Photoacoustic effect invokes auditory response in infrared neuron stimulation

Abstract

Infrared neuron stimulation is regarded as an innovative approach for stimulating cochleae in animals while the exact mechanism still remains unknown. In this paper, we studied compound action potentials of Guinea pig cochleae with chronic or acute deafness. We recorded optical compound action potentials and analyzed stretched cochlear preparations by fluorescence microscopy. Photoacoustic signals were measured by hydrophone and microphone, respectively. In our experiment, we observed a switch response effect in vitro and in vivo experiments. Therefore, we proposed photoacoustic effect could invoke auditory response in infrared neuron stimulation.