Circuit Basis of Decision Making Across the Lifespan

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This proposal aims to implement frame-projected independent-fiber photometry (FIP), a groundbreaking novel technology, at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). FIP is a calcium imaging technique, which allows the simultaneous recording of neuronal activity across multiple brain regions. This technology was first published last year, and is present in only a handful of labs in the world. FIP will be implemented in two research labs at UTSC to study how brain circuits support decision making across development in mice and rats. This novel technology will significantly advance the applicants’ research programs in two ways. First, FIP is unique in providing the target specificity and time precision for the measuring of the relative neuronal activity levels across interconnected brain regions during live behaviour, something that has been hitherto unachievable with existing techniques. Second, FIP can be combined with another cutting-edge technique in systems neuroscience, in vivo optogenetics, to manipulate and validate neuronal activity in behaving animals. FIP adds another dimension to optogenetic manipulations as it enables precise, online monitoring of the effects of optical stimulation, allowing the stimulation parameters to be fine-tuned to naturalistic, physiological activity levels. Combined, these features will fill a major gap in the applicants’ research, which currently lacks the ability to measure circuit dynamics in behaving animals, and to adjust optogenetic stimulation protocols to mimic activity levels engaged by naturalistic behaviour. Overall, implementation of this technology constitutes a timely opportunity to make UTSC the only institution with FIP in Ontario (and second in Canada), offering (i) unique and highly advanced training opportunities for HQP, (ii) improving HQP recruitment efforts, to (iii) further increase the international profile of our research and (iv) foster novel collaborations both within, and outside of the University of Toronto.