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Yu K, He B. Transcranial focused ultrasound modulates visual thalamus in a nonhuman primate model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.05.606669. [PMID: 39211081 PMCID: PMC11361111 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.05.606669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The thalamus plays a pivotal role as a neural hub, integrating and distributing visual information to cortical regions responsible for visual processing. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive brain stimulation technology, enabling modulation of neural circuits with high spatial precision. This study investigates the tFUS neuromodulation at visual thalamus and characterizes the resultant effects on interconnected visual areas in a nonhuman primate model. Experiments were conducted on a rhesus macaque trained in a visual fixation task, combining tFUS stimulation with simultaneous scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and intracranial recordings from area V4, a region closely linked to the thalamus. Ultrasound was delivered through a 128-element random array ultrasound transducer operating at 700 kHz, with the focus steered onto the pulvinar of the thalamus based on neuroanatomical atlas and individual brain model. EEG source imaging revealed localized tFUS-induced activities in the thalamus, midbrain, and visual cortical regions. Critically, tFUS stimulation of the pulvinar can elicit robust neural responses in V4 without visual input, manifested as significant modulations in local field potentials, elevated alpha and gamma power, corroborating the functional thalamocortical connectivity. Furthermore, the tFUS neuromodulatory effects on visually-evoked V4 activities were region-specific within the thalamus and dependent on ultrasound pulse repetition frequency. This work provides direct electrophysiological evidence demonstrating the capability of tFUS in modulating the visual thalamus and its functional impact on interconnected cortical regions in a large mammalian model, paving the way for potential investigations for tFUS treating visual, sensory, and cognitive impairments.
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Gao H, Ramachandran S, Yu K, He B. Transcranial focused ultrasound activates feedforward and feedback cortico-thalamo-cortical pathways by selectively activating excitatory neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.26.600794. [PMID: 38979359 PMCID: PMC11230429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.26.600794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) has been proven capable of altering focal neuronal activities and neural circuits non-invasively in both animals and humans. The abilities of tFUS for cell-type selection within the targeted area like somatosensory cortex have been shown to be parameter related. However, how neuronal subpopulations across neural pathways are affected, for example how tFUS affected neuronal connections between brain areas remains unclear. In this study, multi-site intracranial recordings were used to quantify the neuronal responses to tFUS stimulation at somatosensory cortex (S1), motor cortex (M1) and posterior medial thalamic nucleus (POm) of cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) pathway. We found that when targeting at S1 or POm, only regular spiking units (RSUs, putative excitatory neurons) responded to specific tFUS parameters (duty cycle: 6%-60% and pulse repetition frequency: 1500 and 3000 Hz ) during sonication. RSUs from the directly connected area (POm or S1) showed a synchronized response, which changed the directional correlation between RSUs from POm and S1. The tFUS induced excitation of RSUs activated the feedforward and feedback loops between cortex and thalamus, eliciting delayed neuronal responses of RSUs and delayed activities of fast spiking units (FSUs) by affecting local network. Our findings indicated that tFUS can modulate the CTC pathway through both feedforward and feedback loops, which could influence larger cortical areas including motor cortex.
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Ramachandran S, Gao H, Yttri E, Yu K, He B. An Investigation of Parameter-Dependent Cell-Type Specific Effects of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation Using an Awake Head-Fixed Rodent Model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.24.600515. [PMID: 38979298 PMCID: PMC11230196 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.24.600515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising neuromodulation technique able to target shallow and deep brain structures with high precision. Previous studies have demonstrated that tFUS stimulation responses are both cell-type specific and controllable through altering stimulation parameters. Specifically, tFUS can elicit time-locked neural activity in regular spiking units (RSUs) that is sensitive to increases in pulse repetition frequency (PRF), while time-locked responses are not seen in fast spiking units (FSUs). These findings suggest a unique capability of tFUS to alter circuit network dynamics with cell-type specificity; however, these results could be biased by the use of anesthesia, which significantly modulates neural activities. In this study, we develop an awake head-fixed rat model specifically designed for tFUS study, and address a key question if tFUS still has cell-type specificity under awake conditions. Using this novel animal model, we examined a series of PRFs and burst duty cycles (DCs) to determine their effects on neuronal subpopulations without anesthesia. We conclude that cell-type specific time-locked and delayed responses to tFUS as well as PRF and DC sensitivity are present in the awake animal model and that despite some differences in response, isoflurane anesthesia is not a major confound in studying the cell-type specificity of ultrasound neuromodulation. We further determine that, in an awake, head-fixed setting, the preferred PRF and DC for inducing time-locked excitation with our pulsed tFUS paradigm are 1500 Hz and 60%, respectively.
