We investigate changes in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images in response to evoked neural activity in the sciatic nerve of rats in vitro. M-scans were obtained on peripheral nerves of rats using a swept source polarisation sensitive OCT system, while a nerve cuff acquired electrical neural recordings. From a total of 10 subjects: three had no stimulation (controls), three had paw stimulation, and four had nerve stimulation. Changes in the OCT signal intensity, phase retardation, phase, and frequency spectra were calculated for each subject and reference samples of a mirror and microspheres in solution. Observed changes in intensity in three paw stimulation and two nerve stimulation subjects and changes in frequency spectra amplitude in two paw stimulation subjects were above the reference noise level and were temporally consistent with osmotic swelling from ion currents during neural activity. Light scattering changes produced by osmotic swelling, which have previously been characterised in squid and crab nerves, are also thought to occur in myelinated fibres on a scale which is detectable using OCT. Imaging neural activity in myelinated tissue using OCT creates new possibilities for functional imaging in the peripheral and central nervous systems.

我们研究了光学相干断层扫描 (OCT) 图像对体外大鼠坐骨神经诱发神经活动的反应。使用扫频源极化敏感 OCT 系统对大鼠的外周神经进行 M 扫描，而神经袖带获得电神经记录。来自总共 10 个受试者：三个没有刺激（对照），三个有爪子刺激，四个有神经刺激。计算每个对象和镜子和溶液中微球的参考样品的 OCT 信号强度、相位延迟、相位和频谱的变化。在三个爪子刺激和两个神经刺激对象中观察到的强度变化和两个爪子刺激对象中频谱幅度的变化高于参考噪声水平，并且在时间上与神经活动期间离子电流的渗透膨胀一致。渗透膨胀产生的光散射变化，以前在鱿鱼和螃蟹神经中表征过的，也被认为以使用 OCT 可检测到的尺度出现在有髓纤维中。使用 OCT 对有髓组织中的神经活动进行成像为外周和中枢神经系统的功能成像创造了新的可能性。