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Related Concept Videos

Brain Imaging01:14

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans),  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Magnetic Resonance Imaging01:24

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging technique based on a phenomenon of nuclear physics discovered in the 1930s, in which matter exposed to magnetic fields and radio waves was found to emit radio signals. In 1970, a physician and researcher named Raymond Damadian noticed that malignant (cancerous) tissue gave off different signals than normal body tissue. He applied for a patent for the first MRI scanning device in clinical use by the early 1980s. The early MRI...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Simultaneous Imaging of Microglial Dynamics and Neuronal Activity in Awake Mice
08:26

Simultaneous Imaging of Microglial Dynamics and Neuronal Activity in Awake Mice

Published on: August 23, 2022

Imaging nervous system activity.

R D Fields1, M J O'Donovan

  • 1National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Current Protocols in Neuroscience
|April 23, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Optical imaging uses intrinsic signals, voltage-sensitive dyes, or calcium-sensitive dyes to visualize neuronal activity. Fluorescent microscopy of calcium dyes is most common for studying neural circuits in various preparations.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Optical Imaging
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Optical imaging visualizes neuronal activity through intrinsic signals, voltage-sensitive dyes, or calcium-sensitive dyes.
  • Fluorescent microscopy utilizing calcium-sensitive dyes is a prevalent technique in neuroscience research.
  • Understanding neuronal function requires effective methods for monitoring electrical and chemical signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe protocols for using calcium-sensitive and voltage-dependent dyes in optical imaging.
  • To provide methods for studying neuronal activity in diverse biological preparations.
  • To enhance the application of fluorescence microscopy in neuroscience.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing intrinsic optical signals (light scattering, reflectance, birefringence, spectroscopy).
  • Employing voltage-sensitive membrane dyes for fluorescence or absorbance changes.
  • Applying calcium-sensitive indicator dyes for fluorescence or absorbance changes.
  • Performing fluorescent microscopy on cultured neurons, tissue slices, and en-bloc central nervous system preparations.

Main Results:

  • Established protocols for optical imaging of neuronal activity.
  • Demonstrated the utility of calcium-sensitive dyes for visualizing neural signals.
  • Showcased the application of voltage-sensitive dyes in neuroscience studies.
  • Validated methods across different experimental preparations, including in vitro and ex vivo models.

Conclusions:

  • Optical imaging, particularly with calcium-sensitive dyes, is a powerful tool for neuroscience.
  • The described protocols facilitate the study of neuronal activity in various contexts.
  • These methods advance our ability to investigate neural circuits and function.