Optogenetics Approaches to studying brain circuits
​during learning and behavior

Optogenetics uses AAV designed to transfect light sensitive receptors into the membranes of target cells. Depending on the type of rhodopsin expressed by the cell, activating the receptor with the proper light wave "color" will excite or inhibit the target cells.  This has a number of important uses in neuroscience.  In my lab we use it both in vivo and in vitro to manipulate circuits in behaving animals and live brain slices.  

In Vivo applications 

Circuit Cracking

By injecting AAV into known brain regions we can stimulate or inhibit specific local and downstream regions of a desired circuit.  When coupled with behavioral paradigms, this approach allows us an unprecedented ability to acutely manipulate parts of a circuit.  This allows us to make interpretations about the contributions that various parts of a behavioral circuit impart on learning and behavior.    ​

Opto-tagging

As AAV technology advances, our ability to target very specific cell types increases. We can use this attribute of the AAV to determine what type of cell we are recording from.  In the past this required careful recording and injection with different dyes and proteins.  Now we can determine the types of cells we are recording from in real time, adding a novel interpretative value for the various contributions of cell types and classes to neural activity, learning, and behavior.  

In Vitro Applications

Synaptic Activation

LTP Induction