Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed a unique brain visualization system that allows for the accurate imaging of neurons, opening up new possibilities for studying memory formation and reproduction. This groundbreaking system, which is based on a special lens attached to a microscope, can rapidly move between different layers of the cerebral cortex, capturing multiple images per second. By presenting mice with specific combinations of visual, olfactory, and sound stimuli during the experiment, the researchers aim to create and observe memories.
Mark Reimers, associate professor of the College of Natural Sciences and the Institute of Quantum Sciences and Health Engineering, explained, “We want to know how memories are formed and why they are not formed in people with memory disorders. We would like to track the evolution of memory over time and even observe how everyday memory associations occur.”
While current brain visualization methods can only capture a few hundred individual neurons at a time, the new system has the potential to capture 10,000 to 20,000 neurons simultaneously. This unprecedented real-time view of brain activity will provide researchers with valuable insights into the connection between specific neurons and their corresponding actions or experiences.
The researchers aim to combine the visualization system with a newly developed image processing program to identify the specific neurons involved in recording and retrieving memories. Reimers expressed the hope that their team will be the first to observe and document memory formation across all regions of the cerebral cortex.
Reimers and his colleague Christian Bergesses also envision sharing the system with other scientists, allowing them to enhance the quality of their own research projects. The system, which cost around $50,000 to build, is relatively affordable, opening up opportunities for laboratories with limited funding to conduct advanced neurobiological studies. Reimers actively encourages collaboration with other laboratories at the University of Michigan to maximize the system’s potential.