High-speed microscopy reveals electrical activity across the brain
Within the brain, neurons compute by generating electrical impulses. These signals travel throughout neurons, which are in turn connected in vast networks that control brain functions such as sensory perception, memory formation and movement.
Neurons generate electrical impulses that enable brain functions such as sensory perception, memory, and movement. MIT engineers have developed a high-speed microscope capable of imaging electrical activity across the brain of zebrafish in real-time. By adapting a light sheet microscope for rapid imaging, the researchers achieved millisecond-scale resolution to observe individual neurons' electrical activity.
This technique, driven by genetically encoded voltage indicators, revealed patterns of neural activity across the brain following ultraviolet light stimulation. The microscope can scan the entire zebrafish brain up to 200 times per second, capturing single voltage spikes and rapid burst patterns. The findings offer a new method for understanding how neural networks coordinate to produce behaviors and brain computations.
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