Transcranial ultrasound stimulation modulates neuronal membrane potentials across broad timescales in the awake mammalian brain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) offers noninvasive neuromodulation with high spatiotemporal precision, but its cellular-level effects in the awake brain remain poorly understood.

Objective

We investigated how low-intensity TUS modulates membrane voltage dynamics in individual cortical neurons in awake mice.

Methods

Using the genetically encoded voltage indicator SomArchon, we performed high-speed kilohertz voltage imaging in awake head-fixed mice. TUS was delivered with a 0.35 MHz transducer at 10 or 40 Hz pulse repetition frequency, at intensities below the estimated threshold for auditory brainstem activation. We analyzed changes in membrane potentials (Vm), spiking, and coordination across simultaneously recorded neurons.

Results

TUS evo

SUBMITTER: Bortz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12768310 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature