasive Sonothermogenetics Used for Neuromodulation in M1 Region of Mice Brain by Overexpression of TRPV1. Neuroscience 2023; 527:22-36. [PMID: 37482284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Sonogenetics is preferred for neuroregulation and the treatment of brain diseases due to its noninvasive properties. Ultrasonic stimulation produces thermal and mechanical effects, among others. Since transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) could be activated at 42 °C, it is overexpressed in the M1 region of the mouse motor cortex to sense the change of temperature upon being stimulated by focused ultrasound. Whether the heat generated by ultrasonic stimulation could activate TRPV1 in the M1 region and induce changes in electromyography (EMG) signals collected from the mice's triceps was carefully verified. The position of the focused ultrasound and the temperature of the tissue at the location of the focused position were simulated using COMSOL software and verified via experiments. For Neuro-2a cells with TRPV1 overexpression, 42 °C could activate the TRPV1 and induce calcium influx. For mice with TRPV1 overexpression in the M1 region, tissue temperature of >42 °C in the M1 region induces an increased number of cfos, suggesting that neurons with overexpressed TRPV1 in the M1 region can be activated using focused ultrasound. Furthermore, when the temperature is >42 °C, the peak-to-peak value of the EMG signal for mice with TRPV1 overexpression in the M1 region was higher than that for mice without TRPV1 overexpression. The immunohistochemical results showed that ultrasound was not harmful to the stimulation site. The noninvasive ultrasound stimulation combined with thermosensitive protein TRPV1 overexpressed in neurocytes as sonothermogenetics technology has great potential to be used for the treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Wang
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Guanglei Chang
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Miaomiao Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhaobin Xu
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Jianye Wang
- Institute of Physics, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Hongliang Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Meixia He
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Liping Dai
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Zhenyu Ji
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Liguo Zhang
- BGI College, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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19
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Evancho A, Tyler WJ, McGregor K. A review of combined neuromodulation and physical therapy interventions for enhanced neurorehabilitation. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1151218. [PMID: 37545593 PMCID: PMC10400781 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1151218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rehabilitation approaches for individuals with neurologic conditions have increasingly shifted toward promoting neuroplasticity for enhanced recovery and restoration of function. This review focuses on exercise strategies and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques that target neuroplasticity, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). We have chosen to focus on non-invasive neuromodulation techniques due to their greater potential for integration into routine clinical practice. We explore and discuss the application of these interventional strategies in four neurological conditions that are frequently encountered in rehabilitation settings: Parkinson's Disease (PD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), stroke, and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Additionally, we discuss the potential benefits of combining non-invasive neuromodulation with rehabilitation, which has shown promise in accelerating recovery. Our review identifies studies that demonstrate enhanced recovery through combined exercise and non-invasive neuromodulation in the selected patient populations. We primarily focus on the motor aspects of rehabilitation, but also briefly address non-motor impacts of these conditions. Additionally, we identify the gaps in current literature and barriers to implementation of combined approaches into clinical practice. We highlight areas needing further research and suggest avenues for future investigation, aiming to enhance the personalization of the unique neuroplastic responses associated with each condition. This review serves as a resource for rehabilitation professionals and researchers seeking a comprehensive understanding of neuroplastic exercise interventions and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques tailored for specific diseases and diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Evancho
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - William J. Tyler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Keith McGregor
- Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Studies, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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20
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Shamli Oghli Y, Grippe T, Arora T, Hoque T, Darmani G, Chen R. Mechanisms of theta burst transcranial ultrasound induced plasticity in the human motor cortex. Brain Stimul 2023; 16:1135-1143. [PMID: 37524296 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.07.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a novel non-invasive brain stimulation technique with high depth penetrance and spatial resolution. Theta-burst TUS (tbTUS) is a plasticity-inducing protocol which increases motor cortical excitability for up to 30 min following 80s of sonication. While this protocol may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders, the mechanisms of action of TUS remain unclear. OBJECTIVE We conducted the first pharmacological study to examine the mechanisms of TUS in human primary motor cortex. By administering brain-active drugs with known mechanisms of action, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of tbTUS. METHODS Fourteen healthy subjects participated in a within-subjects randomized, double-blind, cross-over study with five visits. At each visit, one of four study drugs (carbamazepine - Na+ channel blocker, nimodipine - L-type Ca2+ channel blocker, lorazepam - positive allosteric modulator of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor, dextromethorphan - N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist) or placebo was administered in random order, followed by tbTUS. RESULTS The plasticity effects of tbTUS on motor cortex excitability measured by motor-evoked potential amplitudes elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation were reduced by all study drugs compared to placebo. CONCLUSION tbTUS may induce NMDA-dependent synaptic plasticity since the effects are blocked by increased GABAA receptor activities and voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ channels blockers. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that tbTUS induced long-term potentiation-like mechanisms and that TUS involves activation of mechanosensitive Na+ and Ca2+ channels. Alternatively, non-specific pharmacologically induced changes in excitatory/inhibitory balance might have interfered with the effects of tbTUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazan Shamli Oghli
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Talyta Grippe
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Tarun Arora
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Section for Clinical Neurophysiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tasnuva Hoque
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ghazaleh Darmani
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Robert Chen
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
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21
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Tsehay Y, Zeng Y, Weber-Levine C, Awosika T, Kerensky M, Hersh AM, Ou Z, Jiang K, Bhimreddy M, Bauer SJ, Theodore JN, Quiroz VM, Suk I, Alomari S, Sun J, Tong S, Thakor N, Doloff JC, Theodore N, Manbachi A. Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Neuromodulation of a Rodent's Spinal Cord Suppresses Motor Evoked Potentials. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2023; 70:1992-2001. [PMID: 37018313 PMCID: PMC10510849 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2022.3233345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Here we investigate the ability of low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) applied to the spinal cord to modulate the transmission of motor signals. METHODS Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10, 250-300 g, 15 weeks old) were used in this study. Anesthesia was initially induced with 2% isoflurane carried by oxygen at 4 L/min via a nose cone. Cranial, upper extremity, and lower extremity electrodes were placed. A thoracic laminectomy was performed to expose the spinal cord at the T11 and T12 vertebral levels. A LIUS transducer was coupled to the exposed spinal cord, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were acquired each minute for either 5- or 10-minutes of sonication. Following the sonication period, the ultrasound was turned off and post-sonication MEPs were acquired for an additional 5 minutes. RESULTS Hindlimb MEP amplitude significantly decreased during sonication in both the 5- (p < 0.001) and 10-min (p = 0.004) cohorts with a corresponding gradual recovery to baseline. Forelimb MEP amplitude did not demonstrate any statistically significant changes during sonication in either the 5- (p = 0.46) or 10-min (p = 0.80) trials. CONCLUSION LIUS applied to the spinal cord suppresses MEP signals caudal to the site of sonication, with recovery of MEPs to baseline after sonication. SIGNIFICANCE LIUS can suppress motor signals in the spinal cord and may be useful in treating movement disorders driven by excessive excitation of spinal neurons.
