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Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Wim Vanduffel1, John T Arsenault2
1Laboratory of Neuro-and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven Medical School, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Neuron
|August 2, 2016
Summary
Researchers explored brain-wide effects by activating D1 and D2 striatal neurons. This study highlights optogenetics combined with brain activity measurements for understanding neural pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Optogenetics
- Striatal Neuron Function
Background:
- The direct and indirect pathways of the striatum play critical roles in motor control and decision-making.
- Understanding the distinct contributions of these pathways requires precise manipulation of specific neuronal populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the brain-wide functional consequences of selectively activating D1 and D2 receptor-expressing striatal neurons.
- To elucidate the role of direct and indirect pathways in neural circuit function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized optogenetic techniques for cell-type-specific activation of D1 and D2 striatal neurons in vivo.
- Employed focal and whole-brain measurement techniques to assess neural activity changes.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated distinct brain-wide activity patterns resulting from the stimulation of D1 versus D2 striatal neurons.
- Showcased the capacity of cell-type-specific perturbations to influence distributed neural networks.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the power of combining optogenetics with comprehensive brain activity monitoring.
- Provides insights into the differential roles of direct and indirect striatal pathways in brain function.
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