Versatile treadmill system for measuring locomotion and neural activity in head-fixed mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Physiology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of locomotion and neural activity is crucial for understanding brain function.
• Existing methods may lack the temporal resolution or versatility needed for complex behavioral studies.
• Head-fixed preparations are common for monitoring neural signals during specific behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a protocol for a versatile treadmill system to measure locomotion and neural activity in head-fixed mice.
• To detail the assembly, surgical implantation, and habituation procedures for the system.
• To highlight the system's suitability for monitoring brain activity in diverse behavioral paradigms.

Main Methods:

• Assembly of a compact and movable treadmill system.
• Surgical implantation of a headplate on the mouse skull.
• Habituation of mice to locomotion on the treadmill.
• Synchronization of treadmill data with other data streams for high temporal resolution measurements.

Main Results:

• The protocol enables high temporal resolution measurement of locomotion and neural activity.
• The treadmill system is compact, movable, and easily synchronizable.
• The system is suitable for monitoring brain activity across various behavioral frameworks.

Conclusions:

• The presented protocol offers a versatile and effective method for studying brain activity during locomotion in head-fixed mice.
• The system's design facilitates integration with diverse experimental setups.
• This approach enhances the ability to investigate neural correlates of behavior with high precision.