Tether-free photothermal deep-brain stimulation in freely behaving mice via wide-field illumination in the near-infrared-II window.

ABSTRACT: Neural circuitry is typically modulated via invasive brain implants and tethered optical fibres in restrained animals. Here we show that wide-field illumination in the second near-infrared spectral window (NIR-II) enables implant-and-tether-free deep-brain stimulation in freely behaving mice with stereotactically injected macromolecular photothermal transducers activating neurons ectopically expressing the temperature-sensitive transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1). The macromolecular transducers, ~40 nm in size and consisting of a semiconducting polymer core and an amphiphilic polymer shell, have a photothermal conversion efficiency of 71% at 1,064 nm, the wavelength at which light attenuation by brain tissue is minimized (within the 400-1,800 nm spectra

SUBMITTER: Wu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9232843 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature