The in vitro study demonstrates wirelessly controlled modulation of neural activity using magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs), synchronized to magnetic field application with a sub-25-msec temporal response. Herein, MENPs are sub-30-nm CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 core-shell nanostructures. MENPs were added to E18 rat hippocampal cell cultures (0.5 μg of MENPs per 100,000 neurons) tagged with fluorescent Ca2+ sensitive indicator cal520. MENPs were shown to wirelessly induce calcium transients which were synchronized with application of 1200-Oe bipolar 25-msec magnetic pulses at a rate of 20 pulses/sec. The observed calcium transients were similar, in shape and magnitude, to those generated through the control electric field stimulation with a 50-μA current, and they were inhibited by the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin. The observed MENP-based magnetic excitation of neural activity is in agreement with the non-linear M − H hysteresis loop of the MENPs, wherein the MENPs’ coercivity value sets the threshold for the externally applied magnetic field. •A study through a reduced in vitro model (on E18 rat hippocampal cell cultures) for the first time demonstrates how 30-nm MENPs can be used to wirelessly induce neural activity via application of magnetic fields, with a sub-25-msec temporal response.•The property of the nanoparticles such as the magnetic coercivity is used as a wireless switch to activate action potential in selected regions.•The validity of MENPs-based neural firing approach is confirmed through different positive and negative control measurements.•The importance of having MENPs adequately dispersed to ensure the desired wireless neural firing control operation is being demonstrated.