A three-dimensional virtual mouse generates synthetic training data for behavioral analysis.

We developed a three-dimensional (3D) synthetic animated mouse based on computed tomography scans that is actuated using animation and semirandom, joint-constrained movements to generate synthetic behavioral data with ground-truth label locations. Image-domain translation produced realistic synthetic videos used to train two-dimensional (2D) and 3D pose estimation models with accuracy similar to typical manual training datasets. The outputs from the 3D model-based pose estimation yielded better definition of behavioral clusters than 2D videos and may facilitate automated ethological classification.

Endocannabinoid-Specific Impairment in Synaptic Plasticity in Striatum of Huntington's Disease Mouse Model.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease affecting predominantly striatum and cortex that results in motor and cognitive disorders. Before a motor phenotype, animal models of HD show aberrant cortical-striatal glutamate signaling. Here, we tested synaptic plasticity of cortical excitatory synapses onto striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) early in the YAC128 mouse model of HD. High-frequency stimulation-induced long-term depression, mediated by the endocannabinoid anandamide and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), was significantly attenuated in male and female YAC128 SPNs. Indirect pathway SPNs, which are more vulnerable in HD, were most affected. Our experiments show metabotropic glutamate receptor and endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol-dependent plasticity, as well as direct CB1 activation by agonists, was similar in YAC128 and FVB/N wild-type SPNs suggesting that presynaptic CB1 is functioning normally. These results are consistent with a specific impairment in postsynaptic anandamide synthesis in YAC128 SPN. Strikingly, although suppression of degradation of anandamide was not effective, elevating 2-arachidonoylglycerol levels restored long-term depression in YAC128 striatal neurons. Together, these results have potential implications for neuroprotection and ameliorating early cognitive and motor deficits in HD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Recent studies find impairment of the endocannabinoid system in animal models but the functional implication for synaptic plasticity in HD remains unclear. Sepers et al. show a selective deficit in synaptic plasticity mediated by the endocannabinoid anandamide, but not 2-arachidonoylglycerol in a mouse model of HD. The deficit is rescued by selectively elevating levels of 2-arachidonoylglycerol produced on-demand. This mechanism could be targeted in the development of future therapeutics for HD.

Individualized tracking of self-directed motor learning in group-housed mice performing a skilled lever positioning task in the home cage.

Skilled forelimb function in mice is traditionally studied through behavioral paradigms that require extensive training by investigators and are limited by the number of trials individual animals are able to perform within a supervised session. We developed a skilled lever positioning task that mice can perform within their home cage. The task requires mice to use their forelimb to precisely hold a lever mounted on a rotary encoder within a rewarded position to dispense a water reward. A Raspberry Pi microcomputer is used to record lever position during trials and to control task parameters, thus making this low-footprint apparatus ideal for use within animal housing facilities. Custom Python software automatically increments task difficulty by requiring a longer hold duration, or a more accurate hold position, to dispense a reward. The performance of individual animals within group-housed mice is tracked through radio-frequency identification implants, and data stored on the microcomputer may be accessed remotely through an active internet connection. Mice continuously engage in the task for over 2.5 mo and perform ~500 trials/24 h. Mice required ~15,000 trials to learn to hold the lever within a 10° range for 1.5 s and were able to further refine movement accuracy by limiting their error to a 5° range within each trial. These results demonstrate the feasibility of autonomously training group-housed mice on a forelimb motor task. This paradigm may be used in the future to assess functional recovery after injury or cortical reorganization induced by self-directed motor learning. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We developed a low-cost system for fully autonomous training of group-housed mice on a forelimb motor task. We demonstrate the feasibility of tracking both end-point, as well as kinematic performance of individual mice, with each performing thousands of trials over 2.5 mo. The task is run and controlled by a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, which allows for cages to be monitored remotely through an active internet connection.

Open science in play and in tension with patent protections.

The open science (OS) movement has garnered increasing support in academia alongside continued financial and reputational incentives to obtain intellectual property (IP) protections over research outputs. Here, we explore stakeholder perspectives about intersections between OS and IP to inform the development of institutional OS guidelines for the neurosciences in Canada. We held six focus groups and three interviews with 29 faculty members from a major research and clinical center in Canada. The semi-structured interview guide probed perspectives on the respective roles of patents and OS in neuroscience-related research. We applied thematic content analysis to the transcript data, and extracted 12 major themes and 30 subthemes. Participants perceived a conflict between OS ideologies and the inherently restrictive nature of patents, and highlighted the importance of autonomy, justice, and respectful, culturally safe research practices in any future adoption of OS. Overall, the data suggest that a hybrid OS-IP policy model supported by local expertise may be best suited to meet the priorities and values of the community while mitigating perceived threats. This model includes expanded education about patenting, incentivized data sharing and collaboration, and tangible resources to support implementation of OS that includes skilled support in digital research infrastructures.

