An imaging system for monitoring receptive field dynamics
Author
Summary, in English
The paper describes a computerized method, termed receptive field imaging (RFI), for the rapid mapping of multiple receptive fields and their respective sensitivity distributions. RFI uses random stimulation of multiple sites, in combination with an averaging procedure, to extract the relative contribution from each of the stimulated sites. Automated multi-electrode stimulation and recording, with spike detection and counting, are performed on-line by the RFI programme. Direct user interpretation of receptive field changes is made possible by a user-friendly graphic interface. A series of imaging experiments was carried out to evaluate the functional capacity of the system. RFI was tested on the receptive fields in the nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) system in the rat. RFI replicates the results obtained with conventional methods and allows the display of receptive field dynamics induced by topical spinal cord application of morphine and naloxone on a minute-to-minute time scale. Data variance was estimated, and proved to be small enough to yield a stable representation of the receptive field, thereby achieving a high sensitivity in dynamic imaging experiments. The large number of stimulation and registration sites that can be monitored in parallel permits detailed network analysis of synaptic sets, corresponding to 'connection weights' between individual neurones.
Department/s
Publishing year
2001
Language
English
Pages
123-131
Publication/Series
Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Volume
104
Issue
2
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Neurosciences
Keywords
- Neuronal networks
- Somatosensory system
- Spinal cord
- Sensorimotor integration
- Plasticity
Status
Published
Research group
- Neurophysiology
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1872-678X