Head-mounted microendoscopic calcium imaging in dorsal premotor cortex of behaving rhesus macaque

Anil Bollimunta; Samantha R Santacruz; Ryan W Eaton; Pei S Xu; John H Morrison; Karen A Moxon; Jose M Carmena; Jonathan J Nassi

doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109239

Head-mounted microendoscopic calcium imaging in dorsal premotor cortex of behaving rhesus macaque

Cell Rep. 2021 Jun 15;35(11):109239. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109239.

Authors

Anil Bollimunta¹, Samantha R Santacruz², Ryan W Eaton³, Pei S Xu¹, John H Morrison⁴, Karen A Moxon³, Jose M Carmena⁵, Jonathan J Nassi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Inscopix, Inc., 2462 Embarcadero Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA.
² Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 286 Li Ka Shing, MC #3370, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, 107 W. Dean Keeton Street, Stop C0800, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, 3141 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁴ California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁵ Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 286 Li Ka Shing, MC #3370, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
⁶ Inscopix, Inc., 2462 Embarcadero Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA. Electronic address: jnassi@inscopix.com.

Abstract

Microendoscopic calcium imaging with one-photon miniature microscopes enables unprecedented readout of neural circuit dynamics during active behavior in rodents. In this study, we describe successful application of this technology in the rhesus macaque, demonstrating plug-and-play, head-mounted recordings of cellular-resolution calcium dynamics from large populations of neurons simultaneously in bilateral dorsal premotor cortices during performance of a naturalistic motor reach task. Imaging is stable over several months, allowing us to longitudinally track individual neurons and monitor their relationship to motor behavior over time. We observe neuronal calcium dynamics selective for reach direction, which we could use to decode the animal's trial-by-trial motor behavior. This work establishes head-mounted microendoscopic calcium imaging in macaques as a powerful approach for studying the neural circuit mechanisms underlying complex and clinically relevant behaviors, and it promises to greatly advance our understanding of human brain function, as well as its dysfunction in neurological disease.

Keywords: GCaMP; GRIN lens; arm reach; calcium imaging; decoding behavior; longitudinal tracking; macaque; microendoscopy; miniscope; premotor cortex.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Behavior, Animal / physiology*
Calcium / metabolism*
Endoscopy*
Head
Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
Macaca mulatta
Male
Motor Cortex / diagnostic imaging*
Motor Cortex / surgery
Neurons / physiology
Time Factors

Substances

Calcium

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding