Visualization and Mapping of Neuronal Pathways in an Amygdala Brain Slice

Source: Bosch, D., et al. Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices. J. Vis. Exp. (2016). This video demonstrates a procedure for analyzing synaptic connectivity between medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and amygdala neurons using acute amygdala brain slices from mice. The mPFC neurons in these mice express channelrhodopsin fused to a fluorescent protein. The channelrhodopsins facilitate ion influx and action potential generation in the mPFC neurons upon light activation. Consequently, mPFC neurons release neurotransmitters that bind to postsynaptic amygdala neurons, triggering postsynaptic currents that are recorded to visualize mPFC-amygdala connectivity.