Basis for Dual-Site in vivo

Recording of Neuronal
Activity

Mackenzie Andrews • PI : Charles Chavkin

Mentor : Antony Abraham • Co-Advisor : Alyssa Taylor

Chavkin Lab • 402 Track

Impact of Drug Addiction

BB4378
 Impact of Drug Addiction

● 25 million Americans
(over 9% of the
population) use an illicit
drug in any given
month

● Amounts to $600 billion

annually

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-statistics
 Neurobiology of Drug Addiction

Decision Making &

Impulsivity

Reward Processing

Stress Regulation
Habit Formation, Craving,
Withdrawal & Relapse
Reward Signaling
http://www.amhc.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=48376&cn=1408
 Need for in vivo Imaging Tools

Prior Art:
● Can observe
neuronal behavior
in ex vivo slice
preparations

● Can observe in
vivo neuronal
behavior in
head-fixed animals

http://www.imina.ch/applications/sample-preparation-micro-dissection-mouse-brain-slice-cutting
Isomura, Y., R. Harukuni, et al. (2009). Microcircuitry coordination of cortical motor information in self-initiation of voluntary movements. Nat Neurosci
12(12): 1586-93.
 Need for in vivo Imaging Tools

Prior Art:
● Can observe
neuronal behavior
in ex vivo slice
preparations

● Can observe in
vivo neuronal
behavior in
head-fixed animals

http://www.imina.ch/applications/sample-preparation-micro-dissection-mouse-brain-slice-cutting
Isomura, Y., R. Harukuni, et al. (2009). Microcircuitry coordination of cortical motor information in self-initiation of voluntary movements. Nat Neurosci
12(12): 1586-93.
Dual-Site Optoelectrode Design
Current Set-Up Proposed Design

Female Connector
Micro-chip

Skull Mount

Optoelectric Fibers
Dual-Site Optoelectrode Design
Current Set-Up Proposed Design

Female Connector
Micro-chip

Skull Mount

Optoelectric Fibers
Software Development
MATLAB T-Maze Assay

1. Link specific timepoints

of behavior to time
points in recorded data

2. Analyze the data for

trends in behavior-linked
neuronal activity

3. Package and make

open-source
Alternative Approaches
If... Then...

Dual-site recording turns I will optimize the current

out to be infeasible optrode design

There is not enough I will focus on software

funding to manufacture development with user
additional optrodes interface

Another lab develops the I will optimize my design and

same product focus on software
Lead to a Treatment for Addiction

BB4378
 Boost Understanding of Neural Networks

http://www.bmap.ucla.edu/
Contributors Funding
Antony Abraham - Direct Mentor
Charles Chavkin - Advisor
Alyssa Taylor - Co-Advisor
Zweifel Lab - Collaborators