A practical guide to transcranial ultrasonic stimulation from the IFCN-endorsed ITRUSST consortium

Keith R Murphy; Tulika Nandi; Benjamin Kop; Takahiro Osada; Maximilian Lueckel; W. Apoutou N'Djin; Kevin A Caulfield; Anton Fomenko; Hartwig R. Siebner; Yoshikazu Ugawa; Lennart Verhagen; Sven Bestmann; Eleanor Martin; Kim Butts Pauly; Elsa Fouragnan; Til Ole Bergmann

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2025.01.004

A practical guide to transcranial ultrasonic stimulation from the IFCN-endorsed ITRUSST consortium

Keith R Murphy, Tulika Nandi, Benjamin Kop, Takahiro Osada, Maximilian Lueckel, W. Apoutou N'Djin, Kevin A Caulfield, Anton Fomenko, Hartwig R. Siebner, Yoshikazu Ugawa, Lennart Verhagen, Sven Bestmann, Eleanor Martin, Kim Butts Pauly, Elsa Fouragnan, Til Ole Bergmann

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Low-intensity Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation (TUS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique enabling cortical and deep brain targeting with unprecedented spatial accuracy. Given the high rate of adoption by new users with varying levels of expertise and interdisciplinary backgrounds, practical guidelines are needed to ensure state-of-the-art TUS application and reproducible outcomes. Therefore, the International Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation Safety and Standards (ITRUSST) consortium has formed a subcommittee, endorsed by the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN), to develop recommendations for best practices in human TUS applications. The practical guide presented here provides a brief introduction into ultrasound physics and sonication parameters. It explains the requirements of TUS lab equipment and transducer selection and discusses experimental design and procedures alongside potential confounds and control conditions. Finally, the guide elaborates on essential steps of application planning for stimulation safety and efficacy, as well as considerations when combining TUS with neuroimaging, electrophysiology, or other brain stimulation techniques. We hope that this practical guide to TUS will assist both novice and experienced users in planning and conducting high-quality studies and provide a solid foundation for further advancements in this promising field.

Original language	English
Journal	Clinical Neurophysiology
Volume	171
Pages (from-to)	192-226
Number of pages	35
ISSN	1388-2457
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.01.004
Publication status	Published - Mar 2025

Keywords

FUS
Low-intensity focused ultrasound
Neuromodulation
Non-invasive brain stimulation
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation
TUS

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Murphy, K. R., Nandi, T., Kop, B., Osada, T., Lueckel, M., N'Djin, W. A., Caulfield, K. A., Fomenko, A., Siebner, H. R., Ugawa, Y., Verhagen, L., Bestmann, S., Martin, E., Butts Pauly, K., Fouragnan, E., & Bergmann, T. O. (2025). A practical guide to transcranial ultrasonic stimulation from the IFCN-endorsed ITRUSST consortium. Clinical Neurophysiology, 171, 192-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.01.004

Murphy, KR, Nandi, T, Kop, B, Osada, T, Lueckel, M, N'Djin, WA, Caulfield, KA, Fomenko, A, Siebner, HR, Ugawa, Y, Verhagen, L, Bestmann, S, Martin, E, Butts Pauly, K, Fouragnan, E & Bergmann, TO 2025, 'A practical guide to transcranial ultrasonic stimulation from the IFCN-endorsed ITRUSST consortium', Clinical Neurophysiology, vol. 171, pp. 192-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.01.004

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abstract = "Low-intensity Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation (TUS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique enabling cortical and deep brain targeting with unprecedented spatial accuracy. Given the high rate of adoption by new users with varying levels of expertise and interdisciplinary backgrounds, practical guidelines are needed to ensure state-of-the-art TUS application and reproducible outcomes. Therefore, the International Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation Safety and Standards (ITRUSST) consortium has formed a subcommittee, endorsed by the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN), to develop recommendations for best practices in human TUS applications. The practical guide presented here provides a brief introduction into ultrasound physics and sonication parameters. It explains the requirements of TUS lab equipment and transducer selection and discusses experimental design and procedures alongside potential confounds and control conditions. Finally, the guide elaborates on essential steps of application planning for stimulation safety and efficacy, as well as considerations when combining TUS with neuroimaging, electrophysiology, or other brain stimulation techniques. We hope that this practical guide to TUS will assist both novice and experienced users in planning and conducting high-quality studies and provide a solid foundation for further advancements in this promising field.",

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AU - Murphy, Keith R

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AU - Kop, Benjamin

AU - Osada, Takahiro

AU - Lueckel, Maximilian

AU - N'Djin, W. Apoutou

AU - Caulfield, Kevin A

AU - Fomenko, Anton

AU - Siebner, Hartwig R.

AU - Ugawa, Yoshikazu

AU - Verhagen, Lennart

AU - Bestmann, Sven

AU - Martin, Eleanor

AU - Butts Pauly, Kim

AU - Fouragnan, Elsa

AU - Bergmann, Til Ole

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AB - Low-intensity Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation (TUS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique enabling cortical and deep brain targeting with unprecedented spatial accuracy. Given the high rate of adoption by new users with varying levels of expertise and interdisciplinary backgrounds, practical guidelines are needed to ensure state-of-the-art TUS application and reproducible outcomes. Therefore, the International Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation Safety and Standards (ITRUSST) consortium has formed a subcommittee, endorsed by the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN), to develop recommendations for best practices in human TUS applications. The practical guide presented here provides a brief introduction into ultrasound physics and sonication parameters. It explains the requirements of TUS lab equipment and transducer selection and discusses experimental design and procedures alongside potential confounds and control conditions. Finally, the guide elaborates on essential steps of application planning for stimulation safety and efficacy, as well as considerations when combining TUS with neuroimaging, electrophysiology, or other brain stimulation techniques. We hope that this practical guide to TUS will assist both novice and experienced users in planning and conducting high-quality studies and provide a solid foundation for further advancements in this promising field.

KW - FUS

KW - Low-intensity focused ultrasound

KW - Neuromodulation

KW - Non-invasive brain stimulation

KW - Transcranial ultrasound stimulation

KW - TUS

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DO - 10.1016/j.clinph.2025.01.004

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JO - Clinical Neurophysiology

JF - Clinical Neurophysiology

ER -

A practical guide to transcranial ultrasonic stimulation from the IFCN-endorsed ITRUSST consortium

Abstract

Keywords

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