Speckle Pattern Research Articles

Association between Antinuclear Antibodies Patterns and Immunological Markers with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Iraqi Female Patients

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition where the immune system attacks various tissues and organs, affecting commonly women between the ages of 15 to 44. It is caused by genetics or environmental factors. A critical factor in the diagnosis by antinuclear antibodies at a level of ≥1:80. Objective: To assess the disease activity and identification of antinuclear antibody patterns and titer on Hep-2 cells with immunological markers. Methods: This was a case-control study conducted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital/Medical City between January 25, 2024, to April 25, 2024. 60 SLE patients were contrasted with 60 healthy controls. The American College of Rheumatology SLE criteria were used to make the diagnosis. Results: SLE patients had a mean age of 32.12±10.54 years, while controls had a mean age of 31.37±10.65 years (P=0.699). positive family history represents 15.0 % while negative family history of SLE patients is 85.0%. The mean disease duration was 5.25±4.77 years. The disease activity index (SLEDI) was (27.80 ±10.40). The most common patterns of Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) are speckled (56.7%), homogeneous (26.7%), peripheral (1.7%), mixed (3.3%), and negative (11.7%) patterns. Conclusion: Antinuclear antibodies are considered the gold standard diagnostic test. A few healthy individuals display speckled patterns at a ratio of 1:40. The disease activity no significant with pattern.

Watermarking method based on double-threshold correspondence imaging with lossless host image

Abstract A watermarking method based on double-threshold correspondence imaging (DTCI) with lossless host image is proposed, which employ every bit of the 8-bit grayscale host image without changing picture. This image watermarking method firstly processes the host image to obtain symbolic attribute arrays (SAAs). Then the watermark image is performs DTCI operations to rearrange the order of the speckle patterns according to the SAAs. Because there is not any additional information embedded into the host image, it ensures the watermark image with not only complete imperceptibility but also a significant capacity. When the authorized users utilize both the binary numbers of host image and the rearranged speckle patterns as the key, the watermark image can be easily retrieved. Additionally, the suggested method demonstrates remarkable robustness in the face of ‘Salt and Pepper’ noise and cropping attacks.

Prevalence and gender - specific analysis of a systemic sclerosis cohort in Latvia

BackgroundSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is considered by many to be one of the most severe autoimmune rheumatic diseases with lower prevalence observed in Northern Europe. No previous studies on the prevalence of SSc in Latvia have been conducted and the aim was to study the demographic and clinical data of patients with SSc in northeastern Europe country.MethodsThis study was conducted in two main Latvian hospitals for adults and includes patients with SSc who were consulted between 2016 and 2021.ResultsDuring the study period, 159 patients with SSc were consulted. The point prevalence on 1 January 2021 was 84.0 per million. Female to male ratio was 4.67:1, and highest gender ratio was observed in the age group 70–79-year (6.75:1). Antinuclear antibodies were present in 82.58% of patients, without gender difference. Centromere pattern was more frequently observed in females (40.19% vs. 19.04%), in contrast to speckled pattern (50.98% vs. 57.14%). At disease onset females tended to be younger (46.51 ± 13.52) than males (50.5 ± 16.64). Males had more diffuse cutaneous subtype, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension and esophageal dysmotility. More than half of patients received treatment with glucocorticoids at any point of the disease (68.31%), without gender difference.ConclusionsSystemic sclerosis is less common in Latvia than in other countries and regions. Due to its location, the data from Latvia are consistent with a north-south gradient in Europe. Gender ratio differences persisted in older age groups as well. Antinuclear antibodies presence did not differ between genders, but in female’s centromere pattern was much more likely to be present. Males had more severe disease course, but in both genders more than half of patients received treatment with GCs at any point of the disease.

