PhD in TUS & Neuromodulation | Cognitive Neuroscientist helping to drive innovation through tech & methods 🧠| Low-key Illustrator finesse included ✨
Benjamin Kop
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We applied TUS through the temples and measured participants' somatosensory experience at the stimulation site (VAS/threshold). We tested several stimulation protocols across three different transducers to identify avenues for confound mitigation.
Interestingly, our results also provide preliminary evidence that particle displacement is a primary biophysical driving force underlying somatosensory co-stimulation. In the future, we may be able to leverage such insights to maximise CNS neuromodulatory efficacy while minimizing confounds.
All participants in our study reported feeling something during TUS. Tactile sensations like 'buzzing' and 'prickling' emerged at lower doses, with thermal and painful sensations emerging as dose increased. This poses a real challenge for blinding.
How can we reduce these somatosensory confounds without compromising neuromodulation in the brain by reducing dose? Our systematic parameter mapping reveals several possible strategies:
