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Schimek N, Burke-Conte Z, Abernethy J, Schimek M, Burke-Conte C, Bobola M, Stocco A, Mourad PD. Repeated Application of Transcranial Diagnostic Ultrasound Towards the Visual Cortex Induced Illusory Visual Percepts in Healthy Participants. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:66. [PMID: 32194387 PMCID: PMC7062642 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the visual cortex can induce phosphenes as participants look at a visual target. So can non-diagnostic ultrasound (nDU), delivered in a transcranial fashion, while participants have closed their eyes during stimulation. Here, we sought to determine if DU, aimed at the visual cortex, could alter the perception of a visual target. We applied a randomized series of actual or sham DU, transcranially and towards the visual cortex of healthy participants while they stared at a visual target (a white crosshair on a light-blue background), with the ultrasound device placed where TMS elicited phosphenes. These participants observed percepts seven out of ten times, which consisted of extra or extensions of lines relative to the original crosshair, and additional colors, an average of 53.7 ± 2.6% of the time over the course of the experiment. Seven out of ten different participants exposed to sham-only DU observed comparable percepts, but only an average of 36.3 ± 1.9% of the time, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.00001). Moreover, on average, participants exposed to a combination of sham and actual ultrasound reported a net increase of 47.9 percentage points in the likelihood that they would report a percept by the end of the experiment. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that a random combination of sham-only and actual DU, applied directly over the visual cortex of participants, increased the likelihood that they would observe visual effects, but not the type of effects, with that likelihood increasing over the course of the experiment. From this, we conclude that repeated exposures by DU may make the visual cortex more responsive to stimulation of their visual cortex by the visual target itself. Future studies should identify the biophysical mechanism(s) and neural pathways by which DU, in our hands and others, can generate its observed effects on brain function. These observations, consistent with other’s observation of effects of DU stimulation of the human motor cortex and amygdala, as well as the FDA approved nature of DU, may lead to increased use of DU as a means of altering brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nels Schimek
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Zeb Burke-Conte
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Justin Abernethy
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Maren Schimek
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Celeste Burke-Conte
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Michael Bobola
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Andrea Stocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Pierre D Mourad
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Division of Engineering and Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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di Biase L, Falato E, Di Lazzaro V. Transcranial Focused Ultrasound (tFUS) and Transcranial Unfocused Ultrasound (tUS) Neuromodulation: From Theoretical Principles to Stimulation Practices. Front Neurol 2019; 10:549. [PMID: 31244747 PMCID: PMC6579808 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound is an emerging technique for non-invasive neurostimulation. Compared to magnetic or electric non-invasive brain stimulation, this technique has a higher spatial resolution and can reach deep structures. In addition, both animal and human studies suggest that, potentially, different sites of the central and peripheral nervous system can be targeted by this technique. Depending on stimulation parameters, transcranial focused ultrasound is able to determine a wide spectrum of effects, ranging from suppression or facilitation of neural activity to tissue ablation. The aim is to review the state of the art of the human transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation literature, including the theoretical principles which underlie the explanation of the bioeffects on neural tissues, and showing the stimulation techniques and parameters used and their outcomes in terms of clinical, neurophysiological or neuroimaging results and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lazzaro di Biase
- Neurology, Neurophysiology, and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Unit of Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction, School of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Falato
- Neurology, Neurophysiology, and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Unit of Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction, School of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Neurology, Neurophysiology, and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Gibson BC, Sanguinetti JL, Badran BW, Yu AB, Klein EP, Abbott CC, Hansberger JT, Clark VP. Increased Excitability Induced in the Primary Motor Cortex by Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1007. [PMID: 30546342 PMCID: PMC6280333 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (tUS) is an emerging technique that uses ultrasonic waves to noninvasively modulate brain activity. As with other forms of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), tUS may be useful for altering cortical excitability and neuroplasticity for a variety of research and clinical applications. The effects of tUS on cortical excitability are still unclear, and further complications arise from the wide parameter space offered by various types of devices, transducer arrangements, and stimulation protocols. Diagnostic ultrasound imaging devices are safe, commonly available systems that may be useful for tUS. However, the feasibility of modifying brain activity with diagnostic tUS is currently unknown. Objective: We aimed to examine the effects of a commercial diagnostic tUS device using an imaging protocol on cortical excitability. We hypothesized that imaging tUS applied to motor cortex could induce changes in cortical excitability as measured using a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) motor evoked potential (MEP) paradigm. Methods: Forty-three subjects were assigned to receive either verum (n = 21) or sham (n = 22) diagnostic tUS in a single-blind design. Baseline motor cortex excitability was measured using MEPs elicited by TMS. Diagnostic tUS was subsequently administered to the same cortical area for 2 min, immediately followed by repeated post-stimulation MEPs recorded up to 16 min post-stimulation. Results: Verum tUS increased excitability in the motor cortex (from baseline) by 33.7% immediately following tUS (p = 0.009), and 32.4% (p = 0.047) 6 min later, with excitability no longer significantly different from baseline by 11 min post-stimulation. By contrast, subjects receiving sham tUS showed no significant changes in MEP amplitude. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that tUS delivered via a commercially available diagnostic imaging ultrasound system transiently increases excitability in the motor cortex as measured by MEPs. Diagnostic tUS devices are currently used for internal imaging in many health care settings, and the present results suggest that these same devices may also offer a promising tool for noninvasively modulating activity in the central nervous system. Further studies exploring the use of diagnostic imaging devices for neuromodulation are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C. Gibson
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Joseph L. Sanguinetti
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - Bashar W. Badran
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
- Brain Stimulation Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Alfred B. Yu
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United States
| | - Evan P. Klein
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Christopher C. Abbott
- Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | | | - Vincent P. Clark
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- The Mind Research Network & LBERI, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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