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Meng W, Lin Z, Lu Y, Long X, Meng L, Su C, Wang Z, Niu L. Spatiotemporal Distributions of Acoustic Propagation in Skull During Ultrasound Neuromodulation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2024; 71:584-595. [PMID: 38557630 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2024.3383027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
There is widespread interest and concern about the evidence and hypothesis that the auditory system is involved in ultrasound neuromodulation. We have addressed this problem by performing acoustic shear wave simulations in mouse skull and behavioral experiments in deaf mice. The simulation results showed that shear waves propagating along the skull did not reach sufficient acoustic pressure in the auditory cortex to modulate neurons. Behavioral experiments were subsequently performed to awaken anesthetized mice with ultrasound targeting the motor cortex or ventral tegmental area (VTA). The experimental results showed that ultrasound stimulation (US) of the target areas significantly increased arousal scores even in deaf mice, whereas the loss of ultrasound gel abolished the effect. Immunofluorescence staining also showed that ultrasound can modulate neurons in the target area, whereas neurons in the auditory cortex required the involvement of the normal auditory system for activation. In summary, the shear waves propagating along the skull cannot reach the auditory cortex and induce neuronal activation. Ultrasound neuromodulation-induced arousal behavior needs direct action on functionally relevant stimulation targets in the absence of auditory system participation.
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Yu K, Schmitt S, Ni Y, Crane EC, Smith MA, He B. Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Remotely Modulates Extrastriate Visual Cortex with Subregion Specificity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.20.576476. [PMID: 38328120 PMCID: PMC10849517 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.20.576476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) has emerged as a powerful neuromodulation tool characterized by its deep penetration and precise spatial targeting to influence neural activity. Our study directed low-intensity tFUS stimulation onto a region of prefrontal cortex (the frontal eye field, or FEF) of a rhesus macaque to examine its impact on a remote site, the extrastriate visual cortex (area V4). This pair of cortical regions form a top-down modulatory circuit that has been studied extensively with electrical microstimulation. To measure the impact of tFUS stimulation, we recorded local field potentials (LFPs) and multi-unit spiking activities from a multi-electrode array implanted in the visual cortex. To deliver tFUS stimulation, we leveraged a customized 128-element random array ultrasound transducer with improved spatial targeting. We observed that tFUS stimulation in FEF produced modulation of V4 neuronal activity, either through enhancement or suppression, dependent on the pulse repetition frequency of the tFUS stimulation. Electronically steering the transcranial ultrasound focus through the targeted FEF cortical region produced changes in the level of modulation, indicating that the tFUS stimulation was spatially targeted within FEF. Modulation of V4 activity was confined to specific frequency bands, and this modulation was dependent on the presence or absence of a visual stimulus during tFUS stimulation. A control study targeting the insula produced no effect, emphasizing the region-specific nature of tFUS neuromodulation. Our findings shed light on the capacity of tFUS to modulate specific neural pathways and provide a comprehensive understanding of its potential applications for neuromodulation within brain networks.
