Non-invasive High-Frequency Terahertz Wave Activates Cortical Astrocytes in Vivo

Compared with the biological damage led to by the high-energy electromagnetic waves (X-ray, gamma ray, ultraviolet, etc.), high-frequency terahertz (THz) stimulation can induce unique non-thermal and non-invasive neuromodulation. In the present study, using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging in the auditory cortex of mice, we find that high-frequency terahertz could stably excite astrocytes, and the induced calcium signals from astrocytes take place immediately at the end of high-frequency terahertz stimulation.