Neuronal activation and ballistic cellular dynamics by phase-sensitive optical coherence microscopy

The anomalous diffusion characteristics of neuronal dynamics are analyzed by label-free, phase-sensitive optical coherence microscopy. The technique provides low-noise images, enabling cellular dynamic characteristics to be measurable. The phase variance is a conventional dynamic parameter that cannot elucidate the ballistic components of neuronal dynamics. Determining the dynamics by phase variance alone omits the ballistic information that can occur from the ion exchange across cellular membranes. The probability density function of phase displacements exerted by cellular dynamics was acquired and the shape of the power-law tail was analyzed. The development of the power-law tail provides a more sensitive dynamic feature.