The DMCdrive: practical 3D-printable micro-drive system for reliable chronic multi-tetrode recording and optogenetic application in freely behaving rodents

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.1101/2020.04.24.059394 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hoseok Kim ◽

Hans Sperup Brünner ◽

Marie Carlén

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Network Activity ◽

Electrophysiological Recording ◽

Electrophysiological Recordings ◽

Build Time ◽

Cell Type Specific ◽

Freely Behaving ◽

Freely Moving ◽

Electrophysiological Methods

AbstractElectrophysiological recording and optogenetic control of neuronal activity in behaving animals have been integral to the elucidation of how neurons and circuits modulate network activity in the encoding and causation of behavior. However, most current electrophysiological methods require substantial economical investments and prior expertise. Further, the inclusion of optogenetics with electrophysiological recordings in freely moving animals remains a general challenge. Expansion of the technological repertoire across laboratories, research institutes, and countries, demands open access to high-quality devices that can be built with little or no prior expertise from easily accessible parts of low cost. We here present a very affordable, truly easy-to-assemble micro-drive for electrophysiology in combination with optogenetics in freely moving mice and rats. The DMCdrive is particularly suited for reliable long-term recordings of neurons and network activities, and simplify optical tagging and manipulation of neurons in the recorded brain region. The highly functional and practical drive design has been optimized for accurate tetrode movement in brain tissue, and remarkably reduced build time. We provide a complete overview of the drive design, its assembly and use, and proof-of-principle demonstration of long-term recordings paired with cell-type-specific optogenetic manipulations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of freely moving transgenic mice and rats.

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Hippocampal network activity is transiently altered by induction of long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus of freely behaving rats

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/neuro.08.007.2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Arthur Bikbaev

Keyword(s):

Dentate Gyrus ◽

Long Term Potentiation ◽

Network Activity ◽

Term Potentiation ◽

Hippocampal Network ◽

Freely Behaving

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An easy-to-assemble, robust, and lightweight drive implant for chronic tetrode recordings in freely moving animals

10.1101/746651 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Jakob Voigts ◽

Jonathan P. Newman ◽

Matthew A. Wilson ◽

Mark T. Harnett

Keyword(s):

Ease Of Use ◽

Gold Standard Method ◽

Tree Shrews ◽

New Class ◽

Low Weight ◽

Build Time ◽

Freely Behaving ◽

Freely Moving ◽

Data Yield ◽

Tetrode Recordings

AbstractTetrode arrays are the gold-standard method for neuronal recordings in many studies with behaving animals, especially for deep structures and chronic recordings. Here we outline an improved drive design for use in freely behaving animals. Our design makes use of recently developed technologies to reduce the complexity and build time of the drive while maintaining a low weight. The design also presents an improvement over many existing designs in terms of robustness and ease of use. We describe two variants: a 16 tetrode implant weighing ∼2 g for mice, bats, tree shrews and similar animals, and a 64 tetrode implant weighing ∼16 g for rats, and similar animals.These designs were co-developed and optimized alongside a new class of drive-mounted feature-rich amplifier boards with ultra-thin RF tethers, as described in an upcoming paper (Newman, Zhang et al., in prep). This design significantly improves the data yield of chronic electrophysiology experiments.

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Low-cost and easy-fabrication lightweight drivable electrode array for multiple-regions electrophysiological recording in free-moving mice

Journal of Neural Engineering ◽

10.1088/1741-2552/ac494e ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Chongyang Sun ◽

Yi Cao ◽

Jianyu Huang ◽

Kang Huang ◽

Yi Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Circuit ◽

Low Cost ◽

Electrode Array ◽

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate ◽

Lateral Septum ◽

Electrophysiological Recording ◽

Electrode Arrays ◽

Electrophysiological Recordings ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Multiple Regions