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22
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Gong C, Li R, Lu G, Ji J, Zeng Y, Chen J, Chang C, Zhang J, Xia L, Nair DSR, Thomas BB, Song BJ, Humayun MS, Zhou Q. Non-Invasive Hybrid Ultrasound Stimulation of Visual Cortex In Vivo. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10050577. [PMID: 37237647 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10050577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The optic nerve is the second cranial nerve (CN II) that connects and transmits visual information between the retina and the brain. Severe damage to the optic nerve often leads to distorted vision, vision loss, and even blindness. Such damage can be caused by various types of degenerative diseases, such as glaucoma and traumatic optic neuropathy, and result in an impaired visual pathway. To date, researchers have not found a viable therapeutic method to restore the impaired visual pathway; however, in this paper, a newly synthesized model is proposed to bypass the damaged portion of the visual pathway and set up a direct connection between a stimulated visual input and the visual cortex (VC) using Low-frequency Ring-transducer Ultrasound Stimulation (LRUS). In this study, by utilizing and integrating various advanced ultrasonic and neurological technologies, the following advantages are achieved by the proposed LRUS model: 1. This is a non-invasive procedure that uses enhanced sound field intensity to overcome the loss of ultrasound signal due to the blockage of the skull. 2. The simulated visual signal generated by LRUS in the visual-cortex-elicited neuronal response in the visual cortex is comparable to light stimulation of the retina. The result was confirmed by a combination of real-time electrophysiology and fiber photometry. 3. VC showed a faster response rate under LRUS than light stimulation through the retina. These results suggest a potential non-invasive therapeutic method for restoring vision in optic-nerve-impaired patients using ultrasound stimulation (US).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Runze Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Gengxi Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yushun Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jiawen Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Chifeng Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Junhang Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Lily Xia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Deepthi S Rajendran Nair
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Biju B Thomas
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Brian J Song
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Mark S Humayun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Qifa Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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23
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Fan CH, Tsai HC, Tsai YS, Wang HC, Lin YC, Chiang PH, Wu N, Chou MH, Ho YJ, Lin ZH, Yeh CK. Selective Activation of Cells by Piezoelectric Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets with Focused Ultrasound. ACS NANO 2023; 17:9140-9154. [PMID: 37163347 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c12438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
An accurate method for neural stimulation within the brain could be very useful for treating brain circuit dysfunctions and neurological disorders. With the aim of developing such a method, this study investigated the use of piezoelectric molybdenum disulfide nanosheets (MoS2 NS) to remotely convert ultrasound energy into localized electrical stimulation in vitro and in vivo. The application of ultrasound to cells surrounding MoS2 NS required only a single pulse of 2 MHz ultrasound (400 kPa, 1,000,000 cycles, and 500 ms pulse duration) to elicit significant responses in 37.9 ± 7.4% of cells in terms of fluxes of calcium ions without detectable cellular damage. The proportion of responsive cells was mainly influenced by the acoustic pressure, number of ultrasound cycles, and concentration of MoS2 NS. Tests using appropriate blockers revealed that voltage-gated membrane channels were activated. In vivo data suggested that, with ultrasound stimulation, neurons closest to the MoS2 NS were 3-fold more likely to present c-Fos expression than cells far from the NS. The successful activation of neurons surrounding MoS2 NS suggests that this represents a method with high spatial precision for selectively modulating one or several targeted brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701401, Taiwan
- Medical Device Innovation Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701401, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Chieh Tsai
- Division of Neurosurgery, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Sheng Tsai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Chu Wang
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lin
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
| | - Po-Han Chiang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu City 30010, Taiwan
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
| | - Min-Hwa Chou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Ho
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu City 30010, Taiwan
| | - Zong-Hong Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City 300044, Taiwan
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24
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Liu T, Fu Y, Shi J, He S, Chen D, Li W, Chen Y, Zhang L, Lv Q, Yang Y, Jin Q, Wang J, Xie M. Noninvasive ultrasound stimulation to treat myocarditis through splenic neuro-immune regulation. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:94. [PMID: 37069636 PMCID: PMC10108488 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02773-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) has been widely studied to modulate the immune response. Current stimulating strategies are invasive or imprecise. Noninvasive low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has become increasingly appreciated for targeted neuronal modulation. However, its mechanisms and physiological role on myocarditis remain poorly defined. METHODS The mouse model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis was established. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound was targeted at the spleen to stimulate the spleen nerve. Under different ultrasound parameters, histological tests and molecular biology were performed to observe inflammatory lesions and changes in immune cell subsets in the spleen and heart. In addition, we evaluated the dependence of the spleen nerve and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in treating autoimmune myocarditis in mice through different control groups. RESULTS The echocardiography and flow cytometry of splenic or heart infiltrating immune cells revealed that splenic ultrasound could alleviate the immune response, regulate the proportion and function of CD4+ Treg and macrophages by activating cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and finally reduce heart inflammatory injury and improve cardiac remodeling, which is as effective as an acetylcholine receptor agonists GTS-21. Transcriptome sequencing showed significant differential expressed genes due to ultrasound modulation. CONCLUSIONS It is worth noting that the ultrasound therapeutic efficacy depends greatly on acoustic pressure and exposure duration, and the effective targeting organ was the spleen but not the heart. This study provides novel insight into the therapeutic potentials of LIPUS, which are essential for its future application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshu Liu
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yanan Fu
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Jiawei Shi
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Shukun He
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Dandan Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Wenqu Li
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yihan Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qing Lv
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yali Yang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qiaofeng Jin
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Mingxing Xie
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Clinical Research Center for Medical Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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25
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Zhao Z, Ji H, Zhang C, Pei J, Zhang X, Yuan Y. Modulation effects of low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation on the neuronal firing activity and synaptic plasticity of mice. Neuroimage 2023; 270:119952. [PMID: 36805093 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) has been effective in modulating several neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, how TUS modulates neuronal firing activity and synaptic plasticity remains unclear. Thus, we behaviorally tested the whisker-dependent novel object discrimination ability in mice after ultrasound stimulation and examined the cortical neuronal firing activity and synaptic plasticity in awake mice after ultrasound stimulation by two-photon fluorescence imaging. The current study presented the following results: (1) TUS could significantly improve the whisker-dependent new object discrimination ability of mice, suggesting that their learning and memory abilities were significantly enhanced; (2) TUS significantly enhanced neuronal firing activity; and (3) TUS increased the growth rate of dendritic spines in the barrel cortex, but did not promote the extinction of dendritic spines, resulting in enhanced synaptic plasticity. The above results indicate that TUS can improve the learning and memory ability of mice and enhance the neuronal firing activity and synaptic plasticity that are closely related to it. This study provides a research basis for the application of ultrasound stimulation in the treatment of learning- and memory-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhao
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Hui Ji
- Department of Neurology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050000, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050000, China
| | - Jiamin Pei
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Xiangjian Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050000, China.
