Modulation effect of non-invasive transcranial ultrasound stimulation in an ADHD rat model

Previous studies have demonstrated that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) with noninvasive high penetration and high spatial resolution has an effective neuromodulatory effect on neurological diseases. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a persistent neurodevelopmental disorder that severely affects child health. However, the neuromodulatory effects of TUS on ADHD have not been reported to date. To reveal the neuromodulatory effects, TUS was performed in ADHD model rats for 2 consecutive weeks, and the behavioral improvement of ADHD, neural activity of ADHD from neurons and neural oscillation levels, and the plasma membrane dopamine transporter (DAT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brains of ADHD rats were evaluated. The results showed that TUS can improve cognitive behavior in ADHD rats, and that TUS altered neuronal firing patterns and modulated the relative power and sample entropy of local field potentials in an ADHD rat model. In addition, TUS can also enhance BDNF expression in the brain tissue of the ADHD rat model. In conclusion, TUS has an effective neuromodulatory effect on ADHD and thus has the potential to clinically improve cognitive dysfunction in ADHD.