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Calcium Imaging of Basal Forebrain Activity during Innate and Learned Behaviors
Thomas C Harrison1, Lucas Pinto1, Julien R Brock1
1Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA, USA.
Frontiers in Neural Circuits
|June 1, 2016
Summary
The basal forebrain (BF) has diverse neuron types. Researchers imaged BF neurons during mouse behaviors, finding cholinergic neurons activate with movement, while others show varied responses, revealing functional differences.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- The basal forebrain (BF) is vital for arousal, attention, and memory.
- Impairment of the BF is linked to cognitive deficits.
- The BF comprises cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons with poorly understood natural activity patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the in vivo activity of basal forebrain neurons during spontaneous and learned behaviors.
- To compare the functional roles of cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons in the BF.
Main Methods:
- Microendoscopic calcium imaging was used to record neuronal activity in mice.
- Recordings were performed during innate spontaneous behaviors and a learned go/no-go auditory discrimination task.
Main Results:
- Cholinergic BF neurons showed consistent excitation during movement (running, licking).
- GABAergic and glutamatergic BF neurons displayed diverse activity patterns.
- All BF neuron types were activated by punishment, irrespective of task engagement.
Conclusions:
- Basal forebrain cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons exhibit both functional similarities and distinctions.
- Neuronal activity in the BF is modulated by both spontaneous and learned behaviors, as well as by aversive stimuli.
