Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
Whole-Brain 3D Activation and Functional Connectivity Mapping in Mice using Transcranial Functional Ultrasound Imaging
Published on: February 24, 2021
Frequency and Timing-Dependent Effects of Ultrasound on Neural Responses: Comparative Analysis With Whisker
Ye Yuan1, Tian Liu1, Jue Wang1,2
1Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Ultrasound can temporarily enhance brain activity and sensory responses when applied at specific times before sensory input. This noninvasive neuromodulation technique shows potential for controlling sensory processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biophysics
Background:
- Noninvasive neuromodulation techniques are crucial for understanding and controlling brain function.
- Short-term synaptic plasticity (STP) plays a key role in sensory processing and learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if ultrasound can induce systems-level, short-term synaptic plasticity (STP)-like effects.
- To explore ultrasound's modulation of cortical excitability and sensory responsiveness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a temporally shifted sensory paradigm in rats.
- Recorded electrocorticography (ECoG) signals from the barrel cortex.
- Assessed neural responses based on peak amplitude, latency, and power spectral density.
Main Results:
- Ultrasound preceding whisker stimulation by 25 ms significantly enhanced subsequent whisker responses.
- This facilitation effect was dependent on the precise timing and frequency of ultrasound.
- Ultrasound stimulation alone evoked weaker cortical responses compared to whisker stimulation.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasound can create a transient "excitability window" in the cortex, enhancing sensory processing.
- Findings provide systems-level evidence for ultrasound-induced STP-like neuromodulation.
- Ultrasound presents a promising noninvasive method for dynamic control of sensory processing.
More Related Videos
14:02Flat-floored Air-lifted Platform: A New Method for Combining Behavior with Microscopy or Electrophysiology on Awake Freely Moving Rodents
Published on: June 29, 2014
08:38Author Spotlight: Integration of Fiber Photometry and Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Investigating Neural Modulation in Freely Moving Mice
Published on: September 6, 2024