Thalamic tFUS for Post-Stroke Motor Recovery: A Pilot Multimodal Neurobehavioral Study

Effective modulation of cortical–subcortical motor circuits is essential for post-stroke recovery, yet progress has been constrained by the absence of non-invasive tools capable of precisely targeting deep brain structures. In this pilot proof-of-concept study, we explored the feasibility and preliminary neuromodulatory effects of a 12-minute transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) protocol targeting the ipsilesional ventral lateral posterior (VLp) thalamus in ischemic stroke patients. Six individuals with upper-limb hemiparesis received individualized, neuronavigation-guided tFUS. Sensorimotor tracking performance improved significantly after a single session. Concurrent EEG revealed reversible beta-power suppression over the ipsilesional motor cortex and enhanced theta-phase synchronization in frontoparietal networks, both of which were associated with behavioral gains. Resting-state fMRI indicated rebalancing of inter-hemispheric motor networks. These preliminary findings suggest that thalamic tFUS can modulate both local and network-level neural activity and is associated with immediate functional improvement, highlighting its potential as a feasible neuromodulation approach for deep motor circuit engagement in post-stroke rehabilitation.