A novel application of laser speckle imaging technique for prediction of hypoxic stress of apples

BackgroundFruit storage methods such as dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) technology enable adjusting the level of oxygen in the storage room, according to the physiological state of the product to slow down the ripening process. However, the successful application of DCA requires precise and reliable sensors of the oxidative stress of the fruit. In this study, respiration rate and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) signals were evaluated after introducing a novel predictors of apples' hypoxic stress based on laser speckle imaging technique (LSI).ResultsBoth chlorophyll fluorescence and LSI signals were equally good for stress detection in principle. However, in an application with automatic detection based on machine learning models, the LSI signal proved to be superior, due to its stability and measurement repeatability. Moreover, the shortcomings of the CF signal appear to be its inability to indicate oxygen stress in tissues with low chlorophyll content but this does not apply to LSI. A comparison of different LSI signal processing methods showed that method based on the dynamics of changes in image content was better indicators of stress than methods based on measurements of changes in pixel brightness (inertia moment or laser speckle contrast analysis). Data obtained using the near-infrared laser provided better prediction capabilities, compared to the laser with red light.ConclusionsThe study showed that the signal from the scattered laser light phenomenon is a good predictor for the oxidative stress of apples. Results showed that effective prediction using LSI was possible and did not require additional signals. The proposed method has great potential as an alternative indicator of fruit oxidative stress, which can be applied in modern storage systems with a dynamically controlled atmosphere.

Semantic ghost imaging based on semantic coding

To address the challenge of reconstructing high-quality images under low sampling during the Ghost Imaging (GI) procedure, we propose a semantic GI method based on semantic encoding. Through training, the obtained continuous weights of the convolution kernels are served as the speckle patterns. A processing module and a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) are then employed to decode and reconstruct the images. Both the speckle patterns and their corresponding bucket values are optimized, so that the semantic information of the target object can be better extracted. With different gated recurrent units (GRU) layers for the target objects in different datasets, the feasibility of the proposed GI method is validated by the numerical simulations and experiments on the simple target objects (the handwriting digits “0” to “9”) and more complex target objects (“NUPT”). The results show that the target objects (the handwriting digits) can be reconstructed with higher quality even at a lower sampling rate of 1.28%. Additionally, the proposed method has applicability for more complex objects (such as “NUPT”) in real applications. In comparison with those results by using traditional ghost imaging (TGI), deep convolution auto-encoder network (DCAN), and RNN-based GI (GI-RNN), the proposed GI method shows a better performance in terms of the quality of reconstructed images and the training time, that is, the proposed method can have both good reconstructed image quality and less training time. By introducing the concept of semantic communication into GI, the proposed method provides a new idea for the model-based GI.

Determination of antinuclear antibodies: role in modern differential diagnosis of connective tissue autoimmune diseases

There is an increase in autoimmune rheumatic diseases among all age population groups globally. Diagnosis is often difficult, because the early stages of the diseases usually do not have specific symptoms. Often, clinical manifestations of autoimmune diseases and non-autoimmune pathologies have similar symptoms. Therefore, the differential diagnosis could be very difficult. Most often, the determination of antinuclear autoantibodies is used for laboratory diagnosis of connective tissue systemic diseases. Autoantibodies can be detected in patients long time before the appearance of symptoms. The correct diagnosis is very important because the therapy of various nosologies can be different. It is especially significant with the invention of targeted therapy. Further analysis of the diagnostic value of autoantibody determination is very important. This article presents examination and follow-up data of three children. The analysis of medical documentation was carried out. The role of determining autoantibodies in the differential diagnosis of autoimmune connective tissue diseases was analyzed. In the first patient with Sjögren’s syndrome, the clinical picture of the underlying disease developed at least 5 years after the detection of high levels anti-SS-A, SS-B and Ro-52 antibodies (immunoblotting) and the speckled pattern (indirect immunofluorescence assay). In the second patient, antibodies against centromeres (specific markers of systemic scleroderma) appeared at least 2 years before clinical symptoms. In the third patient, the specific markers of systemic scleroderma have been detected for 5 years. There were antibodies against centromeres (immunoblotting), high titer and the centromere pattern (indirect immunofluorescence assay). However, the patient has not developed any clinical symptoms of this disease during all time of observation. Thus, the analysis of the presented clinical cases shows that autoantibodies can be detected in patients long time before the onset of clinical manifestations of a specific autoimmune disease. In all three cases, the first immunological examination has been carried out in the background of the disease symptoms, but they were atypical. Identification of specific autoantibodies, is very important for differential diagnosis. In the absence of clinical symptoms, the presence of autoantibodies, is the reason for dynamic observation of the patients.

ChiSCAT: Unsupervised Learning of Recurrent Cellular Micromotion Patterns from a Chaotic Speckle Pattern.

