Current methods of neural stimulation suffer from limitations for in vivo use in humans. Ultrasound offers high spatial and temporal resolution, great penetration depth, low scattering in tissue, and is noninvasive. Furthermore, pairing ultrasound with piezoelectric nanoparticles can enhance sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of adhering barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs) to the plasma membrane of neurons and ultrasound stimulation of these BTNPs to induce firing in both cultured neurons and in an isolated brain preparation. BTNPs were electrically poled, modified to be water-soluble and biocompatible, and conjugated to fluorescent markers. They were then applied to cultured rat hippocampal neurons, where they were effectively targeted to the plasma membrane. Without BTNPs present, neurons exhibited a calcium response to electrical stimulation, but not focused ultrasound pulses. In contrast, after addition of BTNPs, ultrasound pulses elicited glutamate release and a calcium response similar to electrical stimulation. Additional experiments using brains isolated from the sea hare Aplysia californica, indicated that BTNPs also adhered to the plasma membrane of these neurons. Ongoing studies are investigating the effects of ultrasound pulses, both with and without BTNPs, in this ex vivo Aplysia brain preparation. Together, these data demonstrate that BTNPs can adhere to the plasma membrane of target cells and, when paired with focused ultrasound, may noninvasively facilitate excitation of neurons.