Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Biophotonics and Biomedical Optics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2024) | Viewed by 9804

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Interests: biomedical optics/biophotonics; diffuse optical tomography; photoacoustic tomography; fluorescence molecular tomography; thermoacoustic tomography; image-guided interventions of cancers and neurodisordersmolecular tomography; thermoacoustic tomography; image-guided interventions of cancers and neurodisorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Optoelectric Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
Interests: medical optical imaging; photoacoustic tomography; molecular imaging; functional monitoring; image reconstruction; imaging system

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Guest Editor
Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
Interests: diffuse optical tomography; optical functional neuroimaging; brain stimulation; delirium; depression

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurophotonics is becoming one of the most important and rapidly evolving subfields in photonics, in which optical/photonic methods/technologies are applied to study the brain at molecular, cellular and tissue levels. Structure­­–function and brain-behavior relationships can now be visualized, often noninvasively, using optical technologies at microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic scales across all species. Our understanding in important fields of neuroscience such as electrical excitability, neuroglial partnership, neurovascular signaling, metabolic activity and hemodynamics in healthy and diseased conditions has also significantly improved due to the development of novel optical technologies.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a vehicle for communicating important advancements in the use of optical methods/technologies to study brain function, organization and structure microscopically, mesoscopically or macroscopically. This Special Issue also welcomes works that explicitly address these questions in animal models or clinical populations. Some representative, but not exhaustive, examples include the development and applications of:

  • Advanced optical techniques;
  • Imaging and manipulation of neural circuitry;
  • Methods to investigate cellular energetics;
  • Methods to investigate neuroglial and vascular physiology;
  • Microscopy and super-resolution optical microscopy;
  • Fluorescence imaging;
  • Diffuse optical tomography;
  • Near-infrared spectroscopy;
  • Diffuse correlation spectroscopy/tomography;
  • Fluorescence molecular tomography;
  • Molecular imaging and nanotheranostics;
  • Multimodal optical imaging;
  • Noninvasive methods of measuring and imaging brain function and physiology;
  • Optical clearing methods;
  • Optogenetics and other optical methods of manipulating cellular behavior;
  • Photoacoustic tomography and microscopy;
  • Optoacoustic neuromodulation;
  • Photodynamic therapy;
  • Photoimmunotherapy;
  • Photobiomodulation;
  • Synthetic and genetically encoded optical reporters and actuators;
  • Theoretical and computational optical methods;
  • Translational and clinical applications.

We invite you to contribute an original research article or a review to this Special Issue of Photonics, entitled “Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives”.