| | - Yi Yuan
- School of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China.
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26
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Fang H, Liao C, Fu Z, Tian S, Luo Y, Xu P, Krueger F. Connectome-based individualized prediction of reciprocity propensity and sensitivity to framing: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:3193-3206. [PMID: 35788651 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social representation theory states that individual differences in reciprocity decisions are composed of a stable central core (i.e., reciprocity propensity, RP) and a contextual-dependent periphery (i.e., sensitivity to the framing effect; SFE, the effect by how the decision is presented). However, the neural underpinnings that explain RP and SFE are still unknown. METHOD Here, we employed prediction and lesion models to decode resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of RP and SFE for reciprocity decisions of healthy volunteers who underwent RS functional magnetic resonance imaging and completed one-shot trust (give frame) and distrust (take frame) games as trustees. RESULTS Regarding the central core, reciprocity rates were positively associated between the give and take frame. Neuroimaging results showed that inter-network RSFC between the default-mode network (DMN; associated with mentalizing) and cingulo-opercular network (associated with cognitive control) contributed to the prediction of reciprocity under both frames. Regarding the periphery, behavioral results demonstrated a significant framing effect-people reciprocated more in the give than in the take frame. Our neuroimaging results revealed that intra-network RSFC of DMN (associated with mentalizing) contributed dominantly to the prediction of SFE. CONCLUSION Our findings provide evidence for distinct neural mechanisms of RP and SFE in reciprocity decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihua Fang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim 68131, Germany
| | - Chong Liao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim 68131, Germany
| | - Zhao Fu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shuang Tian
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (BNU), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (BNU), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Frank Krueger
- Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim 68131, Germany
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
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27
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Chu PC, Huang CS, Ing SZ, Yu HY, Fisher RS, Liu HL. Pulsed Focused Ultrasound Reduces Hippocampal Volume Loss and Improves Behavioral Performance in the Kainic Acid Rat Model of Epilepsy. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:502-517. [PMID: 36917440 PMCID: PMC10121983 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01363-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) has the potential to modulate regional brain excitability and possibly aid seizure control; however, effects on behavior of FUS used as a seizure therapy are unknown. This study explores behavioral effects and hippocampal restoration induced by pulsed FUS in a kainic acid (KA) animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Twenty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were observed for 20 weeks with anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and behavioral performance evaluations, comprising measures of anxiety, limb usage, sociability, and memory. FUS targeted to the right hippocampus was given 9 and 14 weeks after KA was delivered to the right amygdala. Ultrasound pulsations were delivered with the acoustic settings of 0.25 of mechanical index, 0.5 W/cm2 of intensity spatial peak temporal average (ISPTA), 100 Hz of pulse repetition frequency, and 30% of duty cycle, during three consecutive pulse trains of 10 min separated by 5-min rests. Controls included normal animals with sham injections and KA-exposed animals without FUS exposure. Longitudinal MRI observations showed that FUS substantially protected hippocampal and striatal structures from KA-induced atrophy. KA alone increased anxiety, impaired contralateral limb usage, and reduced sociability and learning. Two courses of FUS sonications partially ameliorated these impairments by enhancing exploring and learning, balancing limb usage, and increasing social interaction. The histology results indicated that two sonications enhanced neuroprotection effect and decreased the inflammation markers induced by KA. This study supports existence of both neuroprotective and beneficial behavioral effects from low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in the KA animal model of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Chun Chu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Syuan Huang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shan-Zhi Ing
- School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Yu Yu
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veteran General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Robert S Fisher
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Weak Ultrasound Contributes to Neuromodulatory Effects in the Rat Motor Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032578. [PMID: 36768901 PMCID: PMC9917173 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a novel neuromodulating technique. It has been demonstrated that the neuromodulatory effects can be induced by weak ultrasound exposure levels (spatial-peak temporal average intensity, ISPTA < 10 mW/cm2) in vitro. However, fewer studies have examined the use of weak tFUS to potentially induce long-lasting neuromodulatory responses in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine the lower-bound threshold of tFUS stimulation for inducing neuromodulation in the motor cortex of rats. A total of 94 Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The sonication region aimed at the motor cortex under weak tFUS exposure (ISPTA of 0.338-12.15 mW/cm2). The neuromodulatory effects of tFUS on the motor cortex were evaluated by the changes in motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In addition to histology analysis, the in vitro cell culture was used to confirm the neuromodulatory mechanisms following tFUS stimulation. In the results, the dose-dependent inhibitory effects of tFUS were found, showing increased intensities of tFUS suppressed MEPs and lasted for 30 min. Weak tFUS significantly decreased the expression of excitatory neurons and increased the expression of inhibitory GABAergic neurons. The PIEZO-1 proteins of GABAergic neurons were found to involve in the inhibitory neuromodulation. In conclusion, we show the use of weak ultrasound to induce long-lasting neuromodulatory effects and explore the potential use of weak ultrasound for future clinical neuromodulatory applications.
