practiCal fMRI
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practicalfmri.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/@practiCalfMRI
www.youtube.com/@practiCalfMRI
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Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation: What's the role of blood vessels?
The mechanisms behind transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation remain elusive. There are several hypotheses, but conflicti...
practicalfmri.blogspot.com
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation: What's the role of blood vessels?
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
I gave it a speed read. Local motion effects? Certainly I see the optic nerves wiggling like worms in EPI time series data. And in the brain I wonder if they're seeing changes in arterial compliance (vasodilation), the first step in the functional hyperemia chain, perhaps. I'll watch and wait.
Another new way to do direct neural activity imaging...? This paper just hit my inbox belatedly. Anyone read it? I'll try to give it a read over the next week or two.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
Functional conductivity imaging: quantitative mapping of brain activity - PubMed
Theory and modelling suggest that detection of neuronal activity may be feasible using phase sensitive MRI methods. Successful detection of neuronal activity both in vitro and in vivo has been described while others have reported negative results. Magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
January 14, 2026 at 7:55 PM
I gave it a speed read. Local motion effects? Certainly I see the optic nerves wiggling like worms in EPI time series data. And in the brain I wonder if they're seeing changes in arterial compliance (vasodilation), the first step in the functional hyperemia chain, perhaps. I'll watch and wait.
Another new way to do direct neural activity imaging...? This paper just hit my inbox belatedly. Anyone read it? I'll try to give it a read over the next week or two.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
Functional conductivity imaging: quantitative mapping of brain activity - PubMed
Theory and modelling suggest that detection of neuronal activity may be feasible using phase sensitive MRI methods. Successful detection of neuronal activity both in vitro and in vivo has been described while others have reported negative results. Magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
January 14, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Another new way to do direct neural activity imaging...? This paper just hit my inbox belatedly. Anyone read it? I'll try to give it a read over the next week or two.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259483/
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
🎧 OHBM Podcast Neurosalience S6, Ep 5 is out now! Host Peter Bandettini sits down with Dr. Ahmed Khalil to discuss BOLD latency mapping for stroke perfusion deficits and the challenges of translating research into clinical practice. Listen now!
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3L6c...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3L6c...
January 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
🎧 OHBM Podcast Neurosalience S6, Ep 5 is out now! Host Peter Bandettini sits down with Dr. Ahmed Khalil to discuss BOLD latency mapping for stroke perfusion deficits and the challenges of translating research into clinical practice. Listen now!
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3L6c...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/3L6c...
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation: What's the role of blood vessels?
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation: What's the role of blood vessels?
The mechanisms behind transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation remain elusive. There are several hypotheses, but conflicti...
practicalfmri.blogspot.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation: What's the role of blood vessels?
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
practicalfmri.blogspot.com/2026/01/tran...
Any studies looked at cerebrovascular reactivity during or after tFUS? Perhaps a hypercapnic challenge such as breath hold assessed with ASL or BOLD? Could be an interesting, relatively simple way to assess the vascular effects of tFUS.
December 27, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Any studies looked at cerebrovascular reactivity during or after tFUS? Perhaps a hypercapnic challenge such as breath hold assessed with ASL or BOLD? Could be an interesting, relatively simple way to assess the vascular effects of tFUS.
TFUS mechanism, redux. Recent papers show TRPC6 mechanosensitive ion channels in cultured mouse neurons (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2404877121), a way tFUS might interact with the brain. And yet TRPC6 is also a major player in vascular (myogenic) tone. Ignore vessels at your peril, tFUS folks!
December 27, 2025 at 12:28 AM
TFUS mechanism, redux. Recent papers show TRPC6 mechanosensitive ion channels in cultured mouse neurons (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2404877121), a way tFUS might interact with the brain. And yet TRPC6 is also a major player in vascular (myogenic) tone. Ignore vessels at your peril, tFUS folks!
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Hey whole brain imaging people .. if, like me, you need to revise a little your knowledge of patch clamp (so you can read cell recording papers and interpret better), I can only recommend this quick 7 min video youtu.be/ECcwCUeboFs?...
