nVue-nVision - Main applications ================================ The nVue miniscope platform is designed to enable **minimally invasive, longitudinal, cellular-resolution imaging** in **freely behaving animals** paired with **synchronized behavioral tracking**, for **precise spatio-temporal mapping of local brain activity in relation to behavior**. .. image:: ../_static/nVue-applications.png :alt: *Common applications of miniscope imaging* :width: 1000px :align: center *Common applications of miniscope imaging* .. raw:: html Single modality imaging (nVue) ------------------------------ - **Calcium imaging** (GCamp, RCamp) - Enables optical detection of action potential-associated intracellular Ca²⁺ transients. - Captures population-level activity from excitatory or inhibitory neurons. - Applied in studies of cortical and subcortical circuit function during task performance, rest, or spontaneous activity. - **Neurotransmitter imaging** (dLight, GRAB, iGluSnFR) - Measures extracellular neurotransmitter dynamics such as dopamine, glutamate, serotonin, or acetylcholine in real time. - Useful for studying neuromodulatory control of motivation, reinforcement, attention, and emotional state. - Applied in pharmacological studies and addiction research. - **Dual-signal imaging** - Simultaneous recording of neural activity and/or neuromodulatory signals using spectrally distinct fluorescent indicators. - Allows dissection of causal relationships between neurotransmitter release and downstream circuit responses. - Ideal for multi-population or multi-pathway functional mapping within the same brain region. - Allows for static/static, static/dynamic and dynamic/dynamic recordings. - **Longitudinal neural ensemble tracking** - Supports stable, chronic recordings from the same neuronal population across days or weeks. - Enables investigation of learning-related plasticity, disease progression, and memory consolidation. - Facilitates studies of neuronal identity retention, population coding dynamics, and circuit adaptation. - **Cerebral blood flow imaging** - Investigates vascular responses to circuit activation. - Studies of neurovascular impairment in aging, stroke, or models of neurodegenerative diseases. - Evaluates metabolic load and vascular plasticity in learning or disease contexts. Multimodal imaging (nVue + nVision) ----------------------------------- The synchronization of both nVue and nVision cameras enable the real time combination of neuronal signal imaging with behavior. - **Brain-behavior coupling** - Enables real-time correlation between neuronal ensemble dynamics and specific motor, cognitive, or emotional behaviors. - Critical for identifying functional neural correlates of decision-making, navigation, or social interaction. - Provides high temporal resolution synchronization of neural and behavioral data streams. - **Learning and memory encoding** - Tracks how ensemble activity evolves across repeated exposure to environmental stimuli or operant tasks. - Used to reveal circuit-level mechanisms of learning phases (acquisition, consolidation, extinction). - Supports causal inference in behavior-driven plasticity through repeated exposure paradigms. - **Neuropsychiatric and neurological disease models** - Enables quantitative phenotyping of circuit dysfunction in models of depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease... - Allows evaluation of therapeutic interventions (pharmacologic, genetic) on both behavior and brain function. - Ideal for longitudinal biomarker discovery at the level of cellular networks. - **Social and ethologically relevant behaviors** - Permits imaging during unrestrained behaviors such as social investigation, aggression, parental care, or environmental exploration. - Supports analysis of circuits involved in emotional valence, threat response, or affiliative behavior. - Especially relevant in translational studies of neurodevelopmental or affective disorders.