Direct measurement of neuronal ensemble activity using photoacoustic imaging in the stimulated Fos-LacZ transgenic rat brain: A proof-of-principle study.

ABSTRACT: Measuring neuroactivity underlying complex behaviors facilitates understanding the microcircuitry that supports these behaviors. We have developed a functional and molecular photoacoustic tomography (F/M-PAT) system which allows direct imaging of Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles in Fos-LacZ transgenic rats with a large field-of-view and high spatial resolution. F/M-PAT measures the beta-galactosidase catalyzed enzymatic product of exogenous chromophore X-gal within ensemble neurons. We used an ex vivo imaging method in the Wistar Fos-LacZ transgenic rat, to detect neuronal ensembles in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) following cocaine administration or a shock-tone paired stimulus. Robust and selective F/M-PAT signal was detected in mPFC neurons after both conditions (compare to na

SUBMITTER: Matchynski JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8426561 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature