Free-moving-state microscopic imaging of cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamics with a photoacoustic fiberscope.

We report the development of a head-mounted photoacoustic fiberscope for cerebral imaging in a freely behaving mouse. The 4.5-gram imaging probe has a 9-µm lateral resolution and 0.2-Hz frame rate over a 1.2-mm wide area. The probe can continuously monitor cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamic responses at single-vessel resolution, showing significantly different cerebrovascular responses to external stimuli under anesthesia and in the freely moving state. For example, when subjected to high-concentration CO 2 respiration, enhanced oxygenation to compensate for hypercapnia can be visualized due to cerebral regulation in the freely moving state. Comparative studies exhibit significantly weakened compensation capabilities in obese rodents. This new imaging modality can be used for investigating both normal and pathological cerebrovascular functions and shows great promise for studying cerebral activity, disorders and their treatments.