Virus vectors are promising tools for delivering genes to the nervous system and are used for introducing genes which, when expressed, allow for the manipulation and monitoring of neurons. Selecting the best viral vector requires consideration of a number of factors like the duration over which the expression will be needed and the level of
Ready-to-Image Virus for Neural Circuit Research Read More »
Opsins are transmembrane proteins and a fundamental component of the optogenetic toolkit. As optogenetics actuators, opsins modify the activity of cells in which they are expressed when exposed to light and can induce single to multiple action potentials or inhibit neural activity with millisecond precision. Opsins can be categorized into two main classes: microbial opsins
Optogenetics, Opsins and nVoke Read More »
How does the nervous system guide/produce specific behaviors? Over the years, neuroscientists have relied on behavioral paradigms to understand the brain’s control of behavior in humans and non-human animals from early development to senescence. This encompasses motivation, perception, attention, learning and memory, and motor performance and offers insights into the complex interplay between the brain,
Top five behavioral neuroscience paradigms Read More »
At the pre-meeting symposium at SfN 2015, Inscopix hosted Dr. Howard Eichenbaum, Director of the Center for Memory and Brain at Boston University, who presented his current work on The advantages of large-scale neuronal recordings: Revealing the organization and dynamics of cognitive maps. Dr. Eichenbaum uses a combination of neuropsychological and electrophysiological studies to understand
Large-scale neuronal recording in the hippocampus Read More »
Drug discovery for CNS disorders has suffered a major setback for the past several years compared to drugs for non-CNS disorders. The success rate for CNS drug discovery requires understanding of the target physiology and its interaction with the target site. Another critical feature is predictive validity which can predict the efficacy of test compounds
Elucidating Neuronal Networks Using Miniature Fluorescence Microscopes Read More »
Adult neurogenesis is a dynamic process and provides this region of the brain with exceptional structural plasticity. The dentate granule cell layer of the hippocampus is a primary neurogenic region in the adult brain where newborn neurons are locally generated within the subgranular zone and eventually integrated into existing circuits. These newborn neurons in the
Neurogenesis in the Adult Brain Read More »
Our picks from the best in neuroscience research from November.
Neuroscience Flashback – November Read More »
Inscopix had an exciting week at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago. Here is a brief summary of our events and activities at the meeting. Satellite Symposium Our heavily attended pre-meeting symposium, “Brain, Camera, Action!” featured keynote talks by Inscopix Community members, Dr. Juan Song (University of North Carolina at
Inscopix at SfN 2015 – Highlights Read More »
Scientific conferences can be overwhelming, especially if you are a first time attendee. Here are some tips that will help you organize your time and provide you some guidance on ways to maximize this experience! 1. Have a plan/Do your homework This might seem like a no-brainer, but turning up without a plan at a
Tips for navigating an academic conference Read More »
Snippets of some of the exceptional neuroscience research in August 2015.
Neuroscience Flashback – August Read More »
Inscopix Seminar Series featuring a guest lecturer who works on the visual system in mice. The brain is a complex and dynamic structure composed of heterogeneous neuronal populations intimately entangled with each other. Direct causal and correlative studies are necessary not only for understanding this complex connectivity but also for linking connectivity to function. At
Of visual perceptions and computations in mice Read More »
July 2015 featured diverse articles in neuroscience highlighting innovative technologies, newly discovered neural circuits, and many more. Read some of the summaries mentioned here. Sleep: A missing link to memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease It has long been known that accumulation of beta-amyloid leads to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. However, scientists are still trying
Neuroscience Flashback – July Read More »
