Imaging cortical activity in vivo: from neuronal networks to single spines

Brain functions such as sensations and thoughts depend on the coordinated activity of neuronal networks in precise spatial and temporal sequences. In vivo calcium imaging fills a unique niche in correlating the activity of neuronal populations to behaviour. This approach allows monitoring the activity of specific types of neurons at the scale of neuronal populations as well as at the level of individual dendrites and spines, in awake behaving animals.
I will present applications of this method in the mouse primary visual cortex, showing how behavioural context modulates neuronal activity in this cortical area.