There is considerable evidence that action potentials are accompanied by "intrinsic optical signals", such as a nanometer-scale motion of the cell membrane. Here we present ChiSCAT, a technically simple imaging scheme that detects such signals with interferometric sensitivity. ChiSCAT combines illumination by a chaotic speckle pattern and interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT) to sensitively detect motion in any direction. The technique features reflective high-NA illumination, common-path suppression of vibrations, and a large field of view. This approach maximizes sensitivity to motion, but does not produce a visually interpretable image. We show that unsupervised learning based on matched filtering and motif discovery can recover underlying motion patterns and detect action potentials. We demonstrate these claims in an experiment on blebbistatin-paralyzed cardiomyocytes. ChiSCAT opens the door to action potential measurement in scattering tissue, including a living brain.

Simulating temporal speckle with prescribed correlation properties in optical lithography

We describe a method of simulating temporal speckle often encountered in optical lithography. The first step of the method is to generate numerically optical fields with prescribed temporal coherence properties using a shot noise process. By properly arranging the data for instantaneous intensities calculated from the generated fields, one can construct virtually temporal speckle patterns that satisfy all the necessary conditions. As some illustrative examples, we examine the variation of the temporal speckle contrast as a function of the exposure time of the detector by means of these speckle patterns. Our method would provide an intuitive understanding of hardly observable temporal speckle and serve as an educational tool for students and professionals in optics.

Microvascular effects of a mixed meal tolerance test: a model validation study

AbstractPurposeEndothelial dysfunction is a pathophysiological change preceding many cardiovascular events. Measuring improvements of endothelial function is challenging when function is already optimal, which may be remediated using a physiological challenge. This study aimed to determine whether imaging assessments can detect microvascular effects of a mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT).MethodsTwenty healthy volunteers (age ≥45 and ≤70 years) underwent two MMTTs at the beginning (Day 1) and end (Day 84) of a twelve‐week period. Imaging methods included laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) combined with post‐occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) and local thermal hyperaemia (LTH) challenges, passive leg movement ultrasonography (PLM), and sidestream dark field microscopy (SDFM). Measurements were conducted pre‐MMTT and at 5 timepoints post‐MMTT for PLM and SDFM and 3 timepoints post‐MMTT for PORH and LTH.ResultsNo consistent effects of the MMTT were detected on LSCI LTH, PLM and SDFM endpoints. LSCI PORH maximum perfusion was significantly suppressed 46, 136, and 300 min post‐MMTT administration on Day 1, while residual perfusion decreased significantly 46 and 136 min post‐MMTT on Day 1. However, when repeated on Day 84, PORH endpoints were not significantly affected by the MMTT.ConclusionSDFM, PLM and LSCI LTH endpoints displayed high intra‐subject variability and did not detect consistent effects of MMTT. LSCI PORH endpoints displayed the lowest intra‐subject variability of all assessed endpoints and were affected by the MMTT on Day 1, but not on Day 84. Further standardization of methods or more robust challenges to affect vascular endpoints may be needed.

Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species of Characidium (Characiformes: Crenuchidae) shared by tributaries of upper Tapajós and Xingu river basins, Brazil

AbstractA new species of Characidium shared by adjacent tributaries of the upper portions of the Tapajós and Xingu river basins is described. Characidium varii, new species, can be distinguished from the congeners by having distinctly speckled pattern of colouration, including dark blotches on cheek and ventral surface of head, by having conspicuous dark marks on fins, along with a single row of dentary teeth, isthmus completely covered by scales, 14 circumpeduncular scales, and swimbladder reduced. Molecular data reinforce the validation of the new species. The distribution of C. varii supports the hypothesis of the existence of a faunistic mixing between Tapajós and Xingu river basins, corresponding to the region of the Serra do Cachimbo and surrounding areas, previously proposed in the literature.

Inhibiting Ca2+ channels in Alzheimer's disease model mice relaxes pericytes, improves cerebral blood flow and reduces immune cell stalling and hypoxia.

