Two-photon imaging of neural activity in awake mobile mice

A method for functional, cellular-resolution imaging of neural populations in awake and mobile mice is presented here. The method is based on the use of a spherical treadmill, head restraint, and motion correction software that facilitate neural imaging in the awake brain with a fixed upright two-photon microscope. These approaches have proven to be applicable to a wide range of brain regions and should help further our understanding of how neuronal population activity within the brain's microcircuitry is connected to animal behavior.