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Yoo SS, Kim E, Kowsari K, Van Reet J, Kim HC, Yoon K. Non-invasive enhancement of intracortical solute clearance using transcranial focused ultrasound. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12339. [PMID: 37524783 PMCID: PMC10390479 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39640-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transport of interstitial fluid and solutes plays a critical role in clearing metabolic waste from the brain. Transcranial application of focused ultrasound (FUS) has been shown to promote localized cerebrospinal fluid solute uptake into the brain parenchyma; however, its effects on the transport and clearance of interstitial solutes remain unknown. We demonstrate that pulsed application of low-intensity FUS to the rat brain enhances the transport of intracortically injected fluorescent tracers (ovalbumin and high molecular-weight dextran), yielding greater parenchymal tracer volume distribution compared to the unsonicated control group (ovalbumin by 40.1% and dextran by 34.6%). Furthermore, FUS promoted the drainage of injected interstitial ovalbumin to both superficial and deep cervical lymph nodes (cLNs) ipsilateral to sonication, with 78.3% higher drainage observed in the superficial cLNs compared to the non-sonicated hemisphere. The application of FUS increased the level of solute transport visible from the dorsal brain surface, with ~ 43% greater area and ~ 19% higher fluorescence intensity than the unsonicated group, especially in the pial surface ipsilateral to sonication. The sonication did not elicit tissue-level neuronal excitation, measured by an electroencephalogram, nor did it alter the molecular weight of the tracers. These findings suggest that nonthermal transcranial FUS can enhance advective transport of interstitial solutes and their subsequent removal in a completely non-invasive fashion, offering its potential non-pharmacological utility in facilitating clearance of waste from the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA.
| | - Evgenii Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA
| | - Kavin Kowsari
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA
| | - Jared Van Reet
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA
| | - Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, MA, 02115, Boston, USA
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungho Yoon
- School of Computational Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Kim HC, Lee W, Weisholtz DS, Yoo SS. Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation of cortical and thalamic somatosensory areas in human. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288654. [PMID: 37478086 PMCID: PMC10361523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex and its thalamic projection (i.e., ventral posterolateral nucleus) on the generation of electroencephalographic (EEG) responses were evaluated in healthy human volunteers. Stimulation of the unilateral somatosensory circuits corresponding to the non-dominant hand generated EEG evoked potentials across all participants; however, not all perceived stimulation-mediated tactile sensations of the hand. These FUS-evoked EEG potentials (FEP) were observed from both brain hemispheres and shared similarities with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) from median nerve stimulation. Use of a 0.5 ms pulse duration (PD) sonication given at 70% duty cycle, compared to the use of 1 and 2 ms PD, elicited more distinctive FEP peak features from the hemisphere ipsilateral to sonication. Although several participants reported hearing tones associated with FUS stimulation, the observed FEP were not likely to be confounded by the auditory sensation based on a separate measurement of auditory evoked potentials (AEP) to tonal stimulation (mimicking the same repetition frequency as the FUS stimulation). Off-line changes in resting-state functional connectivity (FC) associated with thalamic stimulation revealed that the FUS stimulation enhanced connectivity in a network of sensorimotor and sensory integration areas, which lasted for at least more than an hour. Clinical neurological evaluations, EEG, and neuroanatomical MRI did not reveal any adverse or unintended effects of sonication, attesting its safety. These results suggest that FUS stimulation may induce long-term neuroplasticity in humans, indicating its neurotherapeutic potential for various neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Wonhye Lee
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel S Weisholtz
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Yüksel MM, Sun S, Latchoumane C, Bloch J, Courtine G, Raffin EE, Hummel FC. Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Stroke Recovery: A Novel Deep Brain Stimulation Approach for Neurorehabilitation? IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 4:300-318. [PMID: 38196977 PMCID: PMC10776095 DOI: 10.1109/ojemb.2023.3263690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Stroke as the leading cause of adult long-term disability and has a significant impact on patients, society and socio-economics. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) are considered as potential therapeutic options to enhance functional reorganization and augment the effects of neurorehabilitation. However, non-invasive electrical and magnetic stimulation paradigms are limited by their depth focality trade-off function that does not allow to target deep key brain structures critically important for recovery processes. Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is an emerging approach for non-invasive deep brain neuromodulation. Using non-ionizing, ultrasonic waves with millimeter-accuracy spatial resolution, excellent steering capacity and long penetration depth, TUS has the potential to serve as a novel non-invasive deep brain stimulation method to establish unprecedented neuromodulation and novel neurorehabilitation protocols. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview on the current knowledge about the neuromodulatory effects of TUS while discussing the potential of TUS in the field of stroke recovery, with respect to existing NIBS methods. We will address and discuss critically crucial open questions and remaining challenges that need to be addressed before establishing TUS as a new clinical neurorehabilitation approach for motor stroke recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmut Martin Yüksel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneGeneva1201Switzerland
