Spatiotemporal constraints on optogenetic inactivation in cortical circuits
Abstract
Optogenetics allows manipulations of genetically and spatially defined neuronal populations with excellent temporal control. However, neurons are coupled with other neurons over multiple length scales, and the effects of localized manipulations thus spread beyond the targeted neurons. We benchmarked several optogenetic methods to inactivate small regions of neocortex. Optogenetic excitation of GABAergic neurons produced more effective inactivation than light-gated ion pumps. Transgenic mice expressing the light-dependent chloride channel GtACR1 produced the most potent inactivation. Generally, inactivation spread substantially beyond the photostimulation light, caused by strong coupling between cortical neurons. Over some range of light intensity, optogenetic excitation of inhibitory neurons reduced activity in these neurons, together with pyramidal neurons, a signature of inhibition-stabilized neural networks ('paradoxical effect'). The offset of optogenetic inactivation was followed by rebound excitation in a light dose-dependent manner, limiting temporal resolution. Our data offer guidance for the design of in vivo optogenetics experiments.
Data availability
Rosa26-CAG-LNL-GtACR1-ts-FRed-Kv2.1 mice are available at The Jackson Laboratory (stock #033089). Electrophysiology data and code used are available at Github (https://github.com/NuoBCM/PhotoinhibitionCharaterization).
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Karel Svoboda
Pew Charitable Trusts
- Nuo Li
Simons Foundation
- Nuo Li
- Karel Svoboda
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation
- Nuo Li
- Hidehiko K Inagaki
Wellcome
- Susu Chen
Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
- Nuo Li
Whitehall Foundation
- Nuo Li
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Nuo Li
Kinship Foundation
- Nuo Li
National Institutes of Health (NS104781)
- Nuo Li
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Reviewing Editor
- John Huguenard, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All procedures were in accordance with protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees at Baylor College of Medicine (protocol AN7012), Janelia Research Campus (protocol 14-115).
Version history
- Received: May 21, 2019
- Accepted: November 16, 2019
- Accepted Manuscript published: November 18, 2019 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: December 4, 2019 (version 2)
Copyright
© 2019, Li et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
Metrics
-
- 11,402
- views
-
- 1,699
- downloads
-
- 146
- citations
Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.
Download links
Downloads (link to download the article as PDF)
Open citations (links to open the citations from this article in various online reference manager services)
Cite this article (links to download the citations from this article in formats compatible with various reference manager tools)
Further reading
-
- Genetics and Genomics
- Neuroscience
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the extent to which marmosets carry genetically distinct cells from their siblings.
-
- Neuroscience
We are unresponsive during slow-wave sleep but continue monitoring external events for survival. Our brain wakens us when danger is imminent. If events are non-threatening, our brain might store them for later consideration to improve decision-making. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether novel vocabulary consisting of simultaneously played pseudowords and translation words are encoded/stored during sleep, and which neural-electrical events facilitate encoding/storage. An algorithm for brain-state-dependent stimulation selectively targeted word pairs to slow-wave peaks or troughs. Retrieval tests were given 12 and 36 hr later. These tests required decisions regarding the semantic category of previously sleep-played pseudowords. The sleep-played vocabulary influenced awake decision-making 36 hr later, if targeted to troughs. The words’ linguistic processing raised neural complexity. The words’ semantic-associative encoding was supported by increased theta power during the ensuing peak. Fast-spindle power ramped up during a second peak likely aiding consolidation. Hence, new vocabulary played during slow-wave sleep was stored and influenced decision-making days later.