3D Neural Activity Mapping in Small Animal Brains

The most common method for 3D analysis of neural activity (functional MRI) cannot be applied to small animals because of the resolution of the images. As a result, many neurobiologists measure neural activity in 2-dimensional slices. However, recent advances in image manipulation should enable the 3-D reconstruction of brain activity maps from 2-D images. There are several published reports of methods that create 3-D maps from 2-D images, and at least one of these uses publicly available software, such as TurboReg (see Project Links).

In our lab, we use a neural activity markers to study auditory processing in small frogs. Our goal is to develop a method for creating 3-D activity maps from our brain images. This would enable us to study brain-wide neural activity patterns. If successful, the technique could revolutionize our understanding of auditory processing in frogs and, as a consequence, the evolution of the brain.