Abstract Objective. Extracellular electrophysiology has been widely applied to neural circuit dissections. However, long-term multiregional recording in free-moving mice remains a challenge. Low-cost and easy-fabrication of elaborate drivable electrodes is required for their prevalence. Approach. A three-layer nested construct (OD ~1.80 mm, length ~10 mm, <0.1g) was recruited as a drivable component, which consisted of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) heat-shrinkable tube, non-closed loop ceramic bushing, and stainless ferrule with a bulge twining silver wire. The supporting and working components were equipped with drivable components to be assembled into a drivable microwire electrode array with a nested structure (drivable MEANS). Two drivable microwire electrode arrays were independently implanted for chronic recording in different brain areas at respective angles. An optic fiber was easily loaded into the drivable MEANS to achieve optogenetic modulation and electrophysiological recording simultaneously. Main results. The drivable MEANS had lightweight (~ 0.37 g), small (~ 15 mm ×15 mm × 4 mm), and low cost (≤ $64.62). Two drivable MEANS were simultaneously implanted in mice, and high-quality electrophysiological recordings could be applied ≥ 5 months after implantation in freely behaving animals. Electrophysiological recordings and analysis of the lateral septum (LS) and lateral hypothalamus (LH) in food-seeking behavior demonstrated that our drivable MEANS can be used to dissect the function of neural circuits. An optical fiber-integrated drivable MEANS (~ 0.47 g) was used to stimulate and record LS neurons, which suggested that changes in working components can achieve more functions than electrophysiological recordings, such as optical stimulation, drug release, and calcium imaging. Significance. Drivable MEANS is an easily fabricated, lightweight drivable microwire electrode array for multiple-region electrophysiological recording in free-moving mice. Our design is likely to be a valuable platform for both current and prospective users, as well as for developers of multifunctional electrodes for free-moving mice.

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GuPPy, a Python toolbox for the analysis of fiber photometry data

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-03626-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Venus N. Sherathiya ◽

Michael D. Schaid ◽

Jillian L. Seiler ◽

Gabriela C. Lopez ◽

Talia N. Lerner

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

User Interfaces ◽

Low Cost ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Analysis Tool ◽

Freely Behaving ◽

Freely Moving ◽

Computing Platforms ◽

Graphic User Interfaces

AbstractFiber photometry (FP) is an adaptable method for recording in vivo neural activity in freely behaving animals. It has become a popular tool in neuroscience due to its ease of use, low cost, the ability to combine FP with freely moving behavior, among other advantages. However, analysis of FP data can be challenging for new users, especially those with a limited programming background. Here, we present Guided Photometry Analysis in Python (GuPPy), a free and open-source FP analysis tool. GuPPy is designed to operate across computing platforms and can accept data from a variety of FP data acquisition systems. The program presents users with a set of graphic user interfaces (GUIs) to load data and provide input parameters. Graphs are produced that can be easily exported for integration into scientific figures. As an open-source tool, GuPPy can be modified by users with knowledge of Python to fit their specific needs.

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Simultaneous electrophysiological recording and fiber photometry in freely behaving mice

10.1101/807602 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amisha A Patel ◽

Niall McAlinden ◽

Keith Mathieson ◽

Shuzo Sakata

Keyword(s):

Neural Circuit ◽

Electrophysiological Recording ◽

Field Potentials ◽

Cell Type ◽

Specific Population ◽

Population Activity ◽

Custom Made ◽

Cell Type Specific ◽

Freely Behaving

AbstractIn vivo electrophysiology is the gold standard technique used to investigate sub-second neural dynamics in freely behaving animals. However, monitoring cell-type-specific population activity is not a trivial task. Over the last decade, fiber photometry based on genetically encoded calcium indicators has been widely adopted as a versatile tool to monitor cell-type-specific population activity in vivo. However, this approach suffers from low temporal resolution. Here, we combine these two approaches to monitor both sub-second field potentials and cell-type-specific population activity in freely behaving mice. By developing an economical custom-made system, and constructing a hybrid implant of an electrode and a fiber optic cannula, we simultaneously monitor artifact-free pontine field potentials and calcium transients in cholinergic neurons across the sleep-wake cycle. We find that pontine cholinergic activity co-occurs with sub-second pontine waves, called P-waves, during rapid eye movement sleep. Given the simplicity of our approach, simultaneous electrophysiological recording and cell-type-specific imaging provides a novel and valuable tool for interrogating state-dependent neural circuit dynamics in vivo.

