Open AccessAuditory cortical activity elicited by infrared laser irradiation from the outer ear in Mongolian gerbils
Author(s) -
Yuta Tamai,
Yuki Ito,
Takafumi Furuyama,
Kensuke Horinouchi,
Nagomi Murashima,
Itsuki Michimoto,
Ryuichi Hishida,
Katsuei Shibuki,
Shizuko Hiryu,
Kohta I. Kobayasi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0240227
Subject(s) - auditory cortex , gerbil , cochlear implant , stimulation , cochlea , neuroscience , outer ear , cortex (anatomy) , biology , audiology , anatomy , medicine , middle ear , ischemia
Infrared neural stimulation has been studied for its potential to replace an electrical stimulation of a cochlear implant. No studies, however, revealed how the technic reliably evoke auditory cortical activities. This research investigated the effects of cochlear laser stimulation from the outer ear on auditory cortex using brain imaging of activity-dependent changes in mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence signal. An optic fiber was inserted into the gerbil’s ear canal to stimulate the lateral side of the cochlea with an infrared laser. Laser stimulation was found to activate the identified primary auditory cortex. In addition, the temporal profile of the laser-evoked responses was comparable to that of the auditory responses. Our results indicate that infrared laser irradiation from the outer ear has the capacity to evoke, and possibly manipulate, the neural activities of the auditory cortex and may substitute for the present cochlear implants in future.