The advancement of modern optical technologies has provided unprecedented opportunities for the detection, diagnosis and understanding of various brain pathologies within in vivo models as well as in patients. Applications of photonics hardware span a wide range of temporal scales and support imaging from the microscopic to macroscopic level. Equally important to the hardware are the innovations in molecular photonics (e.g. fluorescent and bioluminescent proteins, biosensors, nanoparticles) that provide increased imaging sensitivity and specificity or real-time control of cell-specific activity. The combination of translational molecular-genetic probes and optical hardware platforms provides unique opportunities for the discovery, delivery, and evaluation of new therapies designed to treat brain disorders.

This special section highlights the unique aspects of optical imaging methods for identifying and evaluating various brain diseases and pathological conditions in a live setting. We invite contributions from experts specialising in brain pathology to those focused on technology development. Paper types can include original research, literature reviews, primers, protocols, and perspective/opinion pieces. Descriptions of innovative hardware or novel applications relevant to evaluating brain disease are also welcome. We plan to include a broad range of topics spanning translational science across species to clinical applications including but not limited to: 

• Fluorescence Imaging
• Multiphoton Imaging
• Photoacoustic Imaging
• Optical Coherence Tomography
• Optical Intrinsic Signal Imaging
• Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging
• Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
• Diffuse Optical Tomography
• Molecular Photonics (Dyes, Indicators, Biosensors, Nanoparticles, Optogenetics, etc.)

Applied in the Context of:

• Stroke
• Dementias
• Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Traumatic Brian Injury
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury
• Brain Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Psychiatric Disorders
• Neuroinflammation

All submissions to the special section will be handled according to the journal’s policy for peer-reviewed publications. To submit a paper, please prepare the manuscript according to the journal guidelines and use the online submission system. Please include a cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section.

Neurophotonics is a Gold Open Access journal. Authors of accepted papers are required to pay an article processing charge (APC) of $1675. Discounts may apply, and the APC is waived for Primer/Protocol/Review/Tutorial papers.

Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers have been accepted. Accepted papers are published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author and the APC is paid.