High-Resolution, Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Neuromodulation and Detailed Analysis of Electromyography Characteristics Reveals a High Degree of Spatial Specificity in Elicited Responses in Mice in Vivo

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has demonstrated the ability to modulate nervous system activity in animals. Recently, higher frequency focused transducers have been used to successfully elicit motor responses in mice in vivo. Despite this success, quantitative analyses of the temporal and magnitude-related characteristics of FUS elicited motor responses measured with electromyography(EMG) and the spatial specificity of those responses have been poorly described. In this study, we use a focused transducer with high spatial resolution (1mm lateral focal diameter) and EMG to evaluate six quantitative EMG response characteristics. Results demonstrate that these responses are highly specific to the brain volume acted upon by the FUS