Early in Alzheimer's disease (AD), pericytes constrict capillaries, increasing their hydraulic resistance and trapping of immune cells and, thus, decreasing cerebral blood flow (CBF). Therapeutic approaches to attenuate pericyte-mediated constriction in AD are lacking. Here, using in vivo two-photon imaging with laser Doppler and speckle flowmetry and magnetic resonance imaging, we show that Ca2+ entry via L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (CaVs) controls the contractile tone of pericytes. In AD model mice, we identifed pericytes throughout the capillary bed as key drivers of an immune reactive oxygen species (ROS)-evoked and pericyte intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i)-mediated decrease in microvascular flow. Blocking CaVs with nimodipine early in disease progression improved CBF, reduced leukocyte stalling at pericyte somata and attenuated brain hypoxia. Amyloid β (Aβ)-evoked pericyte contraction in human cortical tissue was also greatly reduced by CaV block. Lowering pericyte [Ca2+]i early in AD may, thus, offer a therapeutic strategy to enhance brain energy supply and possibly cognitive function in AD.

Assessment of hyperacute cerebral ischemia using laser speckle contrast imaging.

Accurate diagnosis of cerebral ischemia severity is crucial for clinical decision-making. Laser speckle contrast imaging based cerebral blood flow imaging can help assess the severity of cerebral ischemia by monitoring changes in blood flow. In this study, we simulated hyperacute ischemia in rats, isolating arterial and venous flow-related signals from cortical vasculature. Pearson correlation was used to examine the correlation between damaged vessels. Granger causality analysis was utilized to investigate causality correlation in ischemic vessels. Resting state analysis revealed a negative Pearson correlation between regional arteries and veins. Following cerebral ischemia induction, a positive artery-vein correlation emerged, which vanished after blood flow reperfusion. Granger causality analysis demonstrating enhanced causality coefficients for middle artery-vein pairs during occlusion, with a stronger left-right arterial effect than that of right-left, which persisted after reperfusion. These processing approaches amplify the understanding of cerebral ischemic images, promising potential future diagnostic advancements.

PDE5 inhibitor potentially improves polyuria and bladder storage and voiding dysfunctions in type 2 diabetic rats.

Bladder dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) includes urine storage and voiding disorders. We examined pathological conditions of the bladder wall in a rat T2DM model and evaluated the effects of the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor tadalafil. Male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats were used as the T2DM and control groups, respectively. Tadalafil was orally administered for 12 weeks. Micturition behavior was monitored using metabolic cages, and bladder function was evaluated by cystometry. Bladder blood flow was evaluated by laser speckle imaging, and an organ bath bladder distention test was used to measure adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release from the bladder urothelium. The expression levels of vesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT), hypoxia markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in the bladder wall were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bladder wall contractions in response to KCl and carbachol were monitored using bladder-strip tests. With aging, OLETF rats had higher micturition frequency and greater urine volume than LETO rats. Although bladder capacity was not significantly different, non-voiding bladder contraction occurred more frequently in OLETF rats than in LETO rats. Bladder blood flow was decreased and ATP release was increased with higher VNUT expression in OLETF rats than in LETO rats. These effects were suppressed by tadalafil administration, with accompanying decreased HIF-1α, 8-OHdG, IL-6, TNF-α, IGF-1, and bFGF expression. The impaired contractile responses of bladder strips to KCl and carbachol in OLETF rats with aging were restored by tadalafil administration. The T2DM rats had polyuria, increased ATP release induced by decreased bladder blood flow and impaired contractile function. PDE5 inhibition improved these changes and may prevent T2DM-associated urinary frequency and bladder storage and voiding dysfunctions.

Reduced systemic microvascular function in patients with resistant hypertension and microalbuminuria: an observational study.

