Theoretical analysis of effects of transcranial magneto-acoustical stimulation on neuronal spike-frequency adaptation

BACKGROUND: Transcranial magneto-acoustical stimulation (TMAS) is a noninvasive technique that has advantages in spatial resolution and penetration depth. It changes the firing properties of neurons through the current generated by focused ultrasound and a static magnetic field. Spike-frequency adaptation is an important dynamic characteristic of neural information processing. METHODS: To address the effects of TMAS on neural spike-frequency adaptation, this study employs some ultrasound and magnetic field parameters, such as magnetic flux density, ultrasonic intensity, fundamental ultrasonic frequency, modulation frequency, and duty cycle. Using these different ultrasound and magnetic field parameters, membrane potential curves, spike-frequency curves, and adapted onset spike-frequency curves are exhibited and analyzed. RESULTS: The results show that spike-frequency adaptation is strongly dependent on ultrasonic intensity and magnetic flux density and is rarely affected by other parameters. However, modulation frequency and duty cycle influence membrane potentials and spike frequencies to some degree. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the mechanism of the effects of TMAS on neural spike-frequency adaptation and serves as theoretical guidance for TMAS experiments.