Focused ultrasound stimulation of median nerve modulates somatosensory evoked responses

Chronic pain can be alleviated using paresthesia caused by electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. However, the implantation of electrodes is necessary to increase the specificity and efficacy of the treatment. Alternatively, focused ultrasound (FUS) can noninvasively and selectively modulate nerve function, which could potentially be an alternative to inducing paresthesia. Here, we show initial feasibility of FUS stimulation in the peripheral nerve of healthy human subjects. Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) elicited by electrical stimulation of the median nerve is demonstrated to decrease in amplitude while FUS is concurrently applied on the median nerve. The suppression of SSEP signals indicates the modulation of sensory signaling to the brain, which can potentially be used to reduce pain.