Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023)

Because of their unique capabilities of establishing causal inference, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (NIBS) have provided major advances in our understanding of brain-behaviour relationship. However, current NIBS techniques have significant weaknesses; their spatial resolution is limited, their direct effect is confined to the cortical surface, and their neurophysiological impacts are highly variable from person to person and difficult to predict. These shortcomings hinder the capacity of neuroscientists to study the precise function of small or deep cortical areas, the role of specific types of neurons, and limit the reliability and generalizability of their results.
The overarching goal of this application is to develop and study the mechanisms of action of emerging NIBS and stimulation protocols that avoid the pitfalls and limitations of current techniques. In that regard, I propose to investigate the mechanisms of action behind Focused Ultrasound Stimulation (FUS), a promising technique that can modulate the activity of deep cortical structures and possibly target specific classes of neurons. I will focus my investigations on two main elements of FUS: 1) the effects of FUS on human neurochemistry, namely the GABAergic system; and 2) The precise neuronal circuitry responsible for its neuromodulatory effects. This research is important, as it will permit to develop new investigation tools for human neuroscience research and provide a better understanding of a promising NIBS technique.