Hyperosmotic chemical agent's effect on in vivo cerebral blood flow revealed by laser speckle

We investigated the influence of a hyperosmotic agent (glycerol) on the normal physiological function of tissue by applying the glycerol in vitro and in vivo to rabbit dura mater to assess the changes in the tissue's optical properties. We used a laser speckle imaging technique to study the effect of epidurally 49 applied glycerol on resting cerebral blood flow (CBF). Our results showed that resting CBF decreased as the transparency of the dura mater increased. The challenges for the design of an optical clearing technique were not only the clearing effects and the duration of the action of the chemical agents but also the influence of the glycerol on the tissue's normal physiological function. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.