Author(s): Xue, F (Xue, Feng); Li, F (Li, Fei); Zhang, KM (Zhang, Ke-ming); Ding, LF (Ding, Lufeng); Wang, Y (Wang, Yang); Zhao, XT (Zhao, Xingtao); Xu, F (Xu, Fang); Zhang, DK (Zhang, Danke); Sun, MZ (Sun, Mingzhai); Lau, PM (Lau, Pak-Ming); Zhu, QY (Zhu, Qingyuan); Zhou, PC (Zhou, Pengcheng); Bi, GQ (Bi, Guo-Qiang)

Source: NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW Volume: 11 Issue: 1  Article Number: nwad294  DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad294  Published: DEC 18 2023 

Abstract: To investigate the circuit-level neural mechanisms of behavior, simultaneous imaging of neuronal activity in multiple cortical and subcortical regions is highly desired. Miniature head-mounted microscopes offer the capability of calcium imaging in freely behaving animals. However, implanting multiple microscopes on a mouse brain remains challenging due to space constraints and the cumbersome weight of the equipment. Here, we present TINIscope, a Tightly Integrated Neuronal Imaging microscope optimized for electronic and opto-mechanical design. With its compact and lightweight design of 0.43 g, TINIscope enables unprecedented simultaneous imaging of behavior-relevant activity in up to four brain regions in mice. Proof-of-concept experiments with TINIscope

Recorded over 1000 neurons in four hippocampal subregions and revealed concurrent activity patterns spanning across these regions. Moreover, we explored potential multi-modal experimental designs by integrating additional modules for optogenetics, electrical stimulation or local field potential

Recordings. Overall, TINIscope represents a timely and indispensable tool for studying the brain-wide interregional coordination that underlies unrestrained behaviors.

The world's lightest head-mounted fluorescence microscope, weighing only 0.43 grams, has been developed and utilized to monitor neuronal activity in four deep brain regions simultaneously while the animal is freely behaving.

Accession Number: WOS:001151624900002

PubMed ID: 38288367

ISSN: 2095-5138

eISSN: 2053-714X