Implantable imaging device for fluorescence imaging from deep brain regions of freely moving mouse

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06866
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Sunaga Yoshinori 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 博士研究員 (40807640)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 脳機能イメージング / 埋植型デバイス / 蛍光イメージング / GCaMP

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to develop an implantable imaging device for measure multiple deep brain area from freely moving animal to reveal brain functions associated with behavior. In order to realize this purpose, we developed a dedicated imaging device that can be implanted into the rat and mouse brain directly, and we also established an imaging system for freely moving animals. We evaluated performance of the device from animal experiments.
As a result, in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) located in the deep part of the brain, we observed GCaMP fluorescence related with neural activities. We are working for fluorescence imaging experiments around VTA to observe more detail, and we plan to get data simultaneouslu from VTA and another area in next step.

Free Research Field

生体医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでのイメージング技術では観察することが困難であった，マウスやラットの脳深部の複数部位同時脳機能イメージングを実現する点に特色がある．自由行動中動物の脳深部複数部位における神経活動イメージングを可能とすれば，脳機能解明への力強いツールとなると考えている．加えて，単純な顕微鏡光学系の縮小化では達成できない，脳表に対して垂直方向の領域の観察が可能である．
マウス脳深部の複数部位同時神経活動計測が可能となれば，記憶・感情や学習機能を始めとする脳機能解明の研究が大きく進展するものと期待できる．