Affiliations: [a] School of Information and Electronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| [b] Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| [c] Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| [d] Central Laboratory, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| [e]
Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Chunyan Liu, PhD, No. 45, Changchun Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, P. R. China. Tel./Fax: +8610 83198815/+8610 63159572; E-mail: lcysfysg@xwhosp.org. (Chunyan Liu) and E-mail: rong_wang72@aliyun.com. (Rong Wang).
Abstract: Light modulation plays an important role in understanding the pathology of brain disorders and improving brain function. Optogenetic techniques can activate or silence targeted neurons with high temporal and spatial accuracy and provide precise control, and have recently become a method for quick manipulation of genetically identified types of neurons. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is light therapy that utilizes non-ionizing light sources, including lasers, light emitting diodes, or broadband light. It provides a safe means of modulating brain activity without any irreversible damage and has established optimal treatment parameters in clinical practice. This manuscript reviews 1) how optogenetic approaches have been used to dissect neural circuits in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and depression, and 2) how low level transcranial lasers and LED stimulation in humans improves brain activity patterns in these diseases. State-of-the-art brain machine interfaces that can record neural activity and stimulate neurons with light have good prospects in the future.
