TY - JOUR AU - Sassaroli, Elisabetta AU - Vykhodtseva, Natalia PY - 2016 DA - 2016/05/20 TI - Acoustic neuromodulation from a basic science prospective JO - Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound SP - 17 VL - 4 IS - 1 AB - We present here biophysical models to gain deeper insights into how an acoustic stimulus might influence or modulate neuronal activity. There is clear evidence that neural activity is not only associated with electrical and chemical changes but that an electro-mechanical coupling is also involved. Currently, there is no theory that unifies the electrical, chemical, and mechanical aspects of neuronal activity. Here, we discuss biophysical models and hypotheses that can explain some of the mechanical aspects associated with neuronal activity: the soliton model, the neuronal intramembrane cavitation excitation model, and the flexoelectricity hypothesis. We analyze these models and discuss their implications on stimulation and modulation of neuronal activity by ultrasound. SN - 2050-5736 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40349-016-0061-z DO - 10.1186/s40349-016-0061-z ID - Sassaroli2016 ER -