Trancranial Pulse Stimulation on Anterior Insula Cortex and Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) is a newly developed non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique from Austria \& Germany with highly promising applicability in neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical trials have shown a beneficial effect of TPS in patients with Alzheimer\'s disease and depression. Although TPS has the capability to noninvasively target deeper brain regions such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula cortex (AIC), no TPS study has been conducted to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of dACC or AIC stimulation. Here, a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled clinical pilot trial is proposed to probe the effects of TPS over bilateral dACC and AIC on modulating cognitive, behavioral and emotional functions and functional connectivity of brain circuits.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 65 * Biological and mental health, based on a clinical interview * Able to understand and follow instructions by the study team Exclusion Criteria: * Major internal diseases, neurological disorders, or mental disorders * Having a metal implant in the brain * Corticosteroid treatment within 6 weeks prior to inclusion * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Common NIBS and MRI exclusion criteria, such as a history of brain surgery, cardiac pacemaker, deep brain stimulation, and intracranial metallic particles * Previous TPS experience * Color blindness