Automated Neuron Tracing and 3D Reconstruction Software

描述(申请人提供)：我们建议开发NeuroAutomatica，这是一个创新的、自动化的神经元重建软件平台，为神经元结构的自动定量分析提供分析工具。该软件将提供关于近距离的多个单个神经元的多标量信息，包括树突。提供这一创新功能将有助于在神经退行性疾病、学习和记忆等重要领域进行研究。NeuroAutomatica将使目前无法获得的复杂和详细的神经元结构分析成为可能。此外，它还将通过自动化一些分析来加快研究技术的步伐，这些分析现在是煞费苦心地手动执行的。 与公共健康相关：最近的研究指出了神经元结构中最小的元素-树突-的重要性，假设关键的结构变化发生，以支持负责处理持续涌入和存储信息的细胞功能的变化。因此，树突棘已经成为专注于学习和记忆，特别是防止神经退行性疾病中认知能力下降的研究的中心目标。此外，成像和生理学实验的新进展导致了对神经元回路的研究。我们建议的软件将使这些网络的结构分析成为可能。通过提供独立于观察者的软件系统，NeuroAutomatica将加快基础神经科学研究中发现和理解的步伐，该软件系统能够在密集网络中准确而高效地重建神经元，包括树突。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to develop NeuroAutomatica, an innovative, automated neuron reconstruction software platform that provides analysis tools for automated quantitative analysis of neuronal structure. The software will provide multi-scalar information about multiple individual neurons in close proximity, including dendritic spines. Providing this innovative functionality will help research in important fields such as neurodegenerative diseases, learning, and memory. NeuroAutomatica will enable sophisticated and detailed analysis of neuronal structure that is currently unavailable. Furthermore, it will increase the pace of research technology by automating some analyses which are now painstakingly manually performed. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Recent research has pointed to the importance of the smallest element of a neuron's architecture-the dendritic spine-where it is hypothesized that critical structural changes occur to underlie changes in cellular function responsible for processing a continuous influx and storage of information. Thus, dendritic spines have become a central target in research focusing on learning and memory and, in particular, on the prevention of cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, new advances in imaging and physiological experiments have led to investigations into neuronal circuits. Our proposed software will enable the structural analysis of these networks. NeuroAutomatica will accelerate the pace of discovery and understanding in basic neuroscience research by providing an observer independent software system capable of accurately and efficiently reconstructing neurons, including dendritic spines, in dense networks.