Voltage imaging of neurons distributed across entire brains of larval zebrafish.
Neurons interact in networks distributed throughout the brain. While much effort has focused on whole-brain calcium imaging, advances in genetically encoded voltage indicators raise the question of whether it might be possible to image neuronal voltage across entire brains. Achieving this requires a microscope with high volumetric imaging rates and signal-to-noise ratio. Here we present a remote-scanning light-sheet microscope capable of imaging genetically encoded voltage indicator-expressing neurons distributed throughout much of the brain of larval zebrafish at a volumetric rate of 200.8 Hz. We measured voltage traces from approximately one-quarter of all brain neurons. We found that neurons firing at different times during a sequence occupied different locations: visually evoked sequences mapped across the optic tectum, whereas stimulus-independent bursts were mapped across the cerebellum and medulla. Imaging voltage of neurons distributed in many brain regions may open new frontiers for understanding fundamental neural system operations.
A brain reward circuit inhibited by next-generation weight-loss drugs in mice.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs) effectively reduce body weight and improve metabolic outcomes; however, established peptide-based therapies require injections and are complex to manufacture. Small-molecule GLP1RAs promise oral bioavailability and scalable manufacturing, but their selective binding to human versus rodent receptors has limited mechanistic studies. Here we developed humanized GLP1R mouse models to investigate how small-molecule GLP1RAs influence feeding behaviour. We found that these compounds regulate both homeostatic and hedonic feeding through parallel neural circuits. Beyond engaging canonical hypothalamic and hindbrain networks that control metabolic homeostasis, GLP1RAs recruit a discrete population of Glp1r-expressing neurons in the central amygdala, which selectively suppress the consumption of palatable foods by reducing dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Stimulating these central amygdalar neurons curtails hedonic feeding, whereas targeted deletion of the receptor in this cell population specifically diminishes the anorectic efficacy of GLP1RAs for reward-driven intake. These findings identify a neural circuit through which small-molecule GLP1RAs modulate reward processing, with implications for the treatment of substance-use disorder and binge eating.
Highly attenuated dendritic propagation of isolated synaptic potentials in vivo.
The integration of synaptic inputs is a fundamental function of neurons. In the traditional model, excitatory inputs are summed at the soma to generate action potentials. However, how synaptic inputs are integrated by dendrites in vivo remains poorly explored. We used intravital two-photon dendritic imaging with a genetically encoded voltage indicator (accelerated sensor of action potentials 5) together with somatic whole-cell patch clamp recordings to investigate how synaptic depolarizations are transferred to the soma in pyramidal neurons of the mouse somatosensory cortex. We studied the integration of synaptic inputs under spontaneous and sensory-evoked conditions, as well as following electrical and optogenetic stimulation. In all cases, while multiple inputs evoked measurable depolarizations in the cell body, isolated synaptic potentials were strongly attenuated. Our results suggest that isolated synaptic inputs have a minimal contribution to somatic depolarization, whereas coincident inputs within short temporal windows are more effective, indicating a regime of dendritic integration that favors coincident or clustered neuronal activity in cortical networks.
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Progress in Voltage Imaging
Recent advances in the field of Voltage Imaging, with a special focus on new constructs and novel implementations.
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Basal Ganglia Advances is a collection highlighting research on the structure, function, and disorders of the basal ganglia. It features studies spanning neuroscience, clinical insights, and computational models, serving as a hub for advances in movement, cognition, and behavior.
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Work related to place tuning, spatial navigation, orientation and direction. Mainly includes articles on connectivity in the hippocampus, retrosplenial cortex, and related areas.
Most Popular Recent Articles
Voltage imaging of neurons distributed across entire brains of larval zebrafish.
Neurons interact in networks distributed throughout the brain. While much effort has focused on whole-brain calcium imaging, advances in genetically encoded voltage indicators raise the question of whether it might be possible to image neuronal voltage across entire brains. Achieving this requires a microscope with high volumetric imaging rates and signal-to-noise ratio. Here we present a remote-scanning light-sheet microscope capable of imaging genetically encoded voltage indicator-expressing neurons distributed throughout much of the brain of larval zebrafish at a volumetric rate of 200.8 Hz. We measured voltage traces from approximately one-quarter of all brain neurons. We found that neurons firing at different times during a sequence occupied different locations: visually evoked sequences mapped across the optic tectum, whereas stimulus-independent bursts were mapped across the cerebellum and medulla. Imaging voltage of neurons distributed in many brain regions may open new frontiers for understanding fundamental neural system operations.
From boredom to banditry: how abusive supervision amplifies the negative affect-time banditry relationship.
This study examines the mediating role of negative affect in the relationship between workplace boredom and time banditry, and tests whether abusive supervision moderates this mediation through a second-stage moderated mediation model.
The impact of sleep on resident clinical reasoning: a scoping review.
Residency training is an essential part of medical education, characterized by long work hours, high cognitive demands, and insufficient sleep. Given the ACGME duty-hour reforms and the ongoing debate over work-hour restrictions, we conducted a scoping review on the relationship between sleep and clinical reasoning learning and performance in graduate medical education, using the Arksey and O'Malley framework (between 2003 and Dec 2024). Our review aimed to: (1) identify and map the existing literature linking sleep and clinical reasoning learning and performance in medical residents, (2) examine the methodological approaches used to assess sleep and clinical reasoning learning and performance, and (3) identify gaps in research to inform future studies. Studies were included if they studied physicians in residency training and examined both a sleep-related exposure (e.g. fatigue, sleep deprivation, shift work) and an educational outcome related to clinical reasoning (the cognitive steps up to and including establishing a diagnosis and management plan). We identified 4,309 articles initially, with 31 studies meeting final inclusion criteria, across a wide range of medical specialties. Clinical reasoning learning and performance assessments were heterogeneous, encompassing diagnostic accuracy, medical errors, decision-making speed, technical skill performance, and patient safety outcomes. Sleep measures varied, with most studies relying on self-reported sleep measures. Studies overall reported that insufficient sleep negatively impacts clinical reasoning learning and performance, particularly among junior residents. Residency programs should consider tailored evidence-based learning strategies and scheduling adjustments to ensure adequate rest, particularly for junior trainees.