Near-infrared spectroscopy for non-invasive monitoring of drugs blood-brain barrier penetration

In this paper, a near-infrared spectroscopy instrument adapted for in-vivo NIRS measurements of rodent's brain is presented. This prototype was designed for non-invasive analysis of the two main forms of hemoglobin: oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin. These two chromophores are markers of the degree of tissue oxygenation, thus providing an index of blood levels and therefore of brain metabolism. This information can be profitably used for non-invasive monitoring the ability of drugs to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The preliminary experimental activity denotes an original relationship between NIRS analysis of brain blood metabolism and drugs effect.