Optoacoustic brain stimulation at submillimeter spatial precision.

ABSTRACT: Low-intensity ultrasound is an emerging modality for neuromodulation. Yet, transcranial neuromodulation using low-frequency piezo-based transducers offers poor spatial confinement of excitation volume, often bigger than a few millimeters in diameter. In addition, the bulky size limits their implementation in a wearable setting and prevents integration with other experimental modalities. Here, we report spatially confined optoacoustic neural stimulation through a miniaturized Fiber-Optoacoustic Converter (FOC). The FOC has a diameter of 600 μm and generates omnidirectional ultrasound wave locally at the fiber tip through the optoacoustic effect. We show that the acoustic wave generated by FOC can directly activate individual cultured neurons and generate intracellular Ca²⁺ transi

SUBMITTER: Jiang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7021819 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature