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Since lasers were first used in medicine and biomedical related research there have been a variety of
documented effects following the irradiation of neural tissues. The first systematic studies to report
the direct stimulatory effect of infrared light on neural tissues were performed by researchers at
Vanderbilt University in the rat sciatic nerve. These initial studies demonstrated a set of associated
advantages of standard stimulation methods, which lead to much excitement and anticipation from
the neuroscience community and industry. The inception of this new field included a partnership
between industry and academia to foster the development, not only of the applications but also a
series of devices to support the research and ultimate commercialization of technology.
Currently several institutions are actively utilizing this technique in various applications including in
the cochlear and vestibular systems. As more researchers enter the field and new devices are
developed we anticipate the number of applications will continue to grow. Some of the next steps
will include the establishment of the safety and efficacy data to move this technique to clinical trials
and human use.
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Jonathon Wells, Mark Bendett, Jim Webb, Claus Richter, Agnella Izzo, E. Duco Jansen, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, "Frontiers in optical stimulation of neural tissues: past, present, and future," Proc. SPIE 6854, Optical Interactions with Tissue and Cells XIX, 68540B (20 February 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.776988