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Bao SC, Li F, Xiao Y, Niu L, Zheng H. Peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation and its applications: From therapeutics to human-computer interaction. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1115946. [PMID: 37123351 PMCID: PMC10140332 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1115946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) has gained increasing attention in the past few decades, because it can be delivered to peripheral nerves, neural endings, or sub-organs. With different stimulation parameters, ultrasound stimulation could induce different modulation effects. Depending on the transmission medium, pFUS can be classified as body-coupled US stimulation, commonly used for therapeutics or neuromodulation, or as an air-coupled contactless US haptic system, which provides sensory inputs and allows distinct human-computer interaction paradigms. Despite growing interest in pFUS, the underlying working mechanisms remain only partially understood, and many applications are still in their infancy. This review focused on existing applications, working mechanisms, the latest progress, and future directions of pFUS. In terms of therapeutics, large-sample randomized clinical trials in humans are needed to translate these state of art techniques into treatments for specific diseases. The airborne US for human-computer interaction is still in its preliminary stage, but further efforts in task-oriented US applications might provide a promising interaction tool soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Chun Bao
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fei Li
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lili Niu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hairong Zheng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Hairong Zheng,
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Hu YY, Yang G, Liang XS, Ding XS, Xu DE, Li Z, Ma QH, Chen R, Sun YY. Transcranial low-intensity ultrasound stimulation for treating central nervous system disorders: A promising therapeutic application. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1117188. [PMID: 36970512 PMCID: PMC10030814 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1117188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation is a neurostimulation technique that has gradually attracted the attention of researchers, especially as a potential therapy for neurological disorders, because of its high spatial resolution, its good penetration depth, and its non-invasiveness. Ultrasound can be categorized as high-intensity and low-intensity based on the intensity of its acoustic wave. High-intensity ultrasound can be used for thermal ablation by taking advantage of its high-energy characteristics. Low-intensity ultrasound, which produces low energy, can be used as a means to regulate the nervous system. The present review describes the current status of research on low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (LITUS) in the treatment of neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, essential tremor, depression, Parkinson's disease (PD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review summarizes preclinical and clinical studies using LITUS to treat the aforementioned neurological disorders and discusses their underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Yun Hu
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gang Yang
- Lab Center, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xue-Song Liang
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Second Clinical College, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xuan-Si Ding
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - De-En Xu
- Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Sleep Medicine Center, Suzhou Guangji Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Quan-Hong Ma
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Quan-Hong Ma
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Rui Chen
| | - Yan-Yun Sun
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Yan-Yun Sun
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Wang T, Wang X, Tian Y, Gang W, Li X, Yan J, Yuan Y. Modulation effect of low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation on REM and NREM sleep. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:5238-5250. [PMID: 36376911 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that modulating neural activity can affect rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can effectively modulate neural activity. However, the modulation effect of TUS on REM and NREM sleep is still unclear. In this study, we used ultrasound to stimulate motor cortex and hippocampus, respectively, and found the following: (i) In healthy mice, TUS increased the NREM sleep ratio and decreased the REM sleep ratio, and altered the relative power and sample entropy of the delta band and spindle in NREM sleep and that of the theta and gamma bands in REM sleep. (ii) In sleep-deprived mice, TUS decreased the ratio of REM sleep or the relative power of the theta band during REM sleep. (iii) In sleep-disordered Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mice, TUS increased the total sleep time and the ratio of NREM sleep and modulated the relative power and the sample entropy of the delta and spindle bands during NREM and that of the theta band during REM sleep. These results demonstrated that TUS can effectively modulate REM and NREM sleep and that modulation effect depends on the sleep state of the samples, and can improve sleep in sleep-disordered AD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Wang
- Yanshan University School of Electrical Engineering, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
- Yanshan University Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
| | - Xingran Wang
- Yanshan University School of Electrical Engineering, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
- Yanshan University Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
| | - Yanfei Tian
- Hebei Medical University Department of Pharmacology, , Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017 , China
| | - Wei Gang
- Hebei Medical University Department of Pharmacology, , Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017 , China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- Beijing Normal University State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, , Beijing 100875 , China
| | - Jiaqing Yan
- North China University of Technology College of Electrical and Control Engineering, , Beijing 100041 , China
| | - Yi Yuan
- Yanshan University School of Electrical Engineering, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
- Yanshan University Key Laboratory of Intelligent Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation of Hebei Province, , Qinhuangdao 066004 , China
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Collins MN, Mesce KA. A review of the bioeffects of low-intensity focused ultrasound and the benefits of a cellular approach. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1047324. [PMID: 36439246 PMCID: PMC9685663 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1047324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This review article highlights the historical developments and current state of knowledge of an important neuromodulation technology: low-intensity focused ultrasound. Because compelling studies have shown that focused ultrasound can modulate neuronal activity non-invasively, especially in deep brain structures with high spatial specificity, there has been a renewed interest in attempting to understand the specific bioeffects of focused ultrasound at the cellular level. Such information is needed to facilitate the safe and effective use of focused ultrasound to treat a number of brain and nervous system disorders in humans. Unfortunately, to date, there appears to be no singular biological mechanism to account for the actions of focused ultrasound, and it is becoming increasingly clear that different types of nerve cells will respond to focused ultrasound differentially based on the complement of their ion channels, other membrane biophysical properties, and arrangement of synaptic connections. Furthermore, neurons are apparently not equally susceptible to the mechanical, thermal and cavitation-related consequences of focused ultrasound application-to complicate matters further, many studies often use distinctly different focused ultrasound stimulus parameters to achieve a reliable response in neural activity. In this review, we consider the benefits