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Illuminating the Activated Brain: Emerging Activity-Dependent Tools to Capture and Control Functional Neural Circuits

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Abstract

Immediate-early genes (IEGs) have long been used to visualize neural activations induced by sensory and behavioral stimuli. Recent advances in imaging techniques have made it possible to use endogenous IEG signals to visualize and discriminate neural ensembles activated by multiple stimuli, and to map whole-brain-scale neural activation at single-neuron resolution. In addition, a collection of IEG-dependent molecular tools has been developed that can be used to complement the labeling of endogenous IEG genes and, especially, to manipulate activated neural ensembles in order to reveal the circuits and mechanisms underlying different behaviors. Here, we review these techniques and tools in terms of their utility in studying functional neural circuits. In addition, we provide an experimental strategy to measure the signal-to-noise ratio of IEG-dependent molecular tools, for evaluating their suitability for investigating relevant circuits and behaviors.

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Acknowledgements

This review was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81571335, 91432108 and 81527901) and grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFA0501000).

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  1. Center for Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Qiye He, Jihua Wang & Hailan Hu

  2. Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    Qiye He & Hailan Hu

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  1. Qiye He
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He, Q., Wang, J. & Hu, H. Illuminating the Activated Brain: Emerging Activity-Dependent Tools to Capture and Control Functional Neural Circuits. Neurosci. Bull. 35, 369–377 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-018-0291-x

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