
doi: 10.1101/314856
Abstract Background Low intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a new method of non-invasive neuromodulation that uses acoustic energy to affect neuronal excitability. tFUS offers high spatial resolution and adjustable focal lengths for precise neuromodulation of discrete regions in the human brain. Before the full potential of low intensity ultrasound for research and clinical application can be investigated, data on the safety of this technique is indicated. Objective/Hypothesis To provide an initial evaluation of the safety of tFUS for human neuromodulation through participant report and neurological assessment surrounding pilot investigation of tFUS for neuromodulation. Methods Participants (N = 120) that were enrolled in one of seven human ultrasound neuromodulation studies at the University of Minnesota (2015 – 2017) were queried to complete a follow-up Participant Report of Symptoms questionnaire assessing their self-reported experience and tolerance to participation in tFUS research and the perceived relation of symptoms to tFUS. Results A total of 64/120 participant (53%) responded to follow-up requests to complete the Participant Report of Symptoms questionnaire. During the conduct of the seven studies in this report, none of the participants experienced serious adverse effects. From the post-hoc assessment of safety using the questionnaire, 7/64 reported mild to moderate symptoms, that were perceived as ‘possibly’ or ‘probably’ related to participation in tFUS experiments. These reports included neck pain, problems with attention, muscle twitches and anxiety. The most common unrelated symptoms included sleepiness and neck pain. There were initial transient reports of mild neck pain, scalp tingling and headache that were extinguished upon follow-up. No new symptoms were reported upon follow up out to 1 month. Conclusions(s) To date, in the literature and including this report, no serious adverse events have been reported as a result of low intensity tFUS for human neuromodulation. Here, we report new data on minor transient events. As currently employed with the parameters used in the studies in this report, tFUS looks to be a safe form of transient neuromodulation in humans.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 7 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
