Described in a study published in the journal Pain, the technique developed by researchers at Université de Montréal offers a new way to probe neural pain networks, with the prospect of developing effective clinical interventions.

“Until recently, neuromodulation techniques included invasive methods (deep brain stimulation) and noninvasive approaches that had limited ability to reach deep regions of the brain,” said Oury Monchi, an UdeM nuclear medicine professor. “This is particularly true of transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS),” said Monchi, who conducts his research at UdeM’s Institute of Geriatrics (CRIUGM).

“Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) presents itself as an innovative alternative, as it uses energy in a noninvasive manner to target deep regions of the brain more precisely and more deeply, particularly those involved in pain,” added Ph.D. student Ali K. Zadeh, the study’s first author.