December 26, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Hey whole brain imaging people .. if, like me, you need to revise a little your knowledge of patch clamp (so you can read cell recording papers and interpret better), I can only recommend this quick 7 min video youtu.be/ECcwCUeboFs?...
A double-blind replication attempt of offline 5Hz-rTUS-induced corticospinal excitability
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41395365/
(tl;dr: it didn't work)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41395365/
(tl;dr: it didn't work)
A double-blind replication attempt of offline 5Hz-rTUS-induced corticospinal excitability - PubMed
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising new form of non-invasive neuromodulation. As a nascent technique, replication of its effects on brain function is important. Of particular interest is offline 5 Hz repetitive TUS (5 Hz-rTUS), originally reported by Zeng et al. (2022) to elicit …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
December 16, 2025 at 8:37 PM
A double-blind replication attempt of offline 5Hz-rTUS-induced corticospinal excitability
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41395365/
(tl;dr: it didn't work)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41395365/
(tl;dr: it didn't work)
Noninvasive deep brain stimulation using theta-burst transcranial magnetic-acoustic coupling to modulate cortical rhythms in Parkinsonian mice
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41386342/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41386342/
Noninvasive deep brain stimulation using theta-burst transcranial magnetic-acoustic coupling to modulate cortical rhythms in Parkinsonian mice - PubMed
Modulating the subthalamic nucleus (STN) through neural circuits can suppress abnormal discharge rhythms in the primary motor cortex (M1) in Parkinson's disease (PD), thereby enhancing motor function. However, a clinically viable noninvasive deep brain stimulation method for PD has yet to be realize …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
December 15, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Noninvasive deep brain stimulation using theta-burst transcranial magnetic-acoustic coupling to modulate cortical rhythms in Parkinsonian mice
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41386342/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41386342/
Even Nobel prizewinners can experience impostor syndrome. John looks as shocked here as he did on 7th October.
December 15, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Even Nobel prizewinners can experience impostor syndrome. John looks as shocked here as he did on 7th October.
It seems a bunch of groups are leaping into tFUS for neuromodulation without assessing effects of tFUS on CBF with ASL, or on vascular territory effects using cerebrovascular reactivity. Seems like a giant oversight to me!!!! (My five bucks says tFUS is primarily vascular...)
December 13, 2025 at 7:26 PM
It seems a bunch of groups are leaping into tFUS for neuromodulation without assessing effects of tFUS on CBF with ASL, or on vascular territory effects using cerebrovascular reactivity. Seems like a giant oversight to me!!!! (My five bucks says tFUS is primarily vascular...)
Further proof, if it were needed, that Suffolk peaked 400 millenia ago and has been going downhill since. (Local radio peaked shortly thereafter, along with fashion.)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Earliest evidence of making fire - Nature
Baked sediment, heat-shattered artefacts and introduced pyrite in a 400,000-year-old Palaeolithic occupation site in Suffolk, UK provide evidence of intentional fire-making, marking a pivotal moment i...
www.nature.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Further proof, if it were needed, that Suffolk peaked 400 millenia ago and has been going downhill since. (Local radio peaked shortly thereafter, along with fashion.)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Transcranial focused ultrasound induces source localizable cortical activation in resting state humans when applied concurrently with transcranial electric stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.03.692212v1
December 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Transcranial focused ultrasound induces source localizable cortical activation in resting state humans when applied concurrently with transcranial electric stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.03.692212v1
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Non-invasive modulation of brain activity and behavior by transcranial radio frequency stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.27.691064v1
November 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Non-invasive modulation of brain activity and behavior by transcranial radio frequency stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.27.691064v1
Label free, capillary-scale blood flow mapping in vivo reveals that low-intensity focused ultrasound evokes persistent dilation in cortical microvasculature
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Label free, capillary-scale blood flow mapping in vivo reveals that low-intensity focused ultrasound evokes persistent dilation in cortical microvasculature - Communications Biology
Capillary-scale blood flow mapping in vivo reveals that low intensity focused ultrasound evokes persistent dilation in cortical microvasculature
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Label free, capillary-scale blood flow mapping in vivo reveals that low-intensity focused ultrasound evokes persistent dilation in cortical microvasculature
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Kilohertz transcranial magnetic perturbation (kTMP) as a new non-invasive method to modulate cortical excitability
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40899987/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40899987/
Kilohertz transcranial magnetic perturbation (kTMP) as a new non-invasive method to modulate cortical excitability - PubMed
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) provides a method for safely perturbing brain activity, and has been employed in basic research to test hypotheses concerning brain-behavior relationships with increasing translational applications. We introduce and evaluate a novel subthreshold NIBS method: kil …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 19, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Kilohertz transcranial magnetic perturbation (kTMP) as a new non-invasive method to modulate cortical excitability
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40899987/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40899987/
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Deep cerebellar tFUS engages cortical circuits via convergent local and sensory-driven mechanisms https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.15.688639v1
November 16, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Deep cerebellar tFUS engages cortical circuits via convergent local and sensory-driven mechanisms https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.15.688639v1
For anyone now freaking out, remember there are three legs to the AI/ML/DL stool: 1. the hardware & power to do the computations, 2. the algo/model being deployed, and 3. the data. Collecting good data may never have been so important.
