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Published January 2022 | v3
Journal Article Open

Mechanics of ultrasonic neuromodulation in a mouse subject

  • 1. ROR icon California Institute of Technology

Abstract

Ultrasound neuromodulation (UNM), where a region in the brain is targeted by focused ultrasound (FUS), which, in turn, causes excitation or inhibition of neural activity, has recently received considerable attention as a promising tool for neuroscience. Despite its great potential, several aspects of UNM are still unknown. An important question pertains to the off-target sensory effects of UNM and their dependence on stimulation frequency. To understand these effects, we have developed a finite-element model of a mouse, including elasticity and viscoelasticity, and used it to interrogate the response of mouse models to focused ultrasound (FUS). We find that, while some degree of focusing and magnification of the signal is achieved within the brain, the induced pressure-wave pattern is complex and delocalized. In addition, we find that the brain is largely insulated, or 'cloaked', from shear waves by the cranium and that the shear waves are largely carried away from the skull by the vertebral column, which acts as a waveguide. We find that, as expected, this waveguide mechanism is strongly frequency dependent, which may contribute to the frequency dependence of UNM effects. Our calculations further suggest that off-target skin locations experience displacements and stresses at levels that, while greatly attenuated from the source, could nevertheless induce sensory responses in the subject.

Additional Information

© 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Received 22 September 2021, Revised 5 November 2021, Accepted 7 November 2021, Available online 24 November 2021. The support of the National Institute of Health, USA through grant 1RF1MH117080 is gratefully acknowledged. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Submitted - 2021.09.23.461613v1.full.pdf

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January 9, 2024
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