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Claus-Peter Richter

Northwestern University.

Title: Photonic stimulation of neurons.

Abstract: This presentation will introduce an emerging technology in the field of neural excitation, the use of photons to stimulate neurons. The biophysics behind the mechanism will be discussed and the clinical implications will be outlined. Advances have been made over the last years regarding the understanding of the mechanism of infrared neural stimulation (INS). Some of the results reached consensus. All agree that upon absorption of the photon its energy is converted into heat. Several mechanisms by which the heat is then converted into an action potential have been described. Temporally and spatially confined heating depolarizes the cell by changing the membrane capacitance. It has also been demonstrated that heat sensitive transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels are involved. Others have demonstrated that intracellular calcium homeostasis is changed during INS. In addition to the changes demonstrated, a more general effect on ion channels has been discussed. Spatially and temporally confined heating, which occurs during INS also results in stress relaxation waves. The dispute is whether the resulting pressure is the dominating effect in cochlear INS.

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