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A ventral striatal-orexin/hypocretin circuit modulates approach but not consumption of food

10.1101/2020.03.05.979468 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Caitlin S. Mitchell ◽

Simon D. Fisher ◽

Jiann W. Yeoh ◽

Amy J. Pearl ◽

Nicholas J. Burton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Consummatory Behavior ◽

Nucleus Accumbens Shell ◽

Metabolic State ◽

Cell Recruitment ◽

Motivated Behavior ◽

Cell Type Specific ◽

Freely Behaving ◽

Increased Activity ◽

Relevant Factors

SummaryFeeding is at once both a basic biological need and a function set in a complex system of competing motivational drivers. Orexin/hypocretin neurons are located exclusively within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and are commonly implicated in feeding, arousal, and motivated behavior, although largely based on studies employing long-term systemic manipulations. Here we show how orexin neurons in freely behaving mice respond in real time to food presentations, and how this response is modulated by differences in metabolic state and salience. Orexin neurons increased activity during approach to food, and this activity declined to baseline at the start of consummatory behavior. Furthermore, the activity of orexin neurons on approach was enhanced by manipulations of metabolic state, and increased food salience. We investigated the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) as a candidate afferent region to inhibit LH orexin neurons following approach, and using projection and cell type-specific electrophysiology, demonstrated that the NAcSh forms both direct and indirect inhibitory projections to LH orexin cells. Together these findings reveal that the activity of orexin neurons is associated with food approach rather than consumption, is modulated by motivationally relevant factors, and that the NAcSh-LH pathway is capable of suppressing orexin cell recruitment.

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A fully adapted headstage for electrophysiological experiments with custom and scalable electrode arrays to record widely distributed brain regions

10.1101/2021.04.06.438732 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Flávio Afonso Gonçalves Mourão ◽

Leonardo de Oliveira Guarnieri ◽

Paulo Aparecido Amaral Júnior ◽

Vinícius Rezende Carvalho ◽

Eduardo Mazoni Andrade Marçal Mendes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

State Of The Art ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Electrode Arrays ◽

Tungsten Electrode ◽

Neural Ensembles ◽

Electrophysiological Recordings ◽

Freely Moving ◽

Cranial Implants ◽

The Brain

ABSTRACTElectrophysiological recordings lead amongst the techniques that aim to investigate the dynamics of neural activity sampled from large neural ensembles. However, the financial costs associated with the state-of-the-art technology used to manufacture probes and multi-channel recording systems make these experiments virtually inaccessible to small laboratories, especially if located in developing countries. Here, we describe a new method for implanting several tungsten electrode arrays, widely distributed over the brain. Moreover, we designed a headstage system, using the Intan® RHD2000 chipset, associated with a connector (replacing the expensive commercial Omnetics connector), that allows the usage of disposable and cheap cranial implants. Our results showed high-quality multichannel recording in freely moving animals (detecting local field, evoked responses and unit activities) and robust mechanical connections ensuring long-term continuous recordings. Our project represents an open source and inexpensive alternative to develop customized extracellular records from multiple brain regions.

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GuPPy, a Python toolbox for the analysis of fiber photometry data

10.1101/2021.07.15.452555 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Venus N Sherathiya ◽

Michael D Schaid ◽

Jillian L Seiler ◽

Gabriela C Lopez ◽

Talia Lerner

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

User Interfaces ◽

Low Cost ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Analysis Tool ◽

Development Environment ◽

Freely Behaving ◽

Freely Moving ◽

Graphic User Interfaces

Fiber photometry (FP) is an adaptable method for recording in vivo neural activity in freely behaving animals. It has become a popular tool in neuroscience due to its ease of use, low cost, the ability to combine FP with freely moving behavior, among other advantages. However, analysis of FP data can be a challenge for new users, especially those with a limited programming background. Here, we present Guided Photometry Analysis in Python (GuPPy), a free and open-source FP analysis tool. GuPPy is provided as a Jupyter notebook, a well-commented interactive development environment (IDE) designed to operate across platforms. GuPPy presents the user with a set of graphic user interfaces (GUIs) to load data and provide input parameters. Graphs produced by GuPPy can be exported into various image formats for integration into scientific figures. As an open-source tool, GuPPy can be modified by users with knowledge of Python to fit their specific needs.

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