Ultra Highspeed Megapixel CMOS Imaging Camera

This acquisition is to purchase of a ultra high speed megapixel CMOS imaging camera (PHANTOM VEO 1310L, MONO 72GB MEMORY) from Vision Research Inc. The ultra high speed imaging camera from Vision Research will be used in experiments that will be performed by the Cellular Neurophysiology Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (CNS/NINDS). The experiments being performed will directly test the effects of alterations in neural circuitry in various animal models of Parkinson’s Disease. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how synaptic and intrinsic conductances expressed on these neurons differ among subpopulations dopamine neurons. We are also interested in understanding how the synaptic and circuit connections onto these cells control their activity and ultimately how they contribute to dopamine dependent behaviors and dysfunction. The hope that this information may provide insight to why SNc dopamine neurons are particularly vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease. Our goal is to identify novel physiological and genetic markers in single SNc dopamine neurons which may be useful in defining subpopulations of these neurons.

To study the circuits that control midbrain dopaminergic neurons, experimenters in the Cellular Neurophysiology Section prepare tissue slices that will be mounted on an electrophysiology setup. Although electrophysiological recordings provide high temporal resolution and require highly specialized knowledge in order to have consistent success. To increase the successful acquisition of this information, we will use an imaging system that will allow us to perform imaging using fluorescent voltage indicators in which the fluorescence intensity correlate to the neuronal membrane voltage. The major component of this system is a high speed camera that is highly sensitive to moderately low light levels and can also image at frame rates that reach at 10 kilohertz or above. This requirement is necessary because action potentials occur at 1 ms. Using the voltage imaging approach, we will be able to image large populations of neurons, tens to hundreds, simultaneously which is not possible using standard electrophysiology approaches such as patch clamp. Lastly, the camera should have the lowest pixel noise possible so that signal to noise ratio can be maximized for use voltage-indicators that have only small changes fluorescence changes in their signal.