title: Synergistic combination of near-infrared irradiation and targeted gold nanoheaters for enhanced photothermal neural stimulation.
abstract: Despite a potential of infrared neural stimulation (INS) for modulating neural activities, INS suffers from limited light confinement and bulk tissue heating. Here, a novel methodology for an advanced optical stimulation is proposed by combining near-infrared (NIR) stimulation with gold nanorods (GNRs) targeted to neuronal cell membrane. We confirmed experimentally that in vitro and in vivo neural activation is associated with a local heat generation based on NIR stimulation and GNRs. Compared with the case of NIR stimulation without an aid of GNRs, combination with cell-targeted GNRs allows photothermal stimulation with faster neural response, lower delivered energy, higher stimulation efficiency and stronger behavior change. Since the suggested method can reduce a requisite radiant exposure level and alleviate a concern of tissue damage, it is expected to open up new possibilities for applications to optical neuromodulations for diverse excitable tissues and treatments of neurological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungsik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, South Korea.
authors.forename: Changkyun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Im
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seoyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Seong
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, South Korea; kmbyun@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, South Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, South Korea; juns@ewha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Beom
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, South Korea; kimsj@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sung June
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: (170.3890) Medical optics instrumentation; (240.6680) Surface plasmons; (350.4238) Nanophotonics and photonic crystals