A mini microscope that can be mounted on the heads of mice to record their brain activity is set to be a ‘game changer’ for studying complex animal behaviour.
EARA member the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior (MPINB), Germany, designed the microscope to image even the deepest layers of the brain.
The microscope allows the mice to move around freely, allowing the team to obtain information about the brain and the animals’ behaviour, including decision making – watch the video.
The device works by penetrating the tissue with light particles, which results in the emission of light that can then be detected.
The microscope can also be controlled remotely, minimising the need to handle the mice, which can cause stress and anxiety for the animals.
Dr Jason Kerr, at MPINB, said: “We have made a large step towards finally imaging brain activity deep in the cortex of animals performing natural visual-based behaviours.”
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