of studying more experimentally tractable invertebrate preparations, with an emphasis on the medicinal leech, where neurons can be studied as unique individual cells and be synaptically isolated from the indirect effects of focused ultrasound stimulation on mechanosensitive afferents. In the leech, we have concluded that heat is the primary effector of focused ultrasound neuromodulation, especially on motoneurons in which we observed a focused ultrasound-mediated blockade of action potentials. We discuss that the mechanical bioeffects of focused ultrasound, which are frequently described in the literature, are less reliably achieved as compared to thermal ones, and that observations ascribed to mechanical responses may be confounded by activation of synaptically-coupled sensory structures or artifacts associated with electrode resonance. Ultimately, both the mechanical and thermal components of focused ultrasound have significant potential to contribute to the sculpting of specific neural outcomes. Because focused ultrasound can generate significant modulation at a temperature <5°C, which is believed to be safe for moderate durations, we support the idea that focused ultrasound should be considered as a thermal neuromodulation technology for clinical use, especially targeting neural pathways in the peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan N. Collins
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Karen A. Mesce
- Department of Entomology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
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Remus: System for remote deep brain interventions. iScience 2022; 25:105251. [PMID: 36304108 PMCID: PMC9593303 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial-focused ultrasound brings personalized medicine to the human brain. Ultrasound can modulate neural activity or release drugs in specific neural circuits but this personalized approach requires a system that delivers ultrasound into specified targets flexibly and on command. We developed a remote ultrasound system (Remus) that programmatically targets deep brain regions with high spatiotemporal precision and in a multi-focal manner. We validated these functions by modulating two deep brain nuclei—the left and right lateral geniculate nucleus—in a task-performing nonhuman primate. This flexible system will enable researchers and clinicians to diagnose and treat specific deep brain circuits in a noninvasive yet targeted manner, thus embodying the promise of personalized treatments of brain disorders. Remus delivers ultrasound into deep brain targets of task-performing subjects Targets are specified programmatically and at high spatial and temporal precision Brief pulses delivered to deep brain regions modulate visual choice behavior The system enables reproducible daily applications and continuous safety monitoring
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Takeuchi Y, Li Q, Kawano T, Nagai J, Mima T. Editorial: Oscillotherapeutics - toward real-time control of pathological oscillations in the brain. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1021616. [PMID: 36187382 PMCID: PMC9518656 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1021616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Takeuchi
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- MTA-SZTE “Momentum” Oscillatory Neuronal Networks Research Group, Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Yuichi Takeuchi
| | - Qun Li
- MTA-SZTE “Momentum” Oscillatory Neuronal Networks Research Group, Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Takeshi Kawano
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Aichi, Japan
| | - Jun Nagai
- Laboratory for Glia-Neuron Circuit Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- The Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
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35
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Heimburg T. The thermodynamic soliton theory of the nervous impulse and possible medical implications. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 173:24-35. [PMID: 35640761 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The textbook picture of nerve activity is that of a propagating voltage pulse driven by electrical currents through ion channel proteins, which are gated by changes in voltage, temperature, pressure or by drugs. All function is directly attributed to single molecules. We show that this leaves out many important thermodynamic couplings between different variables. A more recent alternative picture for the nerve pulse is of thermodynamic nature. It considers the nerve pulse as a soliton, i.e., a macroscopic excited region with properties that are influenced by thermodynamic variables including voltage, temperature, pressure and chemical potentials of membrane components. All thermodynamic variables are strictly coupled. We discuss the consequences for medical treatment in a view where one can compensate a maladjustment of one variable by adjusting another variable. For instance, one can explain why anesthesia can be counteracted by hydrostatic pressure and decrease in pH, suggest reasons why lithium over-dose may lead to tremor, and how tremor is related to alcohol intoxication. Lithium action as well as the effect of ethanol and the anesthetic ketamine in bipolar patients may fall in similar thermodynamic patterns. Such couplings remain obscure in a purely molecular picture. Other fields of application are the response of nerve activity to muscle stretching and the possibility of neural stimulation by ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Heimburg
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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36
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Pérez-Neri I, González-Aguilar A, Sandoval H, Pineda C, Ríos C. Potential Goals, Challenges, and Safety of Focused Ultrasound Application for Central Nervous System Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:1807-1810. [PMID: 35105289 PMCID: PMC9886811 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220201092908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Camilo Ríos
- Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Neurochemistry of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery. Insurgentes Sur 3877, La Fama, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14269. Mexico; E-mail:
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37
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Badadhe JD, Roh H, Lee BC, Kim JH, Im M. Ultrasound stimulation for non-invasive visual prostheses. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:971148. [PMID: 35990889 PMCID: PMC9382087 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.971148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, it is estimated there are more than 2.2 billion visually impaired people. Visual diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and optic neuritis can cause irreversible profound vision loss. Many groups have investigated different approaches such as microelectronic prostheses, optogenetics, stem cell therapy, and gene therapy to restore vision. However, these methods have some limitations such as invasive implantation surgery and unknown long-term risk of genetic manipulation. In addition to the safety of ultrasound as a medical imaging modality, ultrasound stimulation can be a viable non-invasive alternative approach for the sight restoration because of its ability to non-invasively control neuronal activities. Indeed, recent studies have demonstrated ultrasound stimulation can successfully modulate retinal/brain neuronal activities without causing any damage to the nerve cells. Superior penetration depth and high spatial resolution of focused ultrasound can open a new avenue in neuromodulation researches. This review summarizes the latest research results about neural responses to ultrasound stimulation. Also, this work provides an overview of technical viewpoints in the future design of a miniaturized ultrasound transducer for a non-invasive acoustic visual prosthesis for non-surgical and painless restoration of vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Dilip Badadhe
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeonhee Roh
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- School of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Byung Chul Lee
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
- KHU-KIST Department of Converging Science and Technology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae Hun Kim
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Maesoon Im
