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Optetrode: A multichannel readout for optogenetic control in freely moving mice

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Recent advances in optogenetics have improved the precision with which defined circuit elements can be controlled optically in freely moving mammals; in particular, recombinase-dependent opsin viruses, used with a growing pool of transgenic mice expressing recombinases, allow manipulation of specific cell types. However, although optogenetic control has allowed neural circuits to be manipulated in increasingly powerful ways, combining optogenetic stimulation with simultaneous multichannel electrophysiological readout of isolated units in freely moving mice remains a challenge. We designed and validated the optetrode, a device that allows for colocalized multi-tetrode electrophysiological recording and optical stimulation in freely moving mice. Optetrode manufacture employs a unique optical fiber-centric coaxial design approach that yields a lightweight (2 g), compact and robust device that is suitable for behaving mice. This low-cost device is easy to construct (2.5 h to build without specialized equipment). We found that the drive design produced stable high-quality recordings and continued to do so for at least 6 weeks following implantation. We validated the optetrode by quantifying, for the first time, the response of cells in the medial prefrontal cortex to local optical excitation and inhibition, probing multiple different genetically defined classes of cells in the mouse during open field exploration.
Optetrode-facilitated electrophysiology during broad optogenetic stimulation during the OFT.(a–e) Wild-type (WT) mice were transduced with AAV5-hSyn::eNpHR3.0-EYFP. Average MUA was binned at a rate of 1 Hz (a). Shaded area represents s.e.m. (n = 30 tetrode recording sites, 14 OFTs). The L-ratio (left) and isolation distance (right) were plotted for the clusters without and during light stimulation (n = 23 clusters, b). Raster plots (top) and corresponding normalized firing rate profiles (bottom) for are shown for a neuron robustly inhibited by green light (c), a neuron initially inhibited by green light, but for which activity recovered over the duration of the stimulation epoch (d), and a neuron excited by green light (e). (f–k) Wild-type mice were transduced with AAV5-hSyn::ChR2-EYFP. Average MUA was binned at 1 Hz or 10 Hz (n = 40 tetrode recording sites, 10 OFTs; f,g). Shaded area represents s.e.m. The L-ratio (top) and isolation distance (bottom) were plotted for the clusters without and during light stimulation (n = 21 clusters, h). Examples of a neuron that maintained high cluster quality and coherence with light pulses during 5-Hz (top) and 20-Hz (bottom) stimulation are shown (i). Raster plots (top) showing the spike times of the example neuron relative to the onset of each light pulse during 5-Hz and 20-Hz stimulation are shown in j and k, as well as the corresponding pulse-triggered average firing rates (bottom). Only clusters classified as being well-isolated without light stimulation (see Online Methods) were plotted in b–e and h–k. Horizontal dashed lines represent the cut-off for well-isolated clusters.
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Optetrode-facilitated electrophysiology during cell type–specific optogenetic stimulation in the context of the OFT.(a–f) Wild-type mice were transduced with AAV5-CaMKIIα::ChR2-EYFP. Average MUA was binned at a rate of 1 Hz (a) and 10 Hz (b). Shaded areas represent s.e.m. (n = 84 tetrode recording sites, 33 OFTs). The L-ratio (top) and isolation distance (bottom) were plotted for clusters without and during light stimulation (n = 14 clusters, c). An example neuron is shown that maintained high cluster quality and coherence with light pulses during 5-Hz (left) and 20-Hz (right) optical stimulation (d). Raster plots of spike times (left) and pulse-triggered average firing rates (right) are shown for an example neuron relative to the onset of each light pulse during 5-Hz (e) and 20-Hz (f) stimulation. (g–k) PV::Cre transgenic mice were transduced with AAV5–DIO-EF1α::ChR2-EYFP. Average MUA was binned at 1 Hz (g). Shaded areas represent s.e.m. (n = 45 tetrode recording sites, 29 OFTs). The L-ratio (left) and isolation distance (right) were plotted without and during light stimulation (n = 50 clusters, h). An example neuron is shown that maintained high cluster quality and decreased firing rate in response to 5-Hz (left) and 20-Hz (right) stimulation of parvalbumin-expressing cells (i). Raster plots of spike times (left) and pulse-triggered average firing rates (right) are shown for the example neuron relative to the onset of each light pulse during 5-Hz (j) and 20-Hz (k) stimulation. Only clusters classified as well-isolated without light stimulation (see Online Methods) were plotted in c–f and h–k. Horizontal dashed lines represent cut-off for well-isolated clusters.
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