Prof. Dr. Huabei Jiang
Dr. Dan Wu
Dr. Shixie Jiang
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3720 KiB  
Communication
Image Enhancement Method for Photoacoustic Imaging of Deep Brain Tissue
by Yonghua Xie, Dan Wu, Xinsheng Wang, Yanting Wen, Jing Zhang, Ying Yang, Yi Chen, Yun Wu, Zihui Chi and Huabei Jiang
Photonics 2024, 11(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11010031 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1275
Abstract
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging biomedical imaging modality, offering numerous advantages, including high resolution and high contrast. In its application to brain imaging, however, the photoacoustic (PA) signals from brain tissue weaken considerably due to the distortion effects of the skull. This [...] Read more.
Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging biomedical imaging modality, offering numerous advantages, including high resolution and high contrast. In its application to brain imaging, however, the photoacoustic (PA) signals from brain tissue weaken considerably due to the distortion effects of the skull. This attenuation reduces the resolution and contrast significantly. To address this issue, here we describe a Log-MSR algorithm that combines the logarithmic depth logarithmic enhancement (Log) algorithm and the multi-scale Retinex (MSR) algorithm. In this method, the Log algorithm performs local weighted compensation based on signal attenuation for different depths, while the MSR algorithm improves the contrast of the image. The proposed Log-MSR algorithm was tested and validated using several phantom and in vivo experiments. The enhanced images constructed by the Log-MSR algorithm were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed in terms of brain structure and function. Our results show that the Log-MSR algorithm may provide a significant enhancement to photoacoustic imaging of deep brain tissue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives)
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21 pages, 10021 KiB  
Article
Optogenetic Generation of Neural Firing Patterns with Temporal Shaping of Light Pulses
by Himanshu Bansal, Gur Pyari and Sukhdev Roy
Photonics 2023, 10(5), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10050571 - 13 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2473
Abstract
The fundamental process of information processing and memory formation in the brain is associated with complex neuron firing patterns, which can occur spontaneously or be triggered by sensory inputs. Optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience by enabling precise manipulation of neuronal activity patterns in specified [...] Read more.
The fundamental process of information processing and memory formation in the brain is associated with complex neuron firing patterns, which can occur spontaneously or be triggered by sensory inputs. Optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience by enabling precise manipulation of neuronal activity patterns in specified neural populations using light. However, the light pulses used in optogenetics have been primarily restricted to square waveforms. Here, we present a detailed theoretical analysis of the temporal shaping of light pulses in optogenetic excitation of hippocampal neurons and neocortical fast-spiking interneurons expressed with ultrafast (Chronos), fast (ChR2), and slow (ChRmine) channelrhodopsins. Optogenetic excitation has been studied with light pulses of different temporal shapes that include square, forward-/backward ramps, triangular, left-/right-triangular, Gaussian, left-/right-Gaussian, positive-sinusoidal, and left-/right-positive sinusoidal. Different light shapes result in significantly different photocurrent amplitudes and kinetics, spike-timing, and spontaneous firing rate. For short duration stimulations, left-Gaussian pulse results in larger photocurrent in ChR2 and Chronos than square pulse of the same energy density. Time to peak photocurrent in each opsin is minimum at right-Gaussian pulse. The optimal pulse width to achieve peak photocurrent for non-square pulses is 10 ms for Chronos, and 50 ms for ChR2 and ChRmine. The pulse energy to evoke spike in hippocampal neurons can be minimized on choosing square pulse with Chronos, Gaussian pulse with ChR2, and positive-sinusoidal pulse with ChRmine. The results demonstrate that non-square waveforms generate more naturalistic spiking patterns compared to traditional square pulses. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of new optogenetic strategies to better simulate and manipulate neural activity patterns in the brain, with the potential to improve our understanding of cognitive processes and the treatment of neurological disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives)
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13 pages, 4795 KiB  
Article
Effects of Pulsed Red and Near-Infrared Light on Neuroblastoma Cells—Pilot Study on Frequency and Duty Cycle
by Luyao Tang, Haokuan Qin, Shangfei Lin and Muqing Liu
Photonics 2023, 10(3), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10030315 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3333
Abstract
Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is an innovative intervention for a wide range of neurological and psychological conditions. tPBM therapy can enhance the metabolic capacity of neurons and bring about a variety of beneficial changes. This study mainly investigated the photobiological effects of pulsed red [...] Read more.
Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is an innovative intervention for a wide range of neurological and psychological conditions. tPBM therapy can enhance the metabolic capacity of neurons and bring about a variety of beneficial changes. This study mainly investigated the photobiological effects of pulsed red and near-infrared (NIR) light on neuron-like neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by in vitro experiments. We covered the irradiation parameters, including wavelength (660, 850 nm), power density (5, 10, 20, 50, 100 mW/cm2), frequency (40, 100, 1000 Hz), and duty cycle (10%, 50%, 90%), finding that pulsed light generated a distinct effect compared with continuous-wave light on the cellular responses. Cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) showed significant increase after irradiation of the adequate fluence amount (4.8–9.6 J/cm2), and the enhancement was more notable under 40 Hz pulsed lighting. Under pulsed lighting with an average power density of 10 mW/cm2, cells that received irradiation of higher peak power density up to 100 mW/cm2 with a 10% duty cycle showed slightly higher metabolic responses. In addition, it was found that under same total fluence, short-term irradiation with high power density was more effective than long-term irradiation with low power density, which indicated the existence of a threshold to achieve effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives)
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Review

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11 pages, 277 KiB  
Review
Optical Neuroimaging in Delirium
by Shixie Jiang, Philip A. Efron, Esther S. Oh and Steven T. DeKosky
Photonics 2023, 10(12), 1334; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10121334 - 1 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1392
Abstract
Delirium persists as the most common neuropsychiatric syndrome among medically ill hospitalized patients, yet its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. The development of neuroimaging biomarkers has been difficult primarily due to the complexities of imaging patients experiencing delirium. Optical imaging techniques, including near-infrared [...] Read more.
Delirium persists as the most common neuropsychiatric syndrome among medically ill hospitalized patients, yet its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. The development of neuroimaging biomarkers has been difficult primarily due to the complexities of imaging patients experiencing delirium. Optical imaging techniques, including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diffuse optical tomography (DOT), offer promising avenues for investigating delirium’s pathophysiology. These modalities uniquely stand out for delirium exploration due to their blend of spatiotemporal resolution, bedside applicability, cost-effectiveness, and potential for real-time monitoring. In this review, we examine the emergence of optical imaging modalities and their pioneering utility in delirium research. With further investment and research efforts, they will become instrumental in our understanding of delirium’s pathophysiology and the development of preventive, predictive, and therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in Neurophotonics and Its Future Perspectives)
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