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Methods in Neuroethological Research pp 115–129Cite as

Controlling Behavior Using Light to Excite and Silence Neuronal Activity

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Abstract

The number of reports involving the new tools of optogenetics is increasing exponentially to yield detailed insights into anatomical, physiological, and pathological issues. These tools help us to tackle major questions regarding the function of neural circuits in the mammalian brain, which possesses uncountable combinations of neurons. Moreover, rapid progress in diverse collaborations between optogenetics and optical imaging technologies will allow us to analyze, simultaneously, the activities of multiple neurons and glial cells. As well as activity analysis, optogenetics is developing rapidly to support the analysis of stimulation in neuronal function. We can now stimulate multiple cell types independently using selective molecular tools, such as promoters and gene delivery systems. In addition, optical properties also help us to discriminate among subpopulations of cells in neuronal networks. The use of light to study the brain has proved to be a remarkably fruitful strategy, and indeed optogenetics has given us a green light for the future.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all members of our laboratories for useful discussion and support. Fig. 8.1 was adopted from the front page of BioGARAGE, published on March 2012 by Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. The images in both figures were designed by Science Graphics Co., Ltd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA

    Ali Cetin

  2. Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara, Japan

    Shoji Komai

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  1. Ali Cetin
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  2. Shoji Komai
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Correspondence to Shoji Komai .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Hokkaido University Faculty of Science, Sapporo, Japan

    Hiroto Ogawa

  2. Dept of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology, Yokohama, Japan

    Kotaro Oka

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Cetin, A., Komai, S. (2013). Controlling Behavior Using Light to Excite and Silence Neuronal Activity. In: Ogawa, H., Oka, K. (eds) Methods in Neuroethological Research. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54331-2_8

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