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Maesoon Im, ;
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Guo J, Lo WLA, Hu H, Yan L, Li L. Transcranial ultrasound stimulation applied in ischemic stroke rehabilitation: A review. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:964060. [PMID: 35937889 PMCID: PMC9355469 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.964060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a serious medical condition that is caused by cerebral vascular occlusion and leads to neurological dysfunction. After stroke, patients suffer from long-term sensory, motor and cognitive impairment. Non-invasive neuromodulation technology has been widely studied in the field of stroke rehabilitation. Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS), as a safe and non-invasive technique with deep penetration ability and a tiny focus, is an emerging technology. It can produce mechanical and thermal effects by delivering sound waves to brain tissue that can induce the production of neurotrophic factors (NFs) in the brain, and reduce cell apoptosis and the inflammatory response. TUS, which involves application of an acoustic wave, can also dissolve blood clots and be used to deliver therapeutic drugs to the ischemic region. TUS has great potential in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Future advancements in imaging and parameter optimization will improve the safety and efficacy of this technology in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiecheng Guo
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Wai Leung Ambrose Lo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijing Hu
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Li Yan
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Li Yan,
| | - Le Li
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
- Le Li,
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39
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Shi L, Jiang Y, Zheng N, Cheng JX, Yang C. High-precision neural stimulation through optoacoustic emitters. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:032207. [PMID: 35355658 PMCID: PMC8941197 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.3.032207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Neuromodulation poses an invaluable role in deciphering neural circuits and exploring clinical treatment of neurological diseases. Optoacoustic neuromodulation is an emerging modality benefiting from the merits of ultrasound with high penetration depth as well as the merits of photons with high spatial precision. We summarize recent development in a variety of optoacoustic platforms for neural modulation, including fiber, film, and nanotransducer-based devices, highlighting the key advantages of each platform. The possible mechanisms and main barriers for optoacoustics as a viable neuromodulation tool are discussed. Future directions in fundamental and translational research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linli Shi
- Boston University, Department of Chemistry, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Ying Jiang
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Nan Zheng
- Boston University, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Ji-Xin Cheng
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Boston University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Address all correspondence to Chen Yang, ; Ji-Xin Cheng,
| | - Chen Yang
- Boston University, Department of Chemistry, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Boston University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Address all correspondence to Chen Yang, ; Ji-Xin Cheng,
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40
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Dilevicius I, Serdijn WA, Costa TL. Stent with Piezoelectric Transducers for High Spatial Resolution Ultrasound Neuromodulation- a Finite Element Analysis. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2022; 2022:4966-4969. [PMID: 36085863 DOI: 10.1109/embc48229.2022.9871956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation is currently the only technique used in the clinical setting to modulate the neural activity of deep brain nuclei. Recently, low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (LIFU) has been shown to reversibly modulate brain activity through a transcranial pathway. Transcranial LIFU requires a low-frequency ultrasound of around 0.5 MHz due to skull attenuation, thus providing poor axial and lateral resolution. This paper proposes a new conceptual device that would use a stent to place a high-frequency ultrasound array within the brain vasculature to achieve high axial and lateral spatial resolution. The first part of this work identified the most commonly treated deep brain nuclei and examined the human brain vasculature for stent placement. Next, a finite element analysis was carried out using a piezoelectric array that follows the blood vessels curvature, and its ability to focus ultrasound waves in clinically relevant brain nuclei was evaluated. The analytical solution provided promising results for deep brain stimulation via a stent with ultrasound transducers for high spatial resolution neuromodulation.
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41
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Chu PC, Yu HY, Lee CC, Fisher R, Liu HL. Pulsed-Focused Ultrasound Provides Long-Term Suppression of Epileptiform Bursts in the Kainic Acid-Induced Epilepsy Rat Model. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:1368-1380. [PMID: 35581489 PMCID: PMC9587190 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01250-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) has potential utility for modulating regional brain excitability and possibly aiding seizure control; however, the duration of any beneficial effect is unknown. This study explores the efficacy and time course of a short series of pulsed FUS in suppressing EEG epileptiform spikes/bursts in a kainic acid (KA) animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Forty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were recorded for 14 weeks with EEG while software calculated EEG numbers of epileptiform spikes and bursts (≥ 3 spikes/s). Four regimens of FUS given in a single session at week 7 were evaluated, with mechanical index (MI) ranging from 0.25 to 0.75, intensity spatial peak temporal average (ISPTA) from 0.1 to 2.8 W per cm2, duty cycle from 1 to 30%, and three consecutive pulse trains for 5 or 10 min each. Controls included sham injections in four and KA without FUS in eleven animals. Histological analysis investigated tissue effects. All animals receiving KA evidenced EEG spikes, averaging 10,378 ± 1651 spikes per 8 h and 1255 ± 199 bursts per 8 h by weeks 6-7. The KA-only group showed a 30% of increase in spikes and bursts by week 14. Compared to the KA-only group, spike counts were reduced by about 25%, burst counts by about 33%, and burst durations by about 50% with FUS. Behavioral seizures were not analyzed, but electrographic seizures longer than 10 s declined up to 70% after some FUS regimens. Repeated-measure ANOVA showed a significant effect of higher intensity and longer sonication duration FUS treatment using 0.75-MI, ISPTA 2.8 W/cm2, 30% duty cycle for 10-min sonications (group effect, F (4, 15) = 6.321, p < 0.01; interaction effect, F (44, 165) = 1.726, p < 0.01), with the hippocampal protective effect lasting to week 14, accompanied by decreased inflammation and gliosis effect. In contrast, spike and burst suppression were achieved using an FUS regimen with 0.25-MI ISPTA 0.5 W/cm2, 30% duty cycle for 10-min sonications. This regimen reduced inflammation and gliosis at weeks 8-14 and protected hippocampal tissue. This study demonstrates that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound can modulate epileptiform activity for up to 7 weeks and, if replicated in the clinical setting, might be a practical treatment for epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Chun Chu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 106
| | - Hsiang-Yu Yu
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veteran General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chia Lee
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Veteran General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Robert Fisher
- Department of Neurology, Stanford Neuroscience Health Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, 213 Quarry Road, Room 4865, Palo Alto, CA, 94304-5979, USA.
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 106.
