Focused ultrasound neuromodulation of the spleen activates an anti-inflammatory response in humans

Focused ultrasound stimulation (FUS) activates mechanosensitive ion channels and is emerging as a method of noninvasive neuromodulation. In preclinical studies, FUS of the spleen (sFUS) activates an anti-inflammatory neural pathway which suppresses acute and chronic inflammation. However, the relevance of sFUS for regulating inflammatory responses in humans is unknown. Here, we used a modified diagnostic ultrasound imaging system to target the spleen of healthy human subjects with 3 minutes of continuously swept or stationary focused pulsed ultrasound, delivered at three different energy levels within allowable safety exposure limits.

Source: BRAIN STIMULATION: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation - April 11, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: Stavros Zanos, Despoina Ntiloudi, John Pellerito, Richard Ramdeo, John Graf, Kirk Wallace, Victoria Cotero, Jeff Ashe, Jessica Moon, Meghan Addorisio, David Shoudy, Tom R. Coleman, Michael Brines, Chris Puleo, Kevin J. Tracey, Sangeeta S. Chavan Source Type: research