Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 30 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYInternational journal of molecular sciences

Integrating Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation with Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Ischemic Stroke Recovery: A Preclinical Study.

  • Chang-Mu Chen1
  • Ting-Yu Chang2
  • Lin-Hwa Long1
  • Cheng-Tien Wu3
  • Shing-Hwa Liu2,4,5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan.
  2. 2Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan.
  3. 3Department of Nutrition, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan.
  4. 4Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan.
  5. 5Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan.
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, and effective neurorehabilitative strategies to enhance functional recovery are limited. This preclinical study compared noninvasive low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), aerobic exercise (AE) rehabilitation, and their combination in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced in male C57BL/6 mice using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Male mice assigned to LIPUS-containing groups received LIPUS preconditioning for three consecutive days before MCAO, followed by two days of recovery and 14 days of post-stroke LIPUS, running wheel-based AE, or combined treatment. Functional recovery was assessed using open-field activity, neurological deficit scoring, and rotarod performance. Histological, immunohistochemical, TUNEL, and Western blot analyses were performed. MCAO caused marked motor and neurological impairments and brain tissue injury. LIPUS, AE, and their combination improved functional and histopathological outcomes, with the combined treatment showing greater effects for selected outcomes. All three interventions increased FNDC5 and BDNF and reduced TUNEL positivity. LIPUS and combined treatment, but not AE alone, increased SOD2 and catalase and reduced 8-OHdG immunoreactivity. These findings provide proof-of-concept in male mice to support further investigation of LIPUS combined with exercise rehabilitation for ischemic stroke recovery.

Related

  1. Depressive phenotype shapes behavioral, neuroendocrine and molecular responses to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in preclinical models of depression.
    Marta Boffa, Sara Spalletti, Francesca Martella +9
    Frontiers in molecular neurosciencePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textNeurologyEurope PMCPMC
  2. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation in Athletes: Optimizing Athletic Performance and Sleep Quality Through Neuromodulation
    Joanna Stezycka, Kamil Krupa, Michał Kmiecik +9
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  3. Mechanisms of transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
    Marcello Massimini, Angel V. Peterchev, Andreas Vlachos +1
    Physiological ReviewsPeer-reviewedLicence not statedFull text15 citedNeurologyOpenAlex
  4. Accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression: optimizing dose, spacing, targeting, and durability rather than speed alone
    Carmen Concerto, Fabrizio Bella
    Frontiers in PsychiatryPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textNeurologyCrossref
  5. Robot-Assisted Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Guided by Cortical Topography
    J. Zhang, Y. Liu, J. Tian +3
    medRxivPreprintAll rights reservedFull textNeurologymedRxiv

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{chen2026integrating,
  title = {{Integrating Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation with Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Ischemic Stroke Recovery: A Preclinical Study.}},
  author = {Chang-Mu Chen and Ting-Yu Chang and Lin-Hwa Long and Cheng-Tien Wu and Shing-Hwa Liu},
  journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.3390/ijms27198498},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883748},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Integrating Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation with Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Ischemic Stroke Recovery: A Preclinical Study.
AU  - Chang-Mu Chen
AU  - Ting-Yu Chang
AU  - Lin-Hwa Long
AU  - Cheng-Tien Wu
AU  - Shing-Hwa Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/23
JO  - International journal of molecular sciences
DO  - 10.3390/ijms27198498
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883748
AB  - Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, and effective neurorehabilitative strategies to enhance functional recovery are limited. This preclinical study compared noninvasive low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), aerobic exercise (AE) rehabilitation, and their combination in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced in male C57BL/6 mice using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Male mice assigned to LIPUS-containing groups received LIPUS preconditioning for three consecutive days before MCAO, followed by two days of recovery and 14 days of post-stroke LIPUS, running wheel-based AE, or combined treatment. Functional recovery was assessed using open-field activity, neurological deficit scoring, and rotarod performance. Histological, immunohistochemical, TUNEL, and Western blot analyses were performed. MCAO caused marked motor and neurological impairments and brain tissue injury. LIPUS, AE, and their combination improved functional and histopathological outcomes, with the combined treatment showing greater effects for selected outcomes. All three interventions increased FNDC5 and BDNF and reduced TUNEL positivity. LIPUS and combined treatment, but not AE alone, increased SOD2 and catalase and reduced 8-OHdG immunoreactivity. These findings provide proof-of-concept in male mice to support further investigation of LIPUS combined with exercise rehabilitation for ischemic stroke recovery.
SN  - 1422-0067
ER  -