Optical imaging of cortical ensemble activity underlying dynamic whisker stimulation in the awake behaving rat.

• Applicant: Dr. Christian Waiblinger
• Subject Area: Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: from 2016 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 298887706

How do cortical modules interact with each other in order to process sensory information that is constantly changing? In order to address this question, cortical activity has to be measured on a large scale and the effects of dynamic sensory inputs have to be investigated systematically. Optical methods are a great tool to dissect neuronal networks and they can now be applied in vivo. Methods based on genetically encoded voltage sensors have several advantages over classical approaches (e.g. electrophysiology, fMRI, calcium imaging, etc.). For instance, they clearly increase the spatial information and are able to resolve sub-threshold activity at the same time. Furthermore, these probes have relatively fast dynamics that are appropriate for measures on the timescales of neuronal processing and they facilitate chronic imaging in vivo. In this project, I plan to combine voltage sensitive Imaging with behavioral measurements using the rodent somatosensory system. Behavioral tests will be performed in head-fixed rats that are engaged in a simple whisker detection-/discrimination task. Simultaneously, optical measurements of neuronal membrane voltage in several columns of the somatosensory cortex (barrel cortex) will be performed. Once accomplished this technique will be a very powerful and entirely new tool to study large scale cortical dynamics in different sensory modalities.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Garrett B. Stanley