Ultrasonic Exposure Effects on Human Health

Ultrasonic waves—mechanical vibrations above 20 kHz—are increasingly prevalent in medical diagnostics, therapeutic devices, industrial processes and consumer products. Human exposure can induce thermal effects, mechanical stresses and cavitation phenomena, with outcomes ranging from beneficial tissue healing and targeted neuromodulation to potential organ damage and auditory disturbances. Recent advances have illuminated how ultrasonic energy transmits through biological barriers, interacts with neural circuits and accumulates over repeated exposures. Animal studies have demonstrated internal tissue alterations at specific frequencies and intensities, while computational models of the maternal abdomen have begun to map fetal acoustic environments. Together, these findings underscore the balance between practical applications—such as non-invasive brain stimulation and imaging—and the imperative for robust exposure limits, standardised measurement techniques and regulatory frameworks to safeguard workers, patients and vulnerable populations worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A controlled in vivo investigation revealed that 40 kHz pulsed ultrasound elicits robust, burst-duration-dependent responses in mouse somatosensory and auditory cortical regions. These neural activations, resembling those induced by low-frequency audible tones, were shown to rely heavily on NMDA receptor pathways, challenging the view that low-frequency ultrasound acts solely through indirect auditory stimulation. In parallel, a three-dimensional computational study using MRI-derived maternal anatomy quantified acoustic transfer characteristics at frequencies up to 20 kHz. It demonstrated that the uterine and pelvic tissues attenuate incoming sound by as little as 6 dB below 1 kHz and elucidated scattering patterns at higher kilohertz ranges, providing a quantitative basis for evaluating prenatal exposure risks.

Ultrasonic Exposure Effects on Human Health publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ultrasonic exposure effects on human health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ultrasonic waves: Mechanical sound waves with frequencies above 20 kHz, beyond the range of human hearing.

Decibel (dB): A logarithmic unit that quantifies sound pressure level; each 10 dB increase corresponds to a tenfold rise in acoustic intensity.

Neuromodulation: The process of altering neural activity through targeted stimuli, here achieved by focused ultrasound affecting neuronal excitability.

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS): Miniature devices combining mechanical elements with electrical circuitry, employed to detect and measure ultrasonic pressure variations.

References

1. Evaluation of fetal exposure to environmental noise using a computer-generated model. Nature Communications (2025).
2. Low frequency ultrasound elicits broad cortical responses inhibited by ketamine in mice. Communications Engineering (2024).
3. Near-Ultrasonic Transfer Function and SNR of Differential MEMS Microphones Suitable for Photoacoustics. Sensors (2023).
4. Possible Effects on Health of Ultrasound Exposure, Risk Factors in the Work Environment and Occupational Safety Review. Healthcare (2022).