Resistant hypertension (RH) may be associated with microalbuminuria (MAU), a marker of cardiovascular risk and target organ damage, and both may be related to microvascular damage. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is an innovative approach for noninvasively evaluating systemic microvascular endothelial function useful in the context of RH with or without MAU. Microalbuminuria was defined as a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio between 30 and 300 mg/g. Microvascular reactivity was evaluated using LSCI to perform noninvasive measurements of cutaneous microvascular perfusion changes. Pharmacological (acetylcholine [ACh], or sodium nitroprusside [SNP]) and physiological (postocclusive reactive hyperemia [PORH]) stimuli were used to evaluate vasodilatory responses. Thirty-two patients with RH and a normal urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (RH group) and 32 patients with RH and microalbuminuria (RH + MAU) were evaluated. Compared with patients without MAU, patients with RH + MAU showed reduced endothelial-dependent systemic microvascular reactivity, as demonstrated by an attenuation of microvascular vasodilation induced by PORH. On the other hand, ACh-induced vasodilation did not differ between groups. The results also revealed reduced endothelial-independent (SNP-induced) microvascular reactivity in hypertensive patients with MAU compared with patients without MAU. In this study, there was evidence of endothelial dysfunction associated with impaired microvascular smooth muscle function in patients with RH + MAU. This may suggest that patients with RH need more intensive therapeutic strategies for the control of blood pressure to avoid further vascular damage and the resulting consequences.The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( https://register.clinicaltrials.gov ) under protocol # NCT05464849, initial release 12/07/2022.

Jiawei Xionggui Decoction promotes meningeal lymphatic vessels clearance of β-amyloid by inhibiting arachidonic acid pathway

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging-associated form of dementia characterized by the pathological deposition of toxic misfolded proteins in the central nervous system (CNS), which is closely related to the clearance impairment of meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs). Thus, enhancement dural meningeal lymphatic drainage to remove amyloid-β (Aβ) is usually considered as a potential therapeutic target for AD. PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of Jiawei Xionggui Decoction (JWXG) to attenuate cognitive dificits in APP/PS1 mice with impaired meningeal lymphatic drainage. MethodsLigation of deep cervical lymph nodes (dcLNs) was performed to establish the mice model of the impaired meningeal lymphatic drainage in APP/PS1 mice. Cognitve behaviors and pathological morphology of mice were assessed. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) of mice was determined using Laser speckle contrast imaging analysis. Serum non-targeted metabolomics analysis was applied to decipher the mechanisms of JWXG in rescuing the impairment of mLVs, and C8-D1A cells were employed to validate in vitro. ResultsDisruption of mLVs in APP/PS1 mice deteriorated cognitive dysfunction, accelerated Aβ burden and glia activation, accompanied by more severe neuropathological damage, CBF reduction and neuroinflammation exacerbation. Serum non-targeted metabolomics analysis indicates the increase of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic pathway was the key contributor to the neuropathological exacerbation of dcLNs ligation APP/PS1 mice. Interestingly, clinically equivalent dose of JWXG was sufficient to restore mLVs drainage and rescue cognitive performance by inhibiting neuroinflammation depended by AA metabolic pathway in dcLNs ligation APP/PS1 mice. ConclusionOur findings establish a novel mechanism that rescue mLVs by inhibiting AA metabolic pathway to clear brain Aβ, and support JWXG as a feasible treatment strategy for AD by suppressing AA metabolic pathway to improve mLVs drainage efficiency.

Correlating light fields through disordered media across multiple degrees of freedom

Speckle patterns are inherent features of coherent light propagation through complex media. As a result of interference, they are sensitive to multiple experimental parameters such as the configuration of disorder or the propagating wavelength. Recent developments in wavefront shaping have made it possible to control speckle pattern statistics and correlations, for example using the concept of the transmission matrix. In this article, we address the problem of correlating scattered fields across multiple degrees of freedom. We highlight the common points between the specific techniques already demonstrated, and we propose a general framework based on the singular value decomposition of a linear combination of multiple transmission matrices. Following analytical predictions, we experimentally illustrate the technique on spectral and temporal correlations, and we show that both the amplitude and the phase of the field correlations can be tuned. Our work opens up new perspectives in speckle correlation manipulation, with potential applications in coherent control. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Microsaccades Tracking by Secondary Speckle Pattern Analysis.

Here we propose a not pupil-dependent microsaccades tracking technique and a novel detection method. We present a proof of concept for detecting microsaccades using a non-contact laser-based photonic system recording and processing the temporal changes of speckle patterns scattered from an eye sclera. The data, simultaneously recorded by the speckle-based tracker (SBT) and the video-based eye tracker (Eyelink), was analyzed by the frequently used detection method of Engbert and Kliegl (E&K) and by advanced machine learning detection (MLD) techniques. We detected 93% of microsaccades in the SBT data out of microsaccades detected in the Eyelink data with the E&K method. By utilizing MLD, a precision of 86% was achieved. The findings of our study demonstrate a potential improvement in measuring tiny eye movements, such as microsaccades, using speckle-based eye tracking and, thus, an alternative to video-based eye tracking for detecting microsaccades.

