OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM

这项NCRR共享仪器拨款申请申请了一个光学成像系统的资金。该系统旨在直观地显示与不同刺激条件相关的神经活动。信号是从清醒或轻度麻醉的动物的皮质表面成像的。该方法依赖于对与神经活动水平相关的内在信号变化的区分。成像的内在信号被认为在一定程度上是由于局部氧合和脱氧血红蛋白比例的变化，这些变化已知伴随着神经活动的变化。这一强大的方法不仅成功地确定了不同刺激属性的地图是如何彼此相对排列的，而且还确定了地图在不同操作条件下如何随着时间的推移而发展或变化。该方法还兼容各种其他工具，如标准的单单元记录和许多解剖技术。在这项提案中，一个由六名研究人员组成的小组将共享光学成像系统。所有这些研究人员都很好地合作，并资助了一些项目，这些项目将极大地受益于光学成像提供的新技术。描述了七个项目，其中六个是作为资助项目的一部分提出的，或者适合这项资助研究的一个或多个目标。另一个项目代表了一个新方向的例子，它将加强几个研究人员的研究，并为与该小组的合作提供新的机会。这些设备将被安置在心理学系的研究空间内，与动物宿舍相邻。已经建立了各种机制，以提供行政支助，以监测和管理光学成像系统的日常和长期用户，并支持范德比尔特大学或附近有兴趣使用该系统进行研究的其他机构。光学成像计划将在湿实验室和临床神经科学以及Vanderbilt的新功能磁共振计划之间提供理想的接口。总而言之，这一共享系统将极大地加强正在进行的研究，并为范德比尔特神经科学界提供令人兴奋的新方向的机会。

This NCRR shared instrumentation grant application requests funds for an optical imaging system. This system is designed to directly visualize neural activity in relation to different stimulus conditions. Signals are imaged from the cortical surface of awake or lightly anesthetized animals. The method relies on the discrimination of changes in intrinsic signals which correlate with levels of neural activity. The intrinsic signals that are imaged have been proposed to arise, in part, from local changes in the ratio of oxy- to deoxyhemoglobin that are known to accompany changes in neural activity. This powerful method has been used successfully to determine not only how maps of different stimulus properties are arranged relative to one another, but also how maps develop or change over time under different manipulation conditions. This method is also compatible with a variety of other tools such as standard single unit recording and many anatomic techniques. In this proposal, a group of six investigators will share the optical imaging system. All of these investigators work well together and have funded projects that will greatly benefit from the new technology provided by optical imaging. Seven projects are described of which six are proposed as part of funded projects or are appropriate to one or more aims of this funded research. The other project represents an example of new directions that will enhance the research of several investigators and provide new opportunities for collaboration with the group. The equipment will be housed in the Department of Psychology within research space contiguous to animal quarters. Mechanisms are in place to provide administrative support to monitor and manage the day-to-day and long-term user of the optical imaging system, as well as to support others at Vanderbilt or nearby institutions interested in using this system for their research. The optical imaging initiative will provide an ideal interface between wet-lab and clinical neuroscience and the new fMRI initiatives at Vanderbilt. In summary, this shared system would greatly enhance on-going research and provide opportunities for exciting new directions for the Vanderbilt Neuroscience community.