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Ultrasound-Mediated Bioeffects in Senescent Mice and Alzheimer's Mouse Models. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060775. [PMID: 35741660 PMCID: PMC9221310 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound is routinely used for a wide range of diagnostic imaging applications. However, given that ultrasound can operate over a wide range of parameters that can all be modulated, its applicability extends far beyond the bioimaging field. In fact, the modality has emerged as a hybrid technology that effectively assists drug delivery by transiently opening the blood–brain barrier (BBB) when combined with intravenously injected microbubbles, and facilitates neuromodulation. Studies in aged mice contributed to an insight into how low-intensity ultrasound brings about its neuromodulatory effects, including increased synaptic plasticity and improved cognitive functions, with a potential role for neurogenesis and the modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal signalling. This work is complemented by studies in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a form of pathological ageing. Here, ultrasound was mainly employed as a BBB-opening tool that clears protein aggregates via microglial activation and neuronal autophagy, thereby restoring cognition. We discuss the currently available ultrasound approaches and how studies in senescent mice are relevant for AD and can accelerate the application of low-intensity ultrasound in the clinic.
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Hoffman BU, Baba Y, Lee SA, Tong CK, Konofagou EE, Lumpkin EA. Focused ultrasound excites action potentials in mammalian peripheral neurons in part through the mechanically gated ion channel PIEZO2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2115821119. [PMID: 35580186 PMCID: PMC9173751 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115821119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are tasked with diverse roles, from encoding touch, pain, and itch to interoceptive control of inflammation and organ physiology. Thus, technologies that allow precise control of peripheral nerve activity have the potential to regulate a wide range of biological processes. Noninvasive modulation of neuronal activity is an important translational application of focused ultrasound (FUS). Recent studies have identified effective strategies to modulate brain circuits; however, reliable parameters to control the activity of the PNS are lacking. To develop robust noninvasive technologies for peripheral nerve modulation, we employed targeted FUS stimulation and electrophysiology in mouse ex vivo skin-saphenous nerve preparations to record the activity of individual mechanosensory neurons. Parameter space exploration showed that stimulating neuronal receptive fields with high-intensity, millisecond FUS pulses reliably and repeatedly evoked one-to-one action potentials in all peripheral neurons recorded. Interestingly, when neurons were classified based on neurophysiological properties, we identified a discrete range of FUS parameters capable of exciting all neuronal classes, including myelinated A fibers and unmyelinated C fibers. Peripheral neurons were excited by FUS stimulation targeted to either cutaneous receptive fields or peripheral nerves, a key finding that increases the therapeutic range of FUS-based peripheral neuromodulation. FUS elicited action potentials with millisecond latencies compared with electrical stimulation, suggesting ion channel–mediated mechanisms. Indeed, FUS thresholds were elevated in neurons lacking the mechanically gated channel PIEZO2. Together, these results demonstrate that transcutaneous FUS drives peripheral nerve activity by engaging intrinsic mechanotransduction mechanisms in neurons [B. U. Hoffman, PhD thesis, (2019)].
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin U. Hoffman
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Program in Neurobiology & Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Yoshichika Baba
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Stephen A. Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Chi-Kun Tong
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Elisa E. Konofagou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Ellen A. Lumpkin
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Program in Neurobiology & Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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Faßbender RV, Goedecke J, Visser-Vandewalle V, Fink GR, Onur OA. [Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Dementia]. FORTSCHRITTE DER NEUROLOGIE-PSYCHIATRIE 2022; 90:336-342. [PMID: 35483888 DOI: 10.1055/a-1787-0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Due to the increasing number of cases of Alzheimer's disease and the relatively moderate success with the available symptomatic and causal pharmacological therapies, there is a considerable need to explore non-pharmacological treatment options. In the field of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), various methods have been investigated, particularly transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation. In addition, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently being researched as an innovative method for targeted neuromodulation. Both non-invasive and invasive approaches aim to modulate neuronal activity and improve cognitive-mnestic functions. Secondary mechanisms such as long-term potentiation in NIBS or neurogenesis in DBS could also achieve long-term positive effects. Preclinical and clinical studies have already shown promising results in patients in early stages of Alzheimer's disease. However, inconsistent study and stimulation protocols and small sample sizes make it difficult to assess efficacy. Further research is warranted to enable the use of non-invasive or invasive neuromodulatory approaches in clinical practice in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronja V Faßbender
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany.,Institut für Neurowissenschaften (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jana Goedecke
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany
| | - Veerle Visser-Vandewalle
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Stereotaxie und Funktionelle Neurochirurgie, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany
| | - Gereon R Fink
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany.,Institut für Neurowissenschaften (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Oezguer A Onur
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany.,Institut für Neurowissenschaften (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Zheng N, Fitzpatrick V, Cheng R, Shi L, Kaplan DL, Yang C. Photoacoustic Carbon Nanotubes Embedded Silk Scaffolds for Neural Stimulation and Regeneration. ACS NANO 2022; 16:2292-2305. [PMID: 35098714 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c08491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Neural interfaces using biocompatible scaffolds provide crucial properties, such as cell adhesion, structural support, and mass transport, for the functional repair of nerve injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. Neural stimulation has also been found to be effective in promoting neural regeneration. This work provides a generalized strategy to integrate photoacoustic (PA) neural stimulation into hydrogel scaffolds using a nanocomposite hydrogel approach. Specifically, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT), highly efficient photoacoustic agents, are embedded into silk fibroin to form biocompatible and soft photoacoustic materials. We show that these photoacoustic functional scaffolds enable nongenetic activation of neurons with a spatial precision defined by the area of light illumination, promoting neuron regeneration. These CNT/silk scaffolds offered reliable and repeatable photoacoustic neural stimulation, and 94% of photoacoustic-stimulated neurons exhibit a fluorescence change larger than 10% in calcium imaging in the light-illuminated area. The on-demand photoacoustic stimulation increased neurite outgrowth by 1.74-fold in a rat dorsal root ganglion model, when compared to the unstimulated group. We also confirmed that promoted neurite outgrowth by photoacoustic stimulation is associated with an increased concentration of neurotrophic factor (BDNF). As a multifunctional neural scaffold, CNT/silk scaffolds demonstrated nongenetic PA neural stimulation functions and promoted neurite outgrowth, providing an additional method for nonpharmacological neural regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincent Fitzpatrick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | | | | | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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Matt E, Dörl G, Beisteiner R. Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) improves depression in AD patients on state-of-the-art treatment. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2022; 8:e12245. [PMID: 35169611 PMCID: PMC8829892 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Ultrasound‐based brain stimulation is a novel, non‐invasive therapeutic approach to precisely target regions of interest. Data from a first clinical trial of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) receiving 2‐4 weeks transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) have shown memory and cognitive improvements for up to 3 months, despite ongoing state‐of‐the‐art treatment. Importantly, depressive symptoms also improved. Methods We analyzed changes in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI‐II) and functional connectivity (FC) changes with functional magnetic resonance imaging in 18 AD patients. Results We found significant improvement in BDI‐II after TPS therapy. FC analysis showed a normalization of the FC between the salience network (right anterior insula) and the ventromedial network (left frontal orbital cortex). Discussion Stimulation of areas related to depression (including extended dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) appears to alleviate depressive symptoms and induces FC changes in AD patients. TPS may be a novel add‐on therapy for depression in AD and as a neuropsychiatric diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Matt
- Department of Neurology Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Gregor Dörl
- Department of Neurology Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria
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Ultrasound does not activate but can inhibit in vivo mammalian nerves across a wide range of parameters. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2182. [PMID: 35140238 PMCID: PMC8828880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05226-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) has been shown to stimulate brain circuits, however, the ability to excite peripheral nerves with US remains controversial. To the best of our knowledge, there is still no in vivo neural recording study that has applied US stimulation to a nerve isolated from surrounding tissue to confirm direct activation effects. Here, we show that US cannot excite an isolated mammalian sciatic nerve in an in vivo preparation, even at high pressures (relative to levels recommended in the FDA guidance for diagnostic ultrasound) and for a wide range of parameters, including different pulse patterns and center frequencies. US can, however, reliably inhibit nerve activity whereby greater suppression is correlated with increases in nerve temperature. By prohibiting the nerve temperature from increasing during US application, we did not observe suppressive effects. Overall, these findings demonstrate that US can reliably inhibit nerve activity through a thermal mechanism that has potential for various health disorders, though future studies are needed to evaluate the long-term safety of therapeutic ultrasound applications.
