Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation: A Review of the Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects on Brain Activity in Human and Animals

Tingting Zhang; Na Pan; Yuping Wang; Chunyan Liu; Shimin Hu

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2021.749162

Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation: A Review of the Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects on Brain Activity in Human and Animals

Front Hum Neurosci. 2021 Sep 28:15:749162. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.749162. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Tingting Zhang^{1

2}, Na Pan^{1

2}, Yuping Wang^{1

2

3}, Chunyan Liu^{1

2}, Shimin Hu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
² Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China.
³ Center of Epilepsy, Institute of Sleep and Consciousness Disorders, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Non-invasive neuromodulation technology is important for the treatment of brain diseases. The effects of focused ultrasound on neuronal activity have been investigated since the 1920s. Low intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) can exert non-destructive mechanical pressure effects on cellular membranes and ion channels and has been shown to modulate the activity of peripheral nerves, spinal reflexes, the cortex, and even deep brain nuclei, such as the thalamus. It has obvious advantages in terms of security and spatial selectivity. This technology is considered to have broad application prospects in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders. This review synthesizes animal and human research outcomes and offers an integrated description of the excitatory and inhibitory effects of tFUS in varying experimental and disease conditions.

Keywords: animal; human; neuromodulation; non-invasive brain stimulation; transcranial focused ultrasound.

Publication types

Review