Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do, Korea.
School of Electrical Engineering, Hanyang University (ERICA Campus), Ansan Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
Med Eng Phys. 2023 Aug;118:104023. doi: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2023.104023. Epub 2023 Jul 12.
Ultrasonic neuromodulation (UNMOD) provides a non-invasive brain stimulation. However, the high-resolution region-specificity of UNMOD with a single element transducer combined with a mechanical positioning system could have limits due to the intrinsic positioning error from mechanical systems.
OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: A phased array system could lead to highly selective neuromodulation with electronic control.
A specialized phased-array system with a robotic arm is implemented for a rhesus monkey model. Various primary motor cortex areas related to tail, hand, and mouth were stimulated with a 200 μm step size. The ultrasonic parameters were I of 840 mW/cm, pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz, and a 5% duty factor at 600 kHz. The induced movement were recorded and analyzed.
Separate digits, mouth, and tongue motions were successfully induced by electronically controlling the focus. The identical body part movement could be induced when the focus was moved back to the identical primary motor cortex with electronic control. Accordingly, the reproducibility of UNMOD could be partially validated with rhesus monkey model.
A phased-array system appears to have a potential for the non-invasive and region-selective neuromodulation method.
超声神经调节（UNMOD）提供了一种非侵入性的脑刺激方法。然而，由于机械系统固有的定位误差，单个换能器与机械定位系统相结合的 UNMOD 具有高分辨率的区域特异性可能存在局限性。
目的/假设：相控阵系统可以通过电子控制实现高度选择性的神经调节。
为恒河猴模型实施了一种带有机械臂的专用相控阵系统。用 200μm 的步长刺激与尾巴、手和嘴相关的各种初级运动皮层区。超声参数为 I 为 840mW/cm，脉冲重复频率为 100Hz，在 600kHz 时占空比为 5%。记录并分析诱导运动。
通过电子控制焦点，成功地诱导了单独的手指、嘴和舌头运动。当焦点通过电子控制回到相同的初级运动皮层时，可诱导相同的身体部位运动。因此，恒河猴模型部分验证了 UNMOD 的可重复性。
相控阵系统似乎具有作为一种非侵入性和区域选择性神经调节方法的潜力。
