Looking Inside a Neural Network: Imaging the Internal Dynamics of a Living Neural Network Using Two Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy

Understanding information processing done within a neural network is complicated. It's believed that to perform even the simplest task, numerous neurons are involved. One of the biggest challenges, which lie in the heart of this complication, is recording the spatiotemporal pattern of the neural activity from numerous neurons simultaneously. This book presents a method that allows to perform high speed imaging using two-photon laser scanning microscopy combined with calcium dyes. Performing neural imaging using this method results in an excellent spatial resolution and a high temporal resolution of up to 500 Hz, thus allowing to image the detailed activity of neurons within a neural network. In addition to the imaging method, this book presents several data mining algorithms to detect neurons that build correlated activity chains as well as presenting the implementation of these algorithms as part of an image analysis software that can handle the large body of collected data.