OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM

这个NCRR共享仪器补助金申请要求为光学成像系统提供资金。该系统旨在直接可视化与不同刺激条件相关的神经活动。信号从清醒或轻度麻醉的动物的皮质表面成像。该方法依赖于与神经活动水平相关的内在信号变化的辨别。被成像的内在信号已经被提出部分地来自氧合血红蛋白与脱氧血红蛋白的比例的局部变化，所述氧合血红蛋白与脱氧血红蛋白的比例已知伴随神经活动的变化。这种强大的方法已被成功地用于确定不仅不同的刺激属性的地图是如何安排相对于彼此，而且地图如何发展或随着时间的推移在不同的操作条件下变化。该方法还与各种其他工具兼容，例如标准单单位记录和许多解剖技术。在本提案中，六名研究人员将共用光学成像系统。所有这些研究人员合作良好，并资助了将大大受益于光学成像提供的新技术的项目。七个项目描述，其中六个被提议作为资助项目的一部分，或适合于一个或多个目标，这资助的研究。另一个项目是新方向的一个例子，将加强几名调查人员的研究，并为与该小组的合作提供新的机会。设备将安置在心理学系与动物宿舍相邻的研究空间内。已建立机制，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，并支助范德比尔特或附近有兴趣使用该系统进行研究的机构的其他人。光学成像计划将为湿实验室和临床神经科学以及范德比尔特的新功能磁共振成像计划提供一个理想的接口。总之，这一共享系统将大大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.