High-throughput DNA sequencing method for probing the connectivity of neural circ

描述（由申请人提供）：大脑是一个极其复杂的网络，由数十亿个神经元由数万亿个突触连接而成。这些连接的细节——哪些神经元与其他神经元形成突触连接——对决定大脑功能至关重要。这些连接在产前和产后早期发育期间的畸形可导致智力迟钝、自闭症或精神分裂症；在晚年失去特定连接与阿尔茨海默氏症等神经退行性疾病有关。确定大脑接线图的有效方法将改变神经科学研究。我们建议开发一种利用高通量DNA测序的方法来探测单神经元分辨率下神经回路的连通性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The brain is an extremely complex network, consisting of billions of neurons connected by trillions of synapses. The details of these connections-which neurons form synaptic connections with which other neurons-are crucial in determining brain function. Malformation of these connections during prenatal and early postnatal development can lead to mental retardation, autism or schizophrenia; loss of specific connections later in life is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. An efficient method for determining the brain's wiring diagram would transform neuroscience research. We propose to develop a method for exploiting high-throughput DNA sequencing to probe the connectivity of neural circuits at single-neuron resolution.