Infrared Laser Stimulation of Cochlear Nerve through a Tympanic Membrane

Infrared lasers are a novel method for providing neural stimulation. The laser causes an instantiable temperature rise because of optical absorption by water, and opens the heat-sensitive ion channel. Unlike electric stimulation, an infrared laser stimulates nerves without contacting the tissue. Our...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in2019 IEEE 1st Global Conference on Life Sciences and Technologies (LifeTech) pp. 54 - 57
Main Authors Tamai, Yuta, Horinouchi, Kensuke, Hiryu, Shizuko, Kobayasi, Kohta I.
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published IEEE 01.03.2019
Subjects
Auditory prothesis
Auditory system
Biomedical optical imaging
Biomembranes
cochlear implant
Fiber lasers
infrared laser
noninvasiveness
Radiation effects
Stimulated emission
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Summary:Infrared lasers are a novel method for providing neural stimulation. The laser causes an instantiable temperature rise because of optical absorption by water, and opens the heat-sensitive ion channel. Unlike electric stimulation, an infrared laser stimulates nerves without contacting the tissue. Our goal was to develop a novel auditory prosthesis by applying infrared laser stimulation in a hearing aid. This study investigated whether an infrared laser projected through the tympanic membrane could stimulate the cochlear nerves in the ear canal. Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were studied. A pulsed infrared laser (0.5-12.8 mJ/cm 2 ) and a clicking sound (10-90 dB pe. SPL) were presented to the subjects. The cochlear microphonics (CMs) and compound action potentials (CAPs) were recorded when the clicking sound was presented, while trans-tympanic membrane laser stimulation induced only CAPs. In subsequent experiments, continuous pulsed laser irradiation for 60 minutes did not cause any observable damage on cochlear response and a tympanic membrane. Therefore, trans-tympanic membrane laser stimulation bypasses the need for hair cell depolarization and creates cochlear nerves responses directly, suggesting that a novel hearing aid using an infrared laser could compensate for sensorial hearing loss.
DOI:10.1109/LifeTech.2019.8884023