Photoacoustic technologies in nervous system disorders: An emerging strategy for neuromodulation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents significant challenges in restoring nerve function with current treatments.
• Electrical spinal cord stimulation shows promise, inspiring exploration of related physical modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of optical and acoustic neuromodulation techniques for spinal cord injury (SCI).
• To highlight benefits of these techniques in diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic applications for SCI.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of photoacoustic imaging for noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring in SCI.
• Review of optogenetics and sonogenetics for precise neuronal activation.
• Investigation of photoacoustodynamic and photoacoustoelectric therapies for tissue regeneration and neural modulation.

Main Results:

• Photoacoustic imaging offers high-resolution, cost-effective tools for SCI diagnosis and stem cell therapy guidance.
• Photoacoustodynamic therapy presents pathways for tissue regeneration.
• Optogenetics, sonogenetics, and photoacoustoelectric therapy introduce innovative approaches for neural modulation and SCI management.

Conclusions:

• Optical and acoustic neuromodulation represent a paradigm shift in SCI diagnosis and treatment.
• These advanced techniques hold significant potential for enhancing nerve function remodeling and improving patient outcomes in spinal cord injury.