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Related Concept Videos

Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

Sensory Functions of the Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...

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Precision cutaneous stimulation in freely moving mice.

Isobel Parkes1, Ara Schorscher-Petcu1, Qinyi Gan1

  • 1Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

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Summary

Researchers developed a new system for precise cutaneous stimulation in mice during natural movement. This tool allows studying how somatosensation influences behavior, from reflexes to decision-making, in realistic settings.

Keywords:
behaviorclosed-loopmouseneurosciencenociceptionoptogeneticspainsomatosensation

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Behavior
  • Sensory Systems

Background:

  • Somatosensation is crucial for animal survival and behavior.
  • Studying somatosensory input and behavior in moving mice is challenging due to stimulus delivery difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a system for precise cutaneous stimulation of mice during natural locomotion.
  • To overcome the trade-off between experimental precision and naturalistic behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Real-time body part tracking of mice.
  • Targeted optical stimuli delivery to the skin during walking and running.
  • System validation in nociceptive testing and complex environments like mazes.

Main Results:

  • The system enables precise cutaneous stimulation during natural mouse movement.
  • Cutaneous inputs during motion rapidly modify animal behavior.
  • Demonstrated applicability from basic nociception to complex maze navigation.

Conclusions:

  • This novel system facilitates the study of somatosensation in naturalistic contexts.
  • It allows exploration of how sensory inputs influence behavior, from reflexes to decision-making.
  • Provides a valuable tool for understanding the integration of somatosensory information in dynamic environments.