Our Mission & VISION
We are working on novel ultrasound neuromodulation techniques to alter brain areas with high precision.
In the lab, we are working on novel ultrasound neuromodulation techniques to alter brain areas with high precision, especially areas deep in the brain, such as the amygdala and caudate nucleus. We are working together on different topics to guide future experimental designs and procedures and enable the rapid and effective implementation of TUS in research and clinical settings.
Biasing Motor Movements
TMS-TUS over the Primary Motor Cortex
In our combined TUS-TMS research we conduct fundamental investigations into the efficacy of ultrasonic neuromodulation. Here, we have shown that inhibitory effects of an online 1000 Hz pulsed TUS protocol on corticospinal activity are, in fact, driven by the salient auditory confound associated with this protocol. However, we have also found preliminary evidence for TUS interacting with ongoing neural dynamics beyond an overall shift in global excitation/inhibition balance. Our research will continue to examine ultrasonic neuromodulatory efficacy using different stimulation protocols and outcome measures. We hope this research will guide future experimental designs and procedures and enable the rapid and effective implementation of TUS in research and clinical settings.
Responible Researcher
Biasing Motor Movements
Effect of TUS on Eye Movements
While there is abundant evidence for the effects of transcranial ultrasonic stimulation (TUS) in animal models, the establishment of effective online TUS protocols in humans remains limited. Our current project focuses on the development of an efficient TUS protocol in humans, with the aim of safely and effectively modulating behavior. Specifically, we employ TUS to target the frontal eye fields (FEFs) during a saccade task. The FEFs play a crucial role in voluntary eye movements, and by stimulating or inhibiting this region, we can influence the direction of eye saccades, biasing them either towards the opposite or ipsilateral side. Through an analysis of eye movement direction during the saccade task, we not only seek to assess the efficacy of our TUS protocol but also determine its direction (inhibitory, excitatory, or perturbatory). This endeavor has the potential to demonstrate the viability of online TUS paradigms and contribute valuable insights to the experimental design of future studies.
Responible Researcher
Fear Learning
TUS of the human amygdala in fear-learning
One way we study fear learning is through Pavlovian fear conditioning, a well-established method used in animal research to understand the brain circuits and mechanisms involved. This research has consistently found that the amygdala plays a key role in fear learning. However, our understanding of fear learning in humans is mainly based on neuroimaging studies, which can only provide correlations and not causality. Therefore, we will use TUS in combination with fear conditioning procedures to causally test the amygdala's role in fear learning in humans. Previous research has shown that TUS can modulate amygdala activation in non-human primates and cognitive processes in humans by neuromodulating deep brain structures, so we expect TUS to modulate amygdala-dependent fear learning in humans.
Responible Researcher
Deep Brain Ultrasound Effects
Imaging effects of deep brain ultrasound
A critical step in the development of non-invasive neuromodulation is the ability to verify target engagement. Such verification remains particularly challenging for deeper brain structures, despite their fundamental contributions to brain function and cognition. Here, we propose to leverage the high spatial resolution and whole-brain coverage of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We will image circuit-specific neuromodulation following TUS to both the amygdala and the thalamus. Following, we conduct a combination between EEG recording and offline TUS stimulation. By probing the spatial, temporal, and state specificity of TUS effects using neuroimaging, we aim to validate TUS as a rigorous tool for non-invasive deep brain modulation.