Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Cerebellar Nuclei Alters the Propagation Times in the Cerebello-Thalamic Pathway
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The electrophysiological effects of ultrasound stimulation on single cells and local neural circuits remain poorly understood. In this study, we sonicated the cerebellar nuclei (CN) with a focused ultrasound beam while the cerebellar cortex was stimulated at subthreshold levels with sinusoidal alternating currents (AC). The spiking activity of the thalamic cells were entrained by AC stimulation of the cerebellar cortex transsynaptically, providing a tool to assess the propagation delays in the cerebello-thalamic (CT) pathway. Ultrasound stimulation of the CN shortened the propagation delays, detected as a phase change in spike histograms triggered by the AC cycle. Single cell recordings in the CN at similar sonication power levels suggested that local temperature rise may underlie the observed effects, though other mechanisms remain possible. Aberrant patterns of neural activity in the CT pathway are seen as the underlying cause of motor symptoms in some neurological disorders. Modulation of cerebellar inputs to the motor thalamus may offer a potential therapeutic strategy to disrupt pathological activity patterns and alleviate symptoms.
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7167784163