Modulation of peripheral nerve excitability by high frequency ultrasound

High frequency tone bursts of ultrasound are capable of suppressing and enhancing peripheral nerve action potential events. An in vitro frog sciatic nerve preparation was used as a biological model. The peak intensity of the sound delivered to the nerve was 150-200 W/cm/sup 2/. Tone bursts consisted of 0.5 to 75 ms pulses delivered at a rate of 1-10 Hz and had center frequencies between 17 and 20 MHz.