Ultrasonic stimulation of peripheral nervous tissue: an investigation into mechanisms

13th Anglo-French Physical Acoustics Conference

Wright, C.J.^1 ; Rothwell, J.^2 ; Saffari, N.^1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London

WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom^1

UCL Institute of Neuroscience, Queen Square, London

WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom^2

关键词: Higher resolution;    Nervous tissues;    Neurostimulation;    Peripheral nerves;    Research potential;    Simple modeling;    Stimulatory effects;    Ultrasonic stimulations;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/581/1/012003/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/581/1/012003

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Neuro-stimulation has wide ranging clinical and research potential but this is currently limited either by low resolution, penetration or by highly invasive procedures. It has been reported in previous studies that ultrasound is able to elicit a neuro-stimulatory effect at a higher resolution than other non-invasive approaches but both the underlying mechanism that makes this possible and the practical details of how it can be implemented are still poorly understood. The current study has identified the main issues that need to be resolved in the field, proposing several different approaches to tackling these areas. An isolated in vitro peripheral nerve bundle was chosen as a simple model to demonstrate and investigate the neuro-stimulatory effect after preliminary results showed successful stimulation in a skin-nerve preparation. Early results from the nerve bundle show successful neurostimulation, indicating that structures in the peripheral nerve axon are sensitive to ultrasound. Further research using this model should reveal more precisely what structures are being affected and how to optimise the effect, helping to inform the design of future procedures and devices used in in vivo applications.