Optical imaging techniques reflect different biochemical processes in the brain,\r\nwhich is closely related with neural activity. Scientists and clinicians employ a variety\r\nof optical imaging technologies to visualize and study the relationship between\r\nneurons, glial cells and blood vessels. In this paper, we present an overview of the\r\ncurrent optical approaches used for the in vivo imaging of neurovascular coupling\r\nevents in small animal models. These techniques include 2-photon microscopy, laser\r\nspeckle contrast imaging (LSCI), voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDi), functional\r\nphotoacoustic microscopy (fPAM), functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging\r\n(fNIRS) and multimodal imaging techniques. The basic principles of each technique\r\nare described in detail, followed by examples of current applications from cuttingedge\r\nstudies of cerebral neurovascular coupling functions and metabolic. Moreover,\r\nwe provide a glimpse of the possible ways in which these techniques might be\r\ntranslated to human studies for clinical investigations of pathophysiology and\r\ndisease. In vivo optical imaging techniques continue to expand and evolve, allowing\r\nus to discover fundamental basis of neurovascular coupling roles in cerebral\r\nphysiology and pathophysiology.
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