Brain-stimulating particles give electric jolts from ultrasound bursts

The delivery of electrical impulses to different areas of the brain has been used for years to help alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, as well as a range of other afflictions. However, the current method of dispatching the zaps involves implanting a pacemaker-like device in the chest and then running wires through holes in the skull to the relevant brain areas. A new technique using piezoelectric nanoparticles that are activated via bursts of ultrasound has shown promise as a wire-free way of stimulating the brain.