About this Research Topic

Background

In order to systematically study the brain mechanisms underlying a particular behavior or cognitive process, it is important to sample neuronal activity across broader brain structures and to record activity from many identified cell types. Consequently, the ability to assess neural activity at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales in real-time over long periods has significant potential. Devices that directly interface with neural circuits in the brain provide an anatomically-specific approach for the study of brain function. Optogenetics and fiber photometry paired with recent advances in wireless technology codify a new generation of tools, and these tools have provided unrealized opportunities to study brain function. Although these approaches provide considerable utility, they are yet unable to record from and modulate neural activity across multiple regions of the brain at cellular resolution in awake animals.

This Research Topic aims to feature new technologies and novel approaches for large-scale recording and manipulation of neural activity to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, at or near cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain.
Technologies are expected to address any or all of the following two general goals for this Research Topic:
1. Develop New Large-Scale Network Recording Capabilities
Recording dynamic neural activity from multiple brain regions, over long periods is an essential goal. Advances in the development of new technologies for neural cell recording, including methods based on electrodes, microelectronics/microchips, imaging, molecular genetics, and nanoscience are highly encouraged.
2. Develop Tools for Circuit Manipulation
The ability to modulate specific sub-populations of neurons is key to understanding functional circuits, which will advance the scope of our knowledge from observation of neural phenomena to a mechanistic understanding of neural causation. A new generation of tools for optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, biochemical, electromagnetic and/or acoustic modulation needs to be developed for use in animals, and eventually in humans, to enable the immense potential of circuit manipulation.

We invite the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Probes for Large-Scale Sensing and/or Modulation of Neural Activity In Vivo
• Imaging Instrumentation for Recording and/or Stimulating Neural Activity at Cellular Resolution In freely behaving animals
• Electrodes for Large-Scale Recording and/or Circuit Manipulation In Vivo
• Techniques and Approaches for Recording/Modulation of Neural Activity during Behaviors.

Keywords: Multichannel neural probe, Multimodal sensor, Large-scale recording/modulation, Neural activity in the brain

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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