Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29804919›Full record

ArticleNeuron2018

Ultrasound Produces Extensive Brain Activation via a Cochlear Pathway.

Hongsun Guo, Mark Hamilton, Sarah J Offutt, Cory D Gloeckner, Tianqi Li, Yohan Kim, Wynn Legon, Jamu K Alford, Hubert H Lim

Erratum issuedAbstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neuron, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 145 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
145citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

145 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Targeted Mechanogenetics to Modulate Specific Deep Neural Circuits.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
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  13. Ultrasound Modulation of Visual Circuits in Mice Independent of Auditory Confound.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
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  18. Review
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85 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hongsun GuoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Electronic address: guoxx691@umn.edu.
Mark HamiltonDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Sarah J OffuttRestorative Therapies Group, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN 55432, USA.
Cory D GloecknerDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Tianqi LiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Yohan KimRestorative Therapies Group, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN 55432, USA.
Wynn LegonDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
Jamu K AlfordRestorative Therapies Group, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN 55432, USA.
Hubert H LimDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ultrasound (US) can noninvasively activate intact brain circuits, making it a promising neuromodulation technique. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism. Here, we apply transcranial US and perform brain mapping studies in guinea pigs using extracellular electrophysiology. We find that US elicits extensive activation across cortical and subcortical brain regions. However, transection of the auditory nerves or removal of cochlear fluids eliminates the US-induced activity, revealing an indirect auditory mechanism for US neural activation. Our findings indicate that US activates the ascending auditory system through a cochlear pathway, which can activate other non-auditory regions through cross-modal projections. This cochlear pathway mechanism challenges the idea that US can directly activate neurons in the intact brain, suggesting that future US stimulation studies will need to control for this effect to reach reliable conclusions.

Indexed as

Ultrasonic WavesAnimalsAuditory CortexAuditory PathwaysBrainBrain MappingCerebral CortexCochleaCochlear NerveElectrophysiological PhenomenaGuinea PigsNeuronsauditorydeep brain stimulationhearinghearing aidneuromodulationneurostimulationnoninvasivesomatosensorytranscranialultrasound

Identifiers

PMID29804919

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.