Near‐infrared laser photons induce glutamate release from cerebrocortical nerve terminals

• DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201800102
• Publication Date: 2018-06-22T07:27:24Z
• Authors: Andrea Amaroli; Manuela Marcoli; Arianna Venturini; Mario Passalacqua; Luigi F. Agnati; Antonio Signore; Mirco Raffetto; Guido Maura; Stefano Benedicenti; Chiara Cervetto
• Keywords: Cerebral Cortex; Male; Neurons; 0301 basic medicine; Photons; 808-nm diode, astrocyte processes, glutamate release, laser light, mouse cerebralcortex, nerve terminals, slices; Infrared Rays; Lasers; Glutamic Acid; Nervous System; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Astrocytes; Animals

Although photons have been repeatedly shown to affect the functioning of the nervous system, their effects on neurotransmitter release have never been investigated. We exploited in vitro models that allow effects involving neuron‐astrocyte network functioning to be detected (mouse cerebrocortical slices) and dissected these effects at cerebrocortical nerve endings and astrocyte processes. Infrared light proved able to induce glutamate release by stimulating glutamatergic nerve endings.