An optical pickup apparatus comprises a laser beam source to generate laser beam, and a laser driving circuit to drive the laser beam source. The laser driving circuit is connected to a flexible substrate and arranged in a groove or hole provided in the vicinity of that portion of an optical pickup housing, to which the laser beam source is fixed. The laser driving circuit is connected through a heat conduction member to an upper cover among upper and lower covers, the upper cover being close to the laser driving circuit. Thereby, heat generated from the laser driving circuit is conducted through the heat conduction member to the upper cover to be transferred outside the optical pickup apparatus while being scattered in an inplane direction of the upper cover.