Abstract
Objective: Here we investigate the ability of low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) applied to the spinal cord to modulate the transmission of motor signals. Methods: Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10, 250-300 g, 15 weeks old) were used in this study. Anesthesia was initially induced with 2% isoflurane carried by oxygen at 4 L/min via a nose cone. Cranial, upper extremity, and lower extremity electrodes were placed. A thoracic laminectomy was performed to expose the spinal cord at the T11 and T12 vertebral levels. A LIUS transducer was coupled to the exposed spinal cord, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were acquired each minute for either 5- or 10-minutes of sonication. Following the sonication period, the ultrasound was turned off and post-sonication MEPs were acquired for an additional 5 minutes. Results: Hindlimb MEP amplitude significantly decreased during sonication in both the 5- (p < 0.001) and 10-min (p = 0.004) cohorts with a corresponding gradual recovery to baseline. Forelimb MEP amplitude did not demonstrate any statistically significant changes during sonication in either the 5- (p = 0.46) or 10-min (p = 0.80) trials. Conclusion: LIUS applied to the spinal cord suppresses MEP signals caudal to the site of sonication, with recovery of MEPs to baseline after sonication. Significance: LIUS can suppress motor signals in the spinal cord and may be useful in treating movement disorders driven by excessive excitation of spinal neurons.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1992-2001 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering |
Volume | 70 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1 2023 |
Keywords
- Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound
- motor evoked potentials
- neuromodulation
- rat model
- spinal cord injury
- thoracic spine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biomedical Engineering