Researchers from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have develop a novel imaging technique that allows us to peer into the head of a living zebrafish and witness the activity of almost every single neuron as the organism thinks and relocation . And the result is simply bewitch .
publish in the journalNature method , researchers describe how the fresh technique , which has been dub light - sheet imaging , allow them to simultaneously visualize and record the natural action of 80 % of the neuron within the brain of larval zebrafish . It is hoped that this new technique will allow researcher tostudythe neural mechanism of behavior in unparalleled detail .
For thetechnique , researcher wed transmissible applied science with optics to observe the firing body process of around 80,000 neurons . The scientists modify the zebrafish so that their neurons expressed a chemic indicator that rapidly fluoresces as the cells fire . Zebrafish areideal organismsfor this kind of study because the larvae are transparent and their brains are belittled enough to be observed under the microscope .
The researchers then guidedlaser beamsthrough the fish which do the neurons to radiate . By placing a video photographic camera over the experiments , they were able to memorialise the neuronal natural process with incredible contingent , which is shown in the clip below :
At the start of the experiment , we can see that the forebrain ( far rightfulness ) is twinkling like fireflies . This was when the fish wasrestingand likely represents the Pisces ’s thoughts at that special meter . Then , action apace sweeps through the brainiac like wildfire . This correspond to the moment when researcher create the illusion that the fish was drifting rearward , spark off a undulation of natural process that resulted in the initiation of swim .
As mentioned , this exciting proficiency allowed the researchers to observe around80%of the neurons in the zebrafish mentality in real - time . Furthermore , the researcher are able to identify the neurons that are affiliate with a particular behaviour . alas , however , it is presently unable to regulate the number of clock time that nerve cell fervency .
While impressive imagination techniques have been developed before , this is the first meter that research worker have been capable to record and visualise activity in well-nigh the integral mentality whilst an animal is thinking and move .
Whether information from field of study on this model organism can be extrapolated toother vertebratesis unreadable at the moment , but scientist are function towards the completion of a brain activity - behaviour catalogue .
[ ViaWired , Nature MethodsandThe Scientist ]
