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Current Practice in Using Voltage Imaging to Record Fast Neuronal Activity: Successful Examples from Invertebrate to
Nikolay Aseyev1, Violetta Ivanova1, Pavel Balaban1
1Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Butlerova 5A, Moscow 117485, Russia.
Biosensors
|June 27, 2023
Summary
Optical imaging of neuronal activity using potentiometric probes allows simultaneous recording of many neurons, offering unique insights into neural dynamics. Despite technical challenges, this technique advances neuroscience research by capturing subcellular to large-scale brain activity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Optical Imaging
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Optical imaging of neuronal activity with potentiometric probes has been used for 50 years.
- It allows simultaneous recording of many neurons, from subcellular events to large-scale brain activity.
- Early methods used synthetic voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs), while newer techniques utilize genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) for specific neuron types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application and contribution of voltage imaging in neuroscience.
- To detail the advantages and limitations of different optical voltage indicators.
- To evaluate the overall impact of potentiometric probes on understanding neural dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) and genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs).
- Analysis of methodological constraints and experimental applicability of optical voltage imaging.
- Comparison of optical voltage imaging with traditional methods like patch clamp recording.
Main Results:
- Voltage imaging provides unique information unobtainable by other methods, enabling the study of neural dynamics at multiple scales.
- There are more studies on VSDs than GEVIs, with many papers focusing on methodology or reviews.
- Despite technical difficulties, optical voltage indicators offer significant advantages for neuroscience research.
Conclusions:
- Optical voltage imaging is a powerful technique for addressing key neuroscience questions by simultaneously recording from numerous neurons.
- Understanding the advantages and limitations of different voltage indicators is crucial for experimental design.
- Continued development and application of voltage imaging promise to deepen our understanding of brain function.
