Focused ultrasound neuromodulation

Ying Meng; Christopher B Pople; Harriet Lea-Banks; Kullervo Hynynen; Nir Lipsman; Clement Hamani

doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2021.06.004

Focused ultrasound neuromodulation

Int Rev Neurobiol. 2021:159:221-240. doi: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.06.004. Epub 2021 Aug 7.

Authors

Ying Meng¹, Christopher B Pople², Harriet Lea-Banks³, Kullervo Hynynen⁴, Nir Lipsman⁵, Clement Hamani⁶

Affiliations

¹ Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: clement.hamani@sunnybrook.ca.

PMID: 34446247
DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.06.004

Abstract

Focused ultrasound (FUS) is an emerging modality for performing incisionless neurosurgical procedures including thermoablation and blood-brain barrier (BBB) modulation. Emerging evidence suggests that low intensity FUS can also be used for neuromodulation with several benefits, including high spatial precision and the possibility of targeting deep brain regions. Here we review the existing data regarding the biological mechanisms of FUS neuromodulation, the characteristics of neuronal activity altered by FUS, emerging indications for FUS neuromodulation, as well as the strengths and limitations of this approach.

Keywords: Blood-brain barrier; Focused ultrasound; Lesion; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuromodulation.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Neurons* / physiology
Neurosurgical Procedures* / methods
Ultrasonic Surgical Procedures*