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Valais, Clinique Romande de Réadaptation Sion1951Switzerland
| | - Shiqi Sun
- Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)Lausanne1015Switzerland
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceLausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL)Lausanne1011Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)EPFL/CHUV/UNILLausanne1011Switzerland
| | - Charles Latchoumane
- Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)Lausanne1015Switzerland
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceLausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL)Lausanne1011Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)EPFL/CHUV/UNILLausanne1011Switzerland
| | - Jocelyne Bloch
- Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life SciencesSwiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)Lausanne1015Switzerland
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceLausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL)Lausanne1015Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)EPFL/CHUV/UNILLausanne1015Switzerland
- Department of NeurosurgeryLausanne University HospitalLausanne1011Switzerland
| | - Gregoire Courtine
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceLausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL)Lausanne1015Switzerland
- Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)EPFL/CHUV/UNILLausanne1015Switzerland
- Department of NeurosurgeryLausanne University HospitalLausanne1011Switzerland
| | - Estelle Emeline Raffin
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneGeneva1201Switzerland
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Valais, Clinique Romande de Réadaptation Sion1951Switzerland
| | - Friedhelm Christoph Hummel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneGeneva1202Switzerland
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Neuro-X Institute and Brain Mind InstituteÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Valais, Clinique Romande de Réadaptation Sion1951Switzerland
- Clinical NeuroscienceUniversity of Geneva Medical SchoolGeneva1211Switzerland
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Kim E, Kim HC, Van Reet J, Böhlke M, Yoo SS, Lee W. Transcranial focused ultrasound-mediated unbinding of phenytoin from plasma proteins for suppression of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy in a rodent model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4128. [PMID: 36914775 PMCID: PMC10011522 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31383-4] [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: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of many anti-epileptic drugs, including phenytoin (PHT), is reduced by plasma protein binding (PPB) that sequesters therapeutically active drug molecules within the bloodstream. An increase in systemic dose elevates the risk of drug side effects, which demands an alternative technique to increase the unbound concentration of PHT in a region-specific manner. We present a low-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) technique that locally enhances the efficacy of PHT by transiently disrupting its binding to albumin. We first identified the acoustic parameters that yielded the highest PHT unbinding from albumin among evaluated parameter sets using equilibrium dialysis. Then, rats with chronic mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) received four sessions of PHT injection, each followed by 30 min of FUS delivered to the ictal region, across 2 weeks. Two additional groups of mTLE rats underwent the same procedure, but without receiving PHT or FUS. Assessment of electrographic seizure activities revealed that FUS accompanying administration of PHT effectively reduced the number and mean duration of ictal events compared to other conditions, without damaging brain tissue or the blood-brain barrier. Our results demonstrated that the FUS technique enhanced the anti-epileptic efficacy of PHT in a chronic mTLE rodent model by region-specific PPB disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jared Van Reet
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mark Böhlke
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wonhye Lee
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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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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Kim HC, Lee W, Kowsari K, Weisholtz DS, Yoo SS. Effects of focused ultrasound pulse duration on stimulating cortical and subcortical motor circuits in awake sheep. