Optogenetic magnetic resonance imaging
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsKarl Deisseroth, Jin Hyung Lee
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems and methods involving the use of magnetic resonance imaging and optogenetic neural stimulation. Aspects of the disclosure include modifying a target neural cell population in a first region of a brain to express light-responsive molecules. Using a light pulse, the light-responsive molecules in the target neural cell population are stimulated. Multiple regions of the brain are scanned via magnetic resonance imaging. The scans allow for observation of a neural reaction in response to the stimulation in at least one of the multiple regions of the brain.
Claims15
A method comprising:
- modifying a target neural cell population in a first region of a brain to express a light-responsive opsin polypeptide, wherein the light-responsive opsin polypeptide is a light-responsive ion channel or a light-responsive ion pump;
- stimulating, using a light pulse, the light-responsive polypeptide in the target neural cell population;
- scanning multiple regions of the brain via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe a neural reaction in response to the stimulation in at least one of the multiple regions of the brain and, in response, determine whether neural projections in a second region of the brain are connected to at least some of the cells of the modified target cell population in the first region of the brain.
A method comprising:
- modifying a target neural cell population to express a light-responsive opsin polypeptide in a first region of a brain, the light-responsive opsin polypeptide, wherein the light-responsive opsin polypeptide is a light-responsive ion channel or a light-responsive ion pump, and wherein the light-responsive opsin polypeptide excites the target neural cell population in response to light;
- stimulating the light-responsive opsin polypeptide in the target neural cell population using light pulses;
- scanning at least the first region of the brain via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- stimulating the target neural cell population using an electric pulse;
- performing functional MRI (fMRI) scans and observing the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal response to excitation of the target cell population using electronic stimulation;
- based at least in part on the BOLD signal responses in the target cell population due to light stimulation and electronic stimulation, assessing the BOLD fMRI scan;
- and
- using the BOLD fMRI scan to determine whether neural projections in a second region of the brain are connected to at least some of the modified target cell population in the first region of the brain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.