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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
11:57
Whole-Brain 3D Activation and Functional Connectivity Mapping in Mice using Transcranial Functional Ultrasound Imaging
Published on: February 24, 2021
11.4K
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation selectively enhances fronto-temporal context-guided memory
Benjamin Slater1,2, Hugo Caffaratti3, Timothy Griffiths1
1Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 9, 2026
Summary
Non-invasive Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS) improved cognitive performance in macaques. TUS to the medial temporal lobe enhanced memory sequencing, while TUS to the medial prefrontal cortex aided adaptation to changing contexts.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Brain Stimulation
Background:
- Cognitive enhancement through brain stimulation is a significant area of scientific research.
- Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, like Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS), offer potential for therapeutic interventions.
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive functions, such as memory and adaptation, is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of non-invasive Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS) on cognitive performance in non-human primates.
- To determine the specific roles of anterior medial temporal lobe and medial prefrontal cortex in cognitive tasks using TUS.
- To explore the potential of TUS for enhancing cognitive functions and studying neural circuits.
Main Methods:
- Implemented a non-invasive focal Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS) approach in two rhesus macaques.
- Monkeys performed a context-dependent memory-sequencing task using touchscreens.
- TUS was applied to the anterior medial temporal lobe and the medial prefrontal cortex.
Main Results:
- TUS applied to the anterior medial temporal lobe consistently enhanced memory-sequencing performance under stable contexts in both monkeys.
- TUS applied to the medial prefrontal cortex selectively improved performance when contexts were unstable, requiring adaptation to changes.
- Posterior medial temporal lobe stimulation did not yield performance enhancements.
Conclusions:
- Focal TUS can selectively enhance distinct cognitive functions, such as memory and adaptive behavior, by targeting specific fronto-temporal brain regions.
- These findings highlight the potential of TUS as a non-invasive tool for cognitive enhancement and neural circuit investigation across species.
- The study provides insights into the neural basis of cognitive flexibility and memory, paving the way for human applications.
Keywords:
context-guided memorymacaquemedial prefrontal cortexneuromodulationsequence learningtranscranial ultrasound stimulationMore Related Videos
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