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278865. [PMID: 36512563 PMCID: PMC9746960 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) offers new functional neuromodulation opportunities, enabling stimulation of cortical as well as deep brain areas with high spatial resolution. Brain stimulation of awake sheep, in the absence of the confounding effects of anesthesia on brain function, provides translational insight into potential human applications with safety information supplemented by histological analyses. We examined the effects of tFUS pulsing parameters, particularly regarding pulse durations (PDs), on stimulating the cortical motor area (M1) and its thalamic projection in unanesthetized, awake sheep (n = 8). A wearable tFUS headgear, custom-made for individual sheep, enabled experiments to be conducted without using anesthesia. FUS stimuli, each 200 ms long, were delivered to the M1 and the thalamus using three different PDs (0.5, 1, and 2 ms) with the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) adjusted to maintain a 70% duty cycle at a derated in situ spatial-peak temporal-average intensity (Ispta) of 3.6 W/cm2. Efferent electromyography (EMG) responses to stimulation were quantified from both hind limbs. Group-averaged EMG responses from each of the hind limbs across the experimental conditions revealed selective responses from the hind limb contralateral to sonication. The use of 0.5 and 1 ms PDs generated higher EMG signal amplitudes compared to those obtained using a 2 ms PD. Faster efferent response was also observed from thalamic stimulation than that from stimulating the M1. Post-sonication behavioral observation and histological assessment performed 24 h and 1 month after sonication were not indicative of any abnormalities. The results suggest the presence of pulsing scheme-dependent effects of tFUS on brain stimulation and attest its safety in awake large animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Wonhye Lee
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Kavin Kowsari
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Daniel S. Weisholtz
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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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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Radjenovic S, Dörl G, Gaal M, Beisteiner R. Safety of Clinical Ultrasound Neuromodulation. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1277. [PMID: 36291211 PMCID: PMC9599299 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial ultrasound holds much potential as a safe, non-invasive modality for navigated neuromodulation, with low-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) and transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) representing the two main modalities. While neuroscientific and preclinical applications have received much interest, clinical applications are still relatively scarce. For safety considerations, the current literature is largely based on guidelines for ultrasound imaging that uses various physical parameters to describe the ultrasound pulse form and expected bioeffects. However, the safety situation for neuromodulation is inherently different. This article provides an overview of relevant ultrasound parameters with a focus on bioeffects relevant for safe clinical applications. Further, a retrospective analysis of safety data for clinical TPS applications in patients is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Roland Beisteiner
- Functional Brain Diagnostics and Therapy, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Ramachandran S, Niu X, Yu K, He B. Transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation induces neuronal correlation change in the rat somatosensory cortex. J Neural Eng 2022; 19:10.1088/1741-2552/ac889f. [PMID: 35947970 PMCID: PMC9514023 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac889f] [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: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a neuromodulation technique which has been the focus of increasing interest for noninvasive brain stimulation with high spatial specificity. Its ability to excite and inhibit neural circuits as well as to modulate perception and behavior has been demonstrated, however, we currently lack understanding of how tFUS modulates the ways neurons interact with each other. This understanding would help elucidate tFUS's mechanism of systemic neuromodulation and allow future development of therapies for treating neurological disorders.Approach.In this study, we investigate how tFUS modulates neural interaction and response to peripheral electrical limb stimulation through intracranial multi-electrode recordings in the rat somatosensory cortex. We deliver ultrasound in a pulsed pattern to induce frequency dependent plasticity in a manner similar to what is found following electrical stimulation.Main Results.We show that neural firing in response to peripheral electrical stimulation is increased after ultrasound stimulation at all frequencies, showing tFUS induced changes in excitability of individual neuronsin vivo. We demonstrate tFUS sonication repetition frequency dependent pairwise correlation changes between neurons, with both increases and decreases observed at different frequencies.Significance.These results extend previous research showing tFUS to be capable of inducing synaptic depression and demonstrate its ability to modulate network dynamics as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaodan Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
| | - Kai Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
| | - Bin He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University
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15
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Zhang MF, Chen WZ, Huang FB, Peng ZY, Quan YC, Tang ZM. Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation facilitates hand motor function and cortical excitability: A crossover, randomized, double blind study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:926027. [PMID: 36147048 PMCID: PMC9486841 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.926027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a new form of non-invasive brain stimulation. Low-intensity TUS is considered highly safe. We aimed to investigate the effect of low-intensity TUS on hand reaction responses and cortical excitability in healthy adults. Methods This study used a crossover, randomized, and double-blind design. A total of 20 healthy participants were recruited for the study. All the participants received TUS and sham stimulation on separate days in random order. The finger tapping test (tapping score by using a tablet) and motor evoked potential (MEP) were