Skin-attached bioadhesive patch enabling ultrasound deep brain stimulation and real-time electrophysiological monitoring for REM sleep enhancement

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Authors: Kai Wing Kevin Tang, Benjamin Baird, William D. Moscoso-Barrera, Mengxia Yu, Mengmeng Yao, Jinmo Jeong, Ilya Pyatnitskiy, Anakaren Romero Lozano, Jiachen Wang, Ju-Chun Hsieh, Tony Chae, Daniel Song
+7 more Julieta Garcia, Rithvik Mittapalli, Adam Bush, Wynn Legon, Vincent Mysliwiec, Gregory A. Fonzo, Huiliang Wang
Cited by: 3
References: 130

Abstract

Wearable bioelectronic interfaces capable of simultaneous neural sensing and targeted deep brain modulation remain limited by the lack of non-invasive technologies with sufficient spatial precision and mechanical stability for continuous operation. Here we report NEUSLeeP, a flexible skin-attached bioadhesive patch integrating electrophysiological sensing with transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation. The system incorporates a tunable concentric-ring ultrasound array, conformal hydrogel electrophysiological electrodes, and compliant interconnects within a soft substrate optimized for stable overnight operation. This integrated architecture enables spatially selective modulation and concurrent electrophysiological monitoring of deep brain structures, specifically the subthalamic nucleus during natural sleep. In a 28-participant study, NEUSLeeP demonstrated robust monitoring of sleep performance with precise-targeted neuromodulation of STN resulting in an increase in REM duration by 4.6% and reducing REM latency by 24%. This work establishes an ultrasound bioelectronic platform for non-invasive, spatiotemporally precise modulation and monitoring of deep neural circuits for neuroscience and bioelectronic medicine. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT07190287.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications Neurological disorders and treatments

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
17
Issue
1
Publication date
4 June 2026
Language
EN