Neurostimulation using mechanical motion of magnetic particles wiggled by external oscillating magnetic gradients

Delivery and control of untethered neuronal stimulation devices deep in the brain is currently difficult to perform and control with cell-level spatial resolution, but would be useful in both research and clinical applications. Magnetic particles can be noninvasively delivered with high precision to deep structures through dynamic magnetic inversion. This article demonstrates in an invertebrate animal that neuronal stimulation can be achieved using mechanical vibration of implanted particles, in which the vibration is realized through an externally-applied magnetic field under MRI guidance. Potential eventual applications of the technology include stimulation and modulation of the deep brain or peripheral neurons, using wearable electromagnetic coils for control and activation.