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In vitro effects of ultrasound with different energies on the conduction properties of neural tissue

Po-Hsiang Tsui, Shyh-Hau Wang, Chih-Chung Huang

Ultrasonics 2005, 43, 560-565 · 10.1016/j.ultras.2004.12.003

ex vivo tissuehealthyinvasive electrophysiology

Abstract

The effect of ultrasound at various energy levels on the conduction properties of neural tissue is explored in this in vitro study. Excised sciatic nerves from the bullfrog were used for experiments. The nerves were stimulated by 3.5 MHz continuous wave ultrasound at 1, 2, and 3 W for 5 min. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the electrically evoked compound action potential (CAP) and the conduction velocity (CV) were measured in the nerves before and during ultrasound stimulation. The CV of the nerves increased by 5-20% for ultrasound stimulations at 1-3 W. The CAP amplitude increased by 8% during stimulation with 1 W ultrasound, and progressively decreased for 2 and 3 W ultrasound. This indicates that the effect of lower energy ultrasound increases both the CV and the CAP amplitude and that the reduction in the CAP amplitude for higher energy ultrasound is associated largely with ultrasonic thermal effects.

Abstract via europepmc.

Speciesbullfrog
Subjects5, 5, 5swept preparations
Sessions per subjectnot applicable
Randomisednot applicable
Blindingnot applicable
Sham / controlnone
Auditory controlnot reported
Readout timingonline
Anaesthesianot applicable
Readoutsinvasive electrophysiologyCompound action potential (CAP) amplitude and conduction velocity (CV), recorded via bipolar electrodes and a digital oscilloscope
Direction of effectbidirectional1 W continuous-wave ultrasound increased both conduction velocity and CAP amplitude, whereas 2 and 3 W increased conduction velocity but progressively decreased CAP amplitude, an effect attributed largely to ultrasonic thermal effects.
Adverse eventsnot applicable

Exposures

Exposure 1: Continuous-wave ultrasound (1, 2, or 3 W acoustic power) applied to excised sciatic nerve

Target: sciatic nerve, excised nerve — “excised sciatic nerve
Device: Olympus / Panametrics · Panametrics · A382R

Pulse timing
Waveformcontinuous
Fundamental frequency (kHz)3,500✓✓
Pulse duration (ms)not applicable
Pulse repetition frequency (Hz)not applicable
Duty cycle (%)100?
Sonication duration (s)300✓✓
Pressure and intensity, by domain
Free-field pressure (kPa)not reported
Free-field Isppa (W/cm²)not reported
Free-field Ispta (W/cm²)not reported
In-situ estimatenot applicable
In-situ pressure (kPa)not applicable
In-situ Isppa (W/cm²)not applicable
In-situ Ispta (W/cm²)not applicable
Protocol, in the paper’s words

The ultrasound stimulation system was switched on to expose the nerve tissue to continuous wave ultrasound radiation at 1, 2, and 3 W. For each measurement, the sciatic nerve was stimulated by ultrasound for 5 min and its CAP signal was collected once per second.

Flags from extraction

  • n_subjectsText states 'five nerve samples for each of the three ultrasound energies used'; it is not stated whether these were independent samples per energy (15 total) or the same 5 nerves reused; recorded as group-size list [5,5,5].
  • exposures[0].free_field.isppa_w_cm2Paper reports acoustic power in W (1, 2, 3 W) rather than an intensity in W/cm2, so no value could be placed in the intensity fields without computing area-based arithmetic.