Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NEURO-PATTERNS (How neuronal activity patterns drive behavior: novel all-optical control and monitoring of brain neuronal networks with high spatiotemporal resolution)

Teaser

When we hear a sound, see an object, or smell an odor, precise spatial and temporal patterns of electrical activity are generated in neuronal networks located in specialized brain areas. This electrical representation of the external stimulus is believed to mediate the...

Summary

When we hear a sound, see an object, or smell an odor, precise spatial and temporal patterns of electrical activity are generated in neuronal networks located in specialized brain areas. This electrical representation of the external stimulus is believed to mediate the perception of the external stimulus. However, what information about the stimulus is encoded in these activity patterns and how this information is used by the brain to drive perceptual behavior remains unclear.
In this project we develop innovative optical technologies for manipulating and monitoring brain circuits with single cell resolution in the intact brain. These novel methods will be used to causally test fundamental questions about how the brain processes sensory information to guide behavior.
This project will provide fundamental information about a key aspect of brain function, i.e. how spatiotemporal patterns of electrical activity in neuronal networks control sensory perception. Understanding these basic processes is the first fundamental step to understand the pathogenesis of brain diseases. Moreover, the knowledge of the cellular and network mechanisms underlying brain function may inspire a new generation of more efficient brain machine interfaces and artificial intelligence devices. Thus this project has the potential to positively impact on the health and technology development of our society.

Work performed

In this first reporting period, we developed a new holographic microscope and applied it to perform fast imaging of neural activity in superficial and deep areas of the brain. These findings which resulted in the publication of two research articles (Moretti et al. Biomedical Optics Express 2016, Bovetti et al. Scientific Reports 2017) represent the first fundamental step towards the achievement of the all-optical approach to read and manipulate neural activity with high spatiotemporal resolution which is one of the major goals of the project. Moreover, in this initial phase of the project we developed the theoretical framework for the application of the proposed all-optical approach to the investigation of the code underlying sensory perception. This work was published in Panzeri et al. Neuron 2017. All these activities were presented at several scientific meetings and seminars. Dissemination of the scientific work performed within the framework of this project also included communication with media and educational magazines.

Final results

The work performed during this first reporting period contributed to develop a new technology to perform fast monitoring of the electrical activity of individual cells within the brain and laid the ground for the development of a novel theoretical framework for the application of optical perturbative approaches to the study of brain function. These progresses have the potential to result in successful technology transfer initiatives and they will be applied to tackle previously unanswerable questions about brain function. Altogether, this work contributes to keep European research at the top levels in the field of Optics and Neuroscience and promises to positively impact on the health and economy of our society.