Topic: intrinsic signal optical imaging

Astrocytes are dynamic cells that closely interact with neurons and play major roles in brain functions. Although their involvement in sensory processing has been highlighted in different brain regions, their contribution to vision processing remains poorly explored in the superior colliculus (SC), a central structure of the mouse visual system. We here report that astrocytes from the retinorecipient layers of the SC form particularly extensive networks that are mediated by stronger expression of the gap-junction connexins 30 and 43, compared to astrocytes from other brain areas. Furthermore,

Lateral hypothalamic orexin/hypocretin (OH) circuits enhance exploratory behaviour and cortical gamma power, key physiological variables affecting neuronal responses in the primary visual cortex (V1). In order to elucidate the functional significance of OH signals for V1 experience-dependent plasticity, we tested orexin KO-mice in the classic ocular dominance plasticity (ODP) paradigm using intrinsic signal optical imaging (OI). Since ODP depends on age and housing conditions, we tested ODP during the critical period (CP) for ODP (P21-P35) and in adults (>P110) with standard cage (SC) housi