Tools for assessing shared sensory experience in interacting mice.

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Objectives: Over the long term we develop new approaches and knowledge around mechanisms by which brain activity in specific circuits is linked to animal behaviors. Over the next 5 years we extend our novel paradigms which assess the brain activity of two mice simultaneously while quantifying features of their behavior. Our data have led us to focus on the mouse whisker system as a key sensory modality for behavioral interaction. We propose that mutual whisker contact that occurs between mice may provide a signal for linking brain activity between subjects. We aim to understand the link between mutual whisker sensory experience and entrainment of inter-subject brain activity. To accomplish this goal in parallel we develop novel behavioral analysis tools that are enabled by a synthetic mouse model. Our methods report aspects of mouse behavior using automated video analysis tools that are trained using a synthetic data augmentation strategy. This Discovery 5 year research program will use synthetic data augmentation and new brain imaging tools to leverage information about shared sensory whisker experience during mouse behavioral interaction. However, no study has tracked all whiskers in 2 interacting mice. We will use a synthetic animated mouse to train next generation algorithms to track all whiskers simultaneously; the model will also evaluate facial features such as pupil diameter and movement. This synthetic approach provides greater flexibility for model training since whisker identity is known from ground truth model-dependent data and more precise pupil dynamics can be simulated and thus better related to on-going brain activity. Importance: The neural basis of shared experiences between subjects represents an important open question. Inter-brain synchrony has been studied in human subjects, but few animal models exist.  Our approach is to use dual brain imaging and a constrained behavioral interaction between mice to identify features of brain activity that are unique. Examination of mutual whisker movements where mice probe each other with alternating bouts of whisking is a behavioral signature associated with high inter-subject brain synchrony. On a larger scale, we test the ability of synthetic animals to provide training data to address relevant biological questions. These studies support our long term goal of probing the brain circuits underlying specific features of animal behaviour. Impact: Both within-field and Canadian impact of our work that brings novel computing tools to neuroscience. We provide new knowledge on brain circuitry underlying behavioral interaction as well as detailed synthetic mouse models for facial features (whiskers and the pupil) that are tightly linked to a high-proportion of on-going brain activity. As well, we will train the next generation of scientists engaging HQPs on all levels within a rich and interactive setting that incorporates physical science approaches and links to basic animal behavior.