Data & Code: Somatosensory Confounds during Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation

In this project, we investigated somatosensory confounds during transcranial ultrasonic stimulation (TUS). Somatosensory confounds were quantified through visual analog scale (VAS) ratings and sensory thresholds. Additionally, qualitative data were acquired through open and closed-ended questionnaires to further characterise these confounds.

We systematically manipulated several TUS parameters to identify conditions that minimise somatosensory confounds. This process also provided preliminary insights into the primary biophysical mechanisms driving somatosensory co-stimulation during TUS. Key manipulated parameters included: dose (intensity, pulse duration), ramping, pulse repetition frequency, pulse train duration, fundamental frequency, near-field intensity peak magnitude, and transducer aperture diameter.

This repository includes raw data from the main experiment (VAS ratings and sensation thresholds), questionnaire responses, and acoustic profile measurements. Code for reproducing plots and statistical analyses are provided in R Markdown format, along with an output PDF summarising generated plots and statistical results.