Research Article

Focused ultrasound modulates the level of cortical neurotransmitters: Potential as a new functional brain mapping technique†

  1. Byoung-Kyong Min1,
  2. Po Song Yang1,2,
  3. Mark Bohlke3,
  4. Shinsuk Park4,
  5. David R.Vago5,
  6. Timothy J. Maher3,
  7. Seung-Schik Yoo1,*

Article first published online: 10 MAY 2011

DOI: 10.1002/ima.20284

Issue

International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology

International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology

Special Issue: Special issue on Pattern Recognition in Neuroimaging

Volume 21, Issue 2, pages 232–240, June 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Min, B.-K., Yang, P. S., Bohlke, M., Park, S., R.Vago, D., Maher, T. J. and Yoo, S.-S. (2011), Focused ultrasound modulates the level of cortical neurotransmitters: Potential as a new functional brain mapping technique. Int. J. Imaging Syst. Technol., 21: 232–240. doi: 10.1002/ima.20284

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

  2. 2

    Department of Radiology, Daejeon Saint Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon, Korea

  3. 3

    Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA

  4. 4

    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

  5. 5

    Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

*Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

  1. †

    This work was partially supported by Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovation (CIMIT to Yoo), Saint Mary's Hospital (to Yang), and the National Research Foundation grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (2010-0027294 to Park)

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 MAY 2011
  2. Article first published online: 10 MAY 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 15 FEB 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 10 FEB 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 22 DEC 2010

Funded by

  • Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovation (CIMIT to Yoo), Saint Mary's Hospital (to Yang)
  • The National Research Foundation grant funded by the Korea government (MEST). Grant Number: 2010-0027294

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Keywords:

  • ultrasound;
  • sonication;
  • microdialysis;
  • high-performance liquid chromatography;
  • neuromodulation;
  • dopamine;
  • serotonin

Abstract

Regional modulation of the level of cortical neurotransmitters in the brain would serve as a new functional brain mapping technique to interrogate the neurochemical actions of the brain. We investigated the utility of the application of low-intensity, pulsed sonication of focused ultrasound (FUS) to the brain to modulate the extracellular level of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT). FUS was delivered to the thalamic areas of rats, and extracellular DA and 5-HT were sampled from the frontal lobe using the microdialysis technique. The concentration changes of the sampled DA and 5-HT were measured through high-performance liquid chromatography. We observed a significant increase of the extracellular concentrations of DA and 5-HT in the FUS-treated group as compared with those in the unsonicated group. Our results provide the first direct evidence that FUS sonication alters the level of extracellular concentration of these monoamine neurotransmitters and has a potential modulatory effect on their local release, uptake, or degradation. Our findings suggest that the pulsed application of FUS offers new perspectives for a possible noninvasive modulation of neurotransmitters and may have diagnostic as well as therapeutic implications for DA/5-HT-mediated neurological and psychiatric disorders. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 232–240, 2011

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