Endothelium Piezo1 deletion alleviates experimental varicose veins by attenuating perivenous inflammation.

Previous large-scale genetic studies have prioritized the causal genes piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (PIEZO1) and castor zinc finger 1 (CASZ1) associated with varicose veins (VVs). This study aims to evaluate their roles in both clinical and experimental VVs. In this study, we investigated abundance of PIEZO1 and CASZ1 in both varicose and normal veins from the same patients. Yoda1 (a selective PIEZO1 agonist, 2.6mg/kg/day) or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally for 3weeks to evaluate the effect of PIEZO1 activation on experimental VVs. Subsequently, endothelial Piezo1 deletion mice (Piezo1iΔEC mice) were generated to explored the role of endothelial PIEZO1 on VVs. Laser speckle imaging, flow cytometry, cell tracing with Evans blue or rhodamine-6G, and histopathological staining were utilized to evaluate the pathophysiology of VVs. Our results showed that mRNA expression of PIEZO1, but not CASZ1, was abundant and increased in clinical VVs. The Piezo1tP1-td mice revealed endothelium-specific expression of PIEZO1 in mice veins. By establishing iliac vein ligation-induced VVs in mice, Yoda1 exacerbated experimental VVs with increased inflammatory cell infiltration. Subsequently, endothelial Piezo1 deletion (Piezo1iΔEC mice) alleviated experimental VVs and vascular remodeling by directly reducing vascular permeability and leukocyte-endothelium interactions compared to the control (Piezo1fl/fl mice). PIEZO1 is highly expressed in clinical VVs, meanwhile, activation or inhibition of PIEZO1 exerts a remarkable effect on experimental VVs. Furthermore, Piezo1 may constitute a potential therapeutic approach for the medical treatment of VVs.

Measured and Predicted Speckle Correlation from Diffractive Metasurface Diffusers

Speckles are inherent in structured laser-based light projection using diffractive optics such as metasurfaces or diffractive optical elements (DOEs). One application of structured light is to provide illumination for machine vision and depth sensing. This is particularly attractive for mobile or low-power applications, where metasurfaces provide a compact, customizable solution, which can furthermore reach extreme field of illuminations. However, the speckles might limit detection capabilities by, e.g., lowering the detection range or providing false results. In this work, we present a series of measurements with matching simulations on a 70 × 50 degrees diffractive diffuser using different light sources (varying divergence angles + VCSEL array) to quantify the impact of speckles. We observe a qualitative agreement in speckle correlation between the measurements and the simulations and explain, in part using cross-correlation for analysis, why we do not observe the same speckle pattern between the measurements and the simulations. By performing extra simulations, we conclude that by only changing the light source, there is a limit to the reduction of the speckle contrast which, we can achieve, and, to reduce it further, alternative approaches such as changing the design method of the diffractive diffuser must be harnessed.

Peripheral Inflammation is accompanied by Cerebral Hypoperfusion in Mice.

Chronic pain is a disabling condition that is accompanied by neuropsychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. While the peripheral alterations are well-studied, we lack an understanding of how these peripheral changes can result in long-lasting brain alterations and the ensuing behavioral phenotypes. This study aims to quantify changes in cerebral blood perfusion using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) in the murine Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) model of unilateral peripheral inflammation. Twenty female and 24 male adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to control (0.05ml saline) or 1 of 3 experimental groups receiving CFA (0.01ml, 0.05ml, and 0.1ml) on the right hindpaw. Three days after the intraplantar injections, animals were assessed for signs of pain (von Frey), working memory (y-maze), and anxiety (zero maze and open field), and subjected to craniotomy and in vivo LSCI of the parietal-temporal lobes. Unilateral administration of CFA resulted in signs of local inflammation, decreased mechanical thresholds on the affected hindpaw, signs of anxiety in the zero maze, as well as cerebral hypoperfusion in dose-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first study using laser speckle contrast imaging to examine the effects of CFA-induced peripheral inflammation on cerebral blood perfusion. It serves as a first step in delineating the path by which insult to peripheral tissues can cause long-lasting brain plasticity via vascular mechanisms.