assessed before and after stimulation, and discomfort levels were assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) score. Results No significant differences in tapping score or MEP amplitude between the two experimental conditions were registered before stimulation. After stimulation, tapping scores were increased regardless of the specific treatment, and the real stimulation condition receiving TUS (90.4 ± 11.0 points) outperformed the sham stimulation condition (86.1 ± 8.4 points) (p = 0.002). The MEP latency of real TUS (21.85 ± 1.33 ms) was shorter than that of sham TUS (22.42 ± 1.43 ms) (p < 0.001). MEP amplitude of real TUS (132.18 ± 23.28 μV) was higher than that of sham TUS (114.74 ± 25.5 μV, p = 0.005). There was no significant difference in the discomfort score between the two conditions (p = 0.163). Conclusion Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can decrease the hand reaction response time and latency of the MEP, enhance the excitability of the motor cortex, and improve hand motor function in healthy individuals without obvious discomfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Fei Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Wei-Zhou Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Fub-Biao Huang
- Department of Occupational Therapy, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Peng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Ying-Chan Quan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Zhi-Ming Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Ming Tang
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Yoo SS, Kim HC, Kim J, Kim E, Kowsari K, Van Reet J, Yoon K. Enhancement of cerebrospinal fluid tracer movement by the application of pulsed transcranial focused ultrasound. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12940. [PMID: 35902724 PMCID: PMC9334279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17314-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient transport of solutes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a critical role in their clearance from the brain. Convective bulk flow of solutes in the CSF in the perivascular space (PVS) is considered one of the important mechanisms behind solute movement in the brain, before their ultimate drainage to the systemic lymphatic system. Acoustic pressure waves can impose radiation force on a medium in its path, inducing localized and directional fluidic flow, known as acoustic streaming. We transcranially applied low-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) to rats that received an intracisternal injection of fluorescent CSF tracers (dextran and ovalbumin, having two different molecular weights-Mw). The sonication pulsing parameter was determined on the set that propelled the aqueous solution of toluidine blue O dye into a porous media (melamine foam) at the highest level of infiltration. Fluorescence imaging of the brain showed that application of FUS increased the uptake of ovalbumin at the sonicated plane, particularly around the ventricles, whereas the uptake of high-Mw dextran was unaffected. Numerical simulation showed that the effects of sonication were non-thermal. Sonication did not alter the animals' behavior or disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB) while yielding normal brain histology. The results suggest that FUS may serve as a new non-invasive means to promote interstitial CSF solute transport in a region-specific manner without disrupting the BBB, providing potential for enhanced clearance of waste products from the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeho Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Evgenii Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kavin Kowsari
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jared Van Reet
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kyungho Yoon
- School of Mathematics and Computing (Computational Science and Engineering), Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Bubrick EJ, McDannold NJ, White PJ. Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Epilepsy- A New Approach to Neuromodulation. Epilepsy Curr 2022; 22:156-160. [PMID: 36474831 PMCID: PMC9684587 DOI: 10.1177/15357597221086111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) who are not surgical candidates have unacceptably few treatment options. Benefits of implanted electrostimulatory devices are still largely palliative, and many patients are not eligible to receive them. A new form of neuromodulation, low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFUS), is rapidly emerging, and has many potential intracranial applications. LIFUS can noninvasively target tissue with a spatial distribution of highly focused acoustic energy that ensures a therapeutic effect only at the geometric focus of the transducer. A growing literature over the past several decades supports the safety of LIFUS and its ability to noninvasively modulate neural tissue in animals and humans by positioning the beam over various brain regions to target motor, sensory, and visual cortices as well as frontal eye fields and even hippocampus. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of LIFUS to suppress seizures in epilepsy animal models without damaging tissue. Resection after sonication to the antero-mesial lobe showed no pathologic changes in epilepsy patients, and this is currently being trialed in serial treatments to the hippocampus in DRE. Low intensity focused ultrasound is a promising, novel, incisionless, and radiation-free alternative form of neuromodulation being investigated for epilepsy. If proven safe and effective, it could be used to target lateral cortex as well as deep structures without causing damage, and is being studied extensively to treat a wide variety of neurologic and psychiatric disorders including epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen J. Bubrick
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Phillip J. White
