Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for inducing physiological perturbations in a subject via neuromodulation, e.g., peripheral neuromodulation of a region of interest of an organ. The nature and degree of the perturbations may be related to the subject's clinical condition. Accordingly, an assessment of one or more characteristics of the perturbations may be used to determine a clinical condition of the subject.

Information is communicated to an individual by directing an acoustic signal transcranially to a target region in the brain. The target region is stimulated to produce a cognitive effect, and the cognitive effect is modulated or encoded to carry the desired information.

A guide framework for positioning an ultrasonic transducer which emits a focused ultrasound to a target point in carrying out surgery to apply ultrasonic stimulation to a subject's brain, includes a body in a shape of a mask that is laid on the subject's face, and a positioning hole formed through an inner surface and an outer surface of the mask body, the positioning hole into which the ultrasonic transducer is inserted, wherein the inner surface of the mask body is formed to conform a facial contour of the subject, and when the guide framework is laid on the subject's face and the ultrasonic transducer is disposed at the positioning hole, the position of the target point is naturally disposed at a preset stimulation site of the brain. An ultrasonic stimulation device includes an ultrasonic transducer and the guide framework for positioning the ultrasonic transducer.

A method of configuring a local brain stimulation tool is disclosed. The method comprises: obtaining a reference brain network activity (BNA) pattern, and a BNA pattern describing a neurophysiological state of the subject, each of the BNA patterns having a plurality of nodes and each node representing a brain location and at least one brain wave frequency. The method further comprises comparing the BNA patterns; and configuring the local brain stimulation tool to apply local brain stimulation at a frequency selected based on the comparison.

Systems and methods for informing and evaluating neuromodulation therapy are disclosed herein. A system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a guidewire having a proximal portion, a distal portion configured to be positioned at a target site in a blood vessel of a human patient, and a sensing element positioned along the distal portion. The sensing element can be a pressure sensing element, a flow sensing element, an impedance sensing element, and/or a temperature sensing element. The system can further include a controller configured to obtain one or more measurements related to a physiological parameter of the patient via the sensing element. Based on the measurements, the controller can determine the physiological parameter and compare the parameter to a predetermined threshold. Based on the comparison, the controller and/or the operator can assess the likelihood of the patient benefiting from neuromodulation therapy.

Disclosed herein are ultrasound transducers that are selectively insulated to thereby enable the transducers to be exposed to an electrically conductive fluid without causing a short circuit between electrodes of the transducers. Such a transducer includes a piezoelectric transducer body having a first surface and a second surface that are spaced apart from one another and do not intersect with one another. The ultrasound transducer also includes a first electrode disposed on the first surface, a second electrode disposed on the second surface, and an electrical insulator covering only one of first and second electrodes and configured to inhibit electrical conduction between the first electrode and the second electrode when the ultrasound transducer is placed within an electrically conductive fluid. Also disclosed are apparatuses and systems that include such a transducer. Related methods are also disclosed herein.

A noxipoint stimulating device uses light, mechanical force, and heat as a source of stimulating energy, which is configured to be applied on the Noxipoints.

Diagnostic screening tests that can be used to identify if a patient is a good candidates for an implantable vagus nerve stimulation device. One or more analyte, such as a cytokine or inflammatory molecule, can be measured from a blood sample taken prior to implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator to determine the patient's responsiveness to VNS for treatment of an inflammatory disorder.

The present invention relates the field of ultrasound and neurostimulation. The inventors have shown that using ultrasound neurostimulation with specific parameters provides similar or better effects that fluoxetine administration in depression. Such assessment was made in unpredictable chronic mild stress model in mouse. The proposed use also provides with positive effects in other cases, such as modulating emotion or attenuating anxiety-related behaviours (stress notably).

The invention relates to a method for producing a lens for an ultrasound apparatus, as well as to an apparatus comprising the lens. The method comprises choosing a source point, providing a treatment volume situated inside a bone tissue model, providing a plurality of nodes distributed inside the treatment volume, and simulating the emission of a spherical wave from each of the nodes. Thus, a simulated wave front is created, in which each spherical wave has an amplitude and a phase, there being at least two nodes with different amplitudes and/or phases. The simulated wave front is received on a receiving surface. On the basis of the processed results, a holographic lens surface is designed, which can generate a wave pattern equivalent to the simulated wave.