Transcranial optical imaging of neural activity in deep brain structurtes in mice

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We developed a new optical method for imaging neural activity in deep brain structures in mice. We used a macroconfocal microscope in a near-infrared range. Generally,a confocal microscope uses only a part of light passing through a tiny pinhole. Therefore,the diameter of a pinhole was expanded, and sensitivity of our macroconfocal microscopewas strengthened. We labeled red blood cells (RBC) with NIR815, a near-infraredfluorescent probe, and applied the fluorescent RBCs to mice. In these mice,activity-dependent hemodynamic responses elicited by visual stimuli were successfullyimaged in the lateral geniculate body, which located approximately 2.5 mm deep from thecortical surface.