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Riis TS, Webb TD, Kubanek J. Acoustic properties across the human skull. ULTRASONICS 2022; 119:106591. [PMID: 34717144 PMCID: PMC8642838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2021.106591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial ultrasound is emerging as a noninvasive tool for targeted treatments of brain disorders. Transcranial ultrasound has been used for remotely mediated surgeries, transient opening of the blood-brain barrier, local drug delivery, and neuromodulation. However, all applications have been limited by the severe attenuation and phase distortion of ultrasound by the skull. Here, we characterized the dependence of the aberrations on specific anatomical segments of the skull. In particular, we measured ultrasound propagation properties throughout the perimeter of intact human skulls at 500 kHz. We found that the parietal bone provides substantially higher transmission (average pressure transmission 31 ± 7%) and smaller phase distortion (242 ± 44 degrees) than frontal (13 ± 2%, 425 ± 47 degrees) and occipital bone regions (16 ± 4%, 416 ± 35 degrees). In addition, we found that across skull regions, transmission strongly anti-correlated (R=-0.79) and phase distortion correlated (R=0.85) with skull thickness. This information guides the design, positioning, and skull correction functionality of next-generation devices for effective, safe, and reproducible transcranial focused ultrasound therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Riis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 84112, UT, United States.
| | - Taylor D Webb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 84112, UT, United States.
| | - Jan Kubanek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 84112, UT, United States.
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Cheng Z, Wang C, Wei B, Gan W, Zhou Q, Cui M. High resolution ultrasonic neural modulation observed via in vivo two-photon calcium imaging. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:190-196. [PMID: 34952226 PMCID: PMC9169577 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural modulation plays a major role in delineating the circuit mechanisms and serves as the cornerstone of neural interface technologies. Among the various modulation mechanisms, ultrasound enables noninvasive label-free deep access to mammalian brain tissue. To date, most if not all ultrasonic neural modulation implementations are based on ∼1 MHz carrier frequency. The long acoustic wavelength results in a spatially coarse modulation zone, often spanning over multiple function regions. The modulation of one function region is inevitably linked with the modulation of its neighboring regions. Moreover, the lack of in vivo cellular resolution cell-type-specific recording capabilities in most studies prevents the revealing of the genuine cellular response to ultrasound. To significantly increase the spatial resolution, we explored the application of high-frequency ultrasound. To investigate the neuronal response at cellular resolutions, we developed a dual-modality system combining in vivo two-photon calcium imaging and focused ultrasound modulation. The studies show that the ∼30 MHz ultrasound can suppress the neuronal activity in awake mice at 100-μm scale spatial resolutions, paving the way for high-resolution ultrasonic neural modulation. The dual-modality in vivo system validated through this study will serve as a general platform for studying the dynamics of various cell types in response to ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongyue Cheng
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Chenmao Wang
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Bowen Wei
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Wenbiao Gan
- Skirball Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Anesthesiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Qifa Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Meng Cui
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Department of Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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Riis T, Kubanek J. Effective Ultrasonic Stimulation in Human Peripheral Nervous System. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2022; 69:15-22. [PMID: 34057888 PMCID: PMC9080060 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3085170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Low-intensity ultrasound can stimulate excitable cells in a noninvasive and targeted manner, but which parameters are effective has remained elusive. This question has been difficult to answer because differences in transducers and parameters-frequency in particular-lead to profound differences in the stimulated tissue volumes. The objective of this study is to control for these differences and evaluate which ultrasound parameters are effective in stimulating excitable cells. METHODS Here, we stimulated the human peripheral nervous system using a single transducer operating in a range of frequencies, and matched the stimulated volumes with an acoustic aperture. RESULTS We found that low frequencies (300 kHz) are substantially more effective in generating tactile and nociceptive responses in humans compared to high frequencies (900 kHz). The strong effect of ultrasound frequency was observed for all pressures tested, for continuous and pulsed stimuli, and for tactile and nociceptive responses. CONCLUSION This prominent effect may be explained by a mechanical force associated with ultrasound. The effect is not due to heating, which would be weaker at the low frequency. SIGNIFICANCE This controlled study reveals that ultrasonic stimulation of excitable cells is stronger at lower frequencies, which guides the choice of transducer hardware for effective ultrasonic stimulation of the peripheral nervous system in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Riis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, UT 84112 USA
| | - Jan Kubanek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, UT 84112 USA
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