November 16, 2025 at 4:25 PM
For anyone now freaking out, remember there are three legs to the AI/ML/DL stool: 1. the hardware & power to do the computations, 2. the algo/model being deployed, and 3. the data. Collecting good data may never have been so important.
AI Is Suddenly Surprisingly Good At Physics
YouTube video by Sabine Hossenfelder
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Not quite ready for routine use, but a big step towards what would be a wonderful scan to include in all fMRI protocols. It gets a variable delay ASL, angio and variable contrast T1 anatomical all from the same set of data!
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955094/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955094/
Combined angiography and perfusion using radial imaging and arterial spin labeling with structural contrast - PubMed
CAPRIA+S is an efficient single acquisition to provide intrinsically co-registered quantitative information about brain blood flow and structure that has considerable advantages over conventional methods.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 15, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Not quite ready for routine use, but a big step towards what would be a wonderful scan to include in all fMRI protocols. It gets a variable delay ASL, angio and variable contrast T1 anatomical all from the same set of data!
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955094/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955094/
Calling electrical engineers, what do you think of the suggestion that there's a capacitive E field between the transducer and the brain which contributes at least some of the neuromodulatory effects of tFUS? Presumably this DC effect would manifest at the pulse repetition rate.
Non-invasive in vivo acoustoelectric neuromodulation and its contribution to ultrasound stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.685597v1
November 9, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Calling electrical engineers, what do you think of the suggestion that there's a capacitive E field between the transducer and the brain which contributes at least some of the neuromodulatory effects of tFUS? Presumably this DC effect would manifest at the pulse repetition rate.
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Non-invasive in vivo acoustoelectric neuromodulation and its contribution to ultrasound stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.685597v1
November 4, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Non-invasive in vivo acoustoelectric neuromodulation and its contribution to ultrasound stimulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.685597v1
Decoding paradoxical BOLD responses to transcranial ultrasound stimulation with concurrent optoacoustic magnetic resonance imaging
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41171932/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41171932/
Decoding paradoxical BOLD responses to transcranial ultrasound stimulation with concurrent optoacoustic magnetic resonance imaging - PubMed
Focused transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) can affect neural activity with high spatial precision, advancing noninvasive neuromodulation toward targeted treatment of brain disorders. Direct monitoring of TUS responses is crucial for ensuring optimal outcomes. Blood-oxygenation-level-dependent …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 4, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Decoding paradoxical BOLD responses to transcranial ultrasound stimulation with concurrent optoacoustic magnetic resonance imaging
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41171932/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41171932/
Reposted by practiCal fMRI
Psychedelics alter neurovascular coupling, which means we need to critically re-evaluate fMRI findings of acute psychedelic effects
#neuroskyence
#PsychSciSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroskyence
#PsychSciSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonism alters neurovascular coupling and differentially affects neuronal and hemodynamic measures of brain function - Nature Neuroscience
Padawer-Curry et al. show that the hallucinogenic 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI alters neurovascular coupling in mice, with implications for the interpretation of human fMRI studies of psychedelics.
www.nature.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Psychedelics alter neurovascular coupling, which means we need to critically re-evaluate fMRI findings of acute psychedelic effects
#neuroskyence
#PsychSciSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroskyence
#PsychSciSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...