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Liao YH, Chen MX, Chen SC, Luo KX, Wang B, Ao LJ, Liu Y. Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Alleviates Spasticity and Increases Expression of the Neuronal K-Cl Cotransporter in the L4–L5 Sections of Rats Following Spinal Cord Injury. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:882127. [PMID: 35634464 PMCID: PMC9133482 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.882127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) has been shown to provide effective activation of the spinal cord neurocircuits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LIFU in order to alleviate spasticity following spinal cord injury (SCI) by activating the spinal neurocircuits and increasing the expression of the neuronal K-Cl cotransporter KCC2. Adult male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (220–300 g) were randomly divided into a sham control group, a LIFU− group, and a LIFU+ group. The mechanical threshold hold (g) was used to evaluate the behavioral characteristics of spasm. Electromyography (EMG) was used to assess activation of the spinal cord neurocircuits and muscle spontaneous contraction. Spasticity was assessed by frequency-dependent depression (FDD). The expression of KCC2 of the lumbar spinal cord was determined via western blot (WB) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The spinal cord neurocircuits were activated by LIFU simulation, which significantly reduced the mechanical threshold (g), FDD, and EMG recordings (s) after 4 weeks of treatment. WB and IF staining both demonstrated that the expression of KCC2 was reduced in the LIFU− group (P < 0.05). After 4 weeks of LIFU stimulation, expression of KCC2 had significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the LIFU+ group compared with the LIFU− group. Thus, we hypothesized that LIFU treatment can alleviate spasticity effectively and upregulate the expression of KCC2 in the L4–L5 section of SCI rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Hui Liao
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Mo-Xian Chen
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Shao-Chun Chen
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Kai-Xuan Luo
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Bing Wang
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Li-Juan Ao
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Li-Juan Ao
| | - Yao Liu
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- Yao Liu
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Translational Approaches to Influence Sleep and Arousal. Brain Res Bull 2022; 185:140-161. [PMID: 35550156 PMCID: PMC9554922 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sleep disorders are widespread in society and are prevalent in military personnel and in Veterans. Disturbances of sleep and arousal mechanisms are common in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and affective disorders, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and substance use disorders. Sleep disturbances exacerbate suicidal ideation, a major concern for Veterans and in the general population. These disturbances impair quality of life, affect interpersonal relationships, reduce work productivity, exacerbate clinical features of other disorders, and impair recovery. Thus, approaches to improve sleep and modulate arousal are needed. Basic science research on the brain circuitry controlling sleep and arousal led to the recent approval of new drugs targeting the orexin/hypocretin and histamine systems, complementing existing drugs which affect GABAA receptors and monoaminergic systems. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to modulate sleep and arousal are safe and show potential but require further development to be widely applicable. Invasive viral vector and deep brain stimulation approaches are also in their infancy but may be used to modulate sleep and arousal in severe neurological and psychiatric conditions. Behavioral, pharmacological, non-invasive brain stimulation and cell-specific invasive approaches covered here suggest the potential to selectively influence arousal, sleep initiation, sleep maintenance or sleep-stage specific phenomena such as sleep spindles or slow wave activity. These manipulations can positively impact the treatment of a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders by promoting the restorative effects of sleep on memory consolidation, clearance of toxic metabolites, metabolism, and immune function and by decreasing hyperarousal.
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Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Reduces Neuropathic Pain in Mice. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2021:6510383. [PMID: 35003307 PMCID: PMC8741380 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6510383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a potential tool for treating chronic pain by modulating the central nervous system. Herein, we aimed to determine whether transcranial FUS stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) effectively improved chronic pain in the chronic compress injury mice model at different stages of neuropathic pain. The mechanical threshold of pain was recorded in the nociceptive tests. We found FUS stimulation elevated the mechanical threshold of pain in both short-term (p < 0.01) and long-term (p < 0.05) experiments. Furthermore, we determined protein expression differences in ACC between the control group, the intervention group, and the Sham group to analyze the underlying mechanism of FUS stimulation in improving neuropathic pain. Additionally, the results showed FUS stimulation led to alterations in differential proteins in long-term experiments, including cellular processes, cellular signaling, and information storage and processing. Our findings indicate FUS may effectively alleviate mechanical neuropathic pain via the ACC's stimulation, especially in the chronic state.
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