LIPUS-induced neurogenesis:A potential therapeutic strategy for cognitive dysfunction in traumatic brain injury
Wenzhu Wang, Zihan Li, Yitong Yan, Shuo Wu, Xinyu Yao, Chen Gao, Lanxiang Liu, Yan Yu
Experimental Neurology 2024, 371, 114588 · 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114588
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) precipitates cellular membrane degeneration, phospholipid degradation, neuronal demise, impaired brain electrical activity, and compromised neuroplasticity, ultimately leading to acute and chronic brain dysfunction. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is an emerging brain therapy with the characteristics of non-invasive, high spatial resolution, and high stimulation depth. Herein, we established a controlled cortical impact model to investigate the potential reparative mechanisms of LIPUS in TBI, employing a multi-faceted research methodology encompassing behavioral assessments, immunofluorescence, neuroelectrophysiology, scratch detection of primary cortical neurons, metabolomics and transcriptomics. Our findings demonstrate that LIPUS promotes hippocampal neurogenesis following brain injury, accomplished through the elevation of phosphatidylcholine levels in the hippocampus of TBI mice. Consequently, LIPUS enhances neural electrical activity and augments neural plasticity within the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus, effectively restoring neuronal function and cognitive capabilities in TBI mice. These findings shed light on the promising role of LIPUS in TBI brain rehabilitation, offering new perspectives and theoretical foundations for future studies in this domain.
Abstract via europepmc.
Exposures
Exposure 1: LIPUS treatment following controlled cortical impact TBI
Target: whole brain or unfocused — “unfocused ultrasound transducer applied over the head (effects assessed in hippocampal CA1)”
Device: other named manufacturer · Dukon · DK-102T ✓
| Waveform | not reported | |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental frequency (kHz) | 800 | ✓✓✓ |
| Pulse duration (ms) | not reported | |
| Pulse repetition frequency (Hz) | not reported | |
| Duty cycle (%) | not reported | |
| Sonication duration (s) | 600 | ✓✓✓ |
| Free-field pressure (kPa) | not reported | |
|---|---|---|
| Free-field Isppa (W/cm²) | not reported | |
| Free-field Ispta (W/cm²) | not reported | |
| In-situ estimate | not reported | |
| In-situ pressure (kPa) | not reported | |
| In-situ Isppa (W/cm²) | not reported | |
| In-situ Ispta (W/cm²) | not reported | |
| Isppa, domain unspecified (W/cm²) | 3 | ✓✓✓ |
LIPUS delivered via an unfocused transducer with an active area of 3.5 cm^2 for a total stimulation duration of 10 min daily; per the Figure 2 legend, treatment was applied for one week following TBI.
Flags from extraction
n_subjects— Paper states a total of 60 mice were purchased for the whole study, but the number specifically exposed to LIPUS (vs sham-operated/TBI-model-only) is only given per-experiment (e.g., n=6, n=3-6, n=3-4 mice per group) and never summed as one LIPUS-exposed total.n_sessions_per_subject— Total number of treatment days is not stated in the Methods (only '10 min daily'); the 'one-week' duration is stated only in the Figure 2 legend.exposures[0].target.terms— Methods do not state where on the head the unfocused transducer was placed or its targeting relative to the craniotomy/hippocampus; effects were assessed in hippocampal CA1 but sonication is described only as unfocused.exposures[0].timing.waveform— Device is described with a pulsed intensity metric (ISPPA) but no PRF or duty cycle is given, so continuous vs pulsed cannot be determined from the text.species— Text states 'C67BL/6 N', which is likely a typographical error for the common strain C57BL/6N; recorded verbatim as written.