Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Modulation of brain function by targeted delivery of GABA through the disrupted blood-brain barrier.

NeuroImage 2019 January 17
The technology of transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) enables a novel approach to neuromodulation, a tool for selective manipulation of brain function to be used in neurobiology research and with potential applications in clinical treatment. The method uses transcranial focused ultrasound to non-invasively open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a localized region such that a systemically injected neurotransmitter chemical can be delivered to the targeted brain site. The approach modulates the chemical signaling that occurs in and between neurons, making it complimentary to most other neuromodulation techniques that affect the electrical properties of neuronal activity. Here, we report delivering the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA to the right somatosensory cortex of the rat brain during bilateral hind paw electrical stimulation and measure the inhibition of activation using functional MRI (fMRI). In a 2 × 2 factorial design, we evaluated conditions of BBB Closed vs BBB Open and No GABA vs GABA. Results from fMRI measurements of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal show: 1) intravenous GABA injection without FUS-mediated BBB opening does not have an effect on the BOLD response; 2) FUS-mediated BBB opening alone significantly alters the BOLD signal response to the stimulus, both in amplitude and shape of the time course; 3) the combination of FUS-mediated BBB opening and GABA injection further reduces the peak amplitude and spatial extent of the BOLD signal response to the stimulus. The data support the thesis that FUS-mediated opening of the BBB can be used to achieve non-invasive delivery of neuroactive substances for targeted manipulation of brain function.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app