Comparative numerical analysis of magnetic and optical radiation propagation in adult human head

Abstract

In this work, magnetic and optical propagation in human head are modeled by FDTD and Monte Carlo methods. Both of them use a realistic high-resolution three-dimensional human head mesh. The numerical methods are applied to the analysis of magnetic and optical radiation distribution in the brain using different sources. The results show the characteristics of both types of stimulation, and highlight the spatial selectivity achieved by optical sources, which entails a high potential for illuminating specific brain regions. The presented approach can be applied for predictive purposes in magnetic stimulation techniques and in the emerging field of optical brain stimulation.