Automated task training and longitudinal monitoring of mouse mesoscale cortical circuits using home cages.

We report improved automated open-source methodology for head-fixed mesoscale cortical imaging and/or behavioral training of home cage mice using Raspberry Pi-based hardware. Staged partial and probabilistic restraint allows mice to adjust to self-initiated headfixation over 3 weeks' time with ~50% participation rate. We support a cue-based behavioral licking task monitored by a capacitive touch-sensor water spout. While automatically head-fixed, we acquire spontaneous, movement-triggered, or licking task-evoked GCaMP6 cortical signals. An analysis pipeline marked both behavioral events, as well as analyzed brain fluorescence signals as they relate to spontaneous and/or task-evoked behavioral activity. Mice were trained to suppress licking and wait for cues that marked the delivery of water. Correct rewarded go-trials were associated with widespread activation of midline and lateral barrel cortex areas following a vibration cue and delayed frontal and lateral motor cortex activation. Cortical GCaMP signals predicted trial success and correlated strongly with trial-outcome dependent body movements.

Cost effective raspberry pi-based radio frequency identification tagging of mice suitable for automated in vivo imaging.

BACKGROUND: Automation of animal experimentation improves consistency, reduces potential for error while decreasing animal stress and increasing well-being. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging can identify individual mice in group housing environments enabling animal-specific tracking of physiological parameters. NEW METHOD: We describe a simple protocol to radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and detect mice. RFID tags were injected sub-cutaneously after brief isoflurane anesthesia and do not require surgical steps such as suturing or incisions. We employ glass-encapsulated 125kHz tags that can be read within 30.2±2.4mm of the antenna. A raspberry pi single board computer and tag reader enable automated logging and cross platform support is possible through Python. RESULTS: We provide sample software written in Python to provide a flexible and cost effective system for logging the weights of multiple mice in relation to pre-defined targets. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: The sample software can serve as the basis of any behavioral or physiological task where users will need to identify and track specific animals. Recently, we have applied this system of tagging to automated mouse brain imaging within home-cages. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a cost effective solution employing open source software to facilitate adoption in applications such as automated imaging or tracking individual animal weights during tasks where food or water restriction is employed as motivation for a specific behavior.

High-throughput automated home-cage mesoscopic functional imaging of mouse cortex.

Mouse head-fixed behaviour coupled with functional imaging has become a powerful technique in rodent systems neuroscience. However, training mice can be time consuming and is potentially stressful for animals. Here we report a fully automated, open source, self-initiated head-fixation system for mesoscopic functional imaging in mice. The system supports five mice at a time and requires minimal investigator intervention. Using genetically encoded calcium indicator transgenic mice, we longitudinally monitor cortical functional connectivity up to 24 h per day in >7,000 self-initiated and unsupervised imaging sessions up to 90 days. The procedure provides robust assessment of functional cortical maps on the basis of both spontaneous activity and brief sensory stimuli such as light flashes. The approach is scalable to a number of remotely controlled cages that can be assessed within the controlled conditions of dedicated animal facilities. We anticipate that home-cage brain imaging will permit flexible and chronic assessment of mesoscale cortical function.

Improved methods for chronic light-based motor mapping in mice: automated movement tracking with accelerometers, and chronic EEG recording in a bilateral thin-skull preparation.

Optogenetic stimulation of the mouse cortex can be used to generate motor maps that are similar to maps derived from electrode-based stimulation. Here we present a refined set of procedures for repeated light-based motor mapping in ChR2-expressing mice implanted with a bilateral thinned-skull chronic window and a chronically implanted electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode. Light stimulation is delivered sequentially to over 400 points across the cortex, and evoked movements are quantified on-line with a three-axis accelerometer attached to each forelimb. Bilateral maps of forelimb movement amplitude and movement direction were generated at weekly intervals after recovery from cranial window implantation. We found that light pulses of ~2 mW produced well-defined maps that were centered approximately 0.7 mm anterior and 1.6 mm lateral from bregma. Map borders were defined by sites where light stimulation evoked EEG deflections, but not movements. Motor maps were similar in size and location between mice, and maps were stable over weeks in terms of the number of responsive sites, and the direction of evoked movements. We suggest that our method may be used to chronically assess evoked motor output in mice, and may be combined with other imaging tools to assess cortical reorganization or sensory-motor integration.