A wavelet-based method for local phase extraction from a multi-frequency oscillatory signal.

International audienceOne of the challenges in analyzing neuronal activity is to correlate discrete signal, such as action potentials with a signal having a continuous waveform such as oscillating local field potentials (LFPs). Studies in several systems have shown that some aspects of information coding involve characteristics that intertwine both signals. An action potential is a fast transitory phenomenon that occurs at high frequencies whereas a LFP is a low frequency phenomenon. The study of correlations between these signals requires a good estimation of both instantaneous phase and instantaneous frequency. To extract the instantaneous phase, common techniques rely on the Hilbert transform performed on a filtered signal, which discards temporal information. Therefore, time-frequency methods are best fitted for non-stationary signals, since they preserve both time and frequency information. We propose a new algorithmic procedure that uses wavelet transform and ridge extraction for signals that contain one or more oscillatory frequencies and whose oscillatory frequencies may shift as a function of time. This procedure provides estimates of phase, frequency and temporal features. It can be automated, produces manageable amounts of data and allows human supervision. Because of such advantages, this method is particularly suitable for analyzing synchronization between LFPs and unitary events

Réalisation d'un système d'émission-réception 4 canaux dédié au cerveau de rat pour un système RM à 7T

International audienceUn système ainsi qu'une bobine d'émission-réception ont été réalisés pour un système RM à 7 T. Ce système d'émission-réception 4 canaux permet de créer un champ magnétique RF B1+ polarisé circulairement. La combinaison constructive des phases des 4 canaux a été démontrée par des images RM

Respiratory cycle as time basis: an improved method for averaging olfactory neural events.

International audienceIn the mammalian olfactory system, neural activity appears largely modulated by respiration. Accurate analysis of respiratory synchronized activity is precluded by the variability of the respiratory frequency from trial to trial. Thus, the use of respiratory cycle as the time basis for measuring cell responses was developed about 20 years ago. Nevertheless, averaging oscillatory component of the activity remains a challenge due to their rhythmic features. In this paper, we present a new respiratory monitoring setup based on the measurement of micropressure changes induced by nasal airflow in front of the nostril. Improvements provided by this new monitoring setup allows automatic processing of respiratory signals in order to extract each respiratory period (expiration and inspiration). The time component of these periods, which can differ from trial to trial, is converted into a phase component defined as [-pi, 0] and [0, pi] for inspiration and expiration, respectively. As opposed to time representation, the phase representation is common to all trials. Thus, this phase representation of the respiratory cycle is used as a normalized time basis permitting to collect results in a standardized data format across different animals and providing new tools to average oscillatory components of the activity

Odorant features differentially modulate beta/gamma oscillatory patterns in anterior versus posterior piriform cortex

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Activity in the rat olfactory cortex is correlated with behavioral response to odor: a microPET study

International audienceHow olfactory cortical areas interpret odor maps evoked in the olfactory bulb and translate odor information into behavioral responses is still largely unknown. Indeed, rat olfactory cortices encompass an extensive network located in the ventral part of the brain, thus complicating the use of invasive functional methods. In vivo imaging techniques that were previously developed for brain activation studies in humans have been adapted for use in rodents and facilitate the non-invasive mapping of the whole brain. In this study, we report an initial series of experiments designed to demonstrate that microPET is a powerful tool to investigate the neural processes underlying odor-induced behavioral response in a large-scale olfactory neuronal network. After the intravenous injection of [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG), awake rats were placed in a ventilated Plexiglas cage for 50 min, where odorants were delivered every 3 min for a 10-s duration in a random order. Individual behavioral responses to odor were classified into categories ranging from 1 (head movements associated with a short sniffing period in response to a few stimulations) to 4 (a strong reaction, including rearing, exploring and sustained sniffing activity, to several stimulations). After [18F]FDG uptake, rats were anesthetized to perform a PET scan. This experimental session was repeated 2 weeks later using the same animals without odor stimulation to assess the baseline level of activation in each individual. Two voxel-based statistical analyses (SPM 8) were performed: (1) a two-sample paired t test analysis contrasting baseline versus odor scan and (2) a correlation analysis between voxel FDG activity and behavioral score. As expected, the contrast analysis between baseline and odor session revealed activations in various olfactory cortical areas. Significant increases in glucose metabolism were also observed in other sensory cortical areas involved in whisker movement and in several modules of the cerebellum involved in motor and sensory function. Correlation analysis provided new insight into these results. [18F]FDG uptake was correlated with behavioral response in a large part of the anterior piriform cortex and in some lobules of the cerebellum, in agreement with the previous data showing that both piriform cortex and cerebellar activity in humans can be driven by sniffing activity, which was closely related to the high behavioral scores observed in our experiment. The present data demonstrate that microPET imaging offers an original perspective for rat behavioral neuroimaging

A New Xanthone from the Bark Extract of Rheedia acuminata and Antiplasmodial Activity of Its Major Compounds

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Spatiotemporal distribution of a late synchronized activity in olfactory pathways following stimulation of the olfactory bulb in rats

International audienceThe evoked potential recorded in the rat piriform cortex in response to electrical stimulation of the olfactory bulb is composed of an early component occasionally followed by a late component (60-70 ms). We previously showed that the late component occurrence was enhanced following an olfactory learning. In the present study carried out in naive rats, we investigated the precise conditions of induction of this late component, and its spatiotemporal distribution along the olfactory pathways. In the anaesthetized rat, a stimulating electrode was implanted in the olfactory bulb. Four recording electrodes were positioned, respectively, in the olfactory bulb, the anterior and posterior parts of the piriform cortex, and the entorhinal cortex. Simultaneous recording of signals evoked in the four sampled structures in response to stimulation of the olfactory bulb revealed that the late component was detected in anterior and posterior piriform cortex as well as in entorhinal cortex, but not in the olfactory bulb. The late component occurred reliably for a narrow range of low intensities of stimulation delivered at frequencies not exceeding 1 Hz. Comparison of late component amplitude and latency across the different recorded sites showed that this component appeared first and with the greatest amplitude in the posterior piriform cortex. In addition to showing a functional dissociation between anterior and posterior parts of the piriform cortex, these data suggest that the posterior piriform cortex could be the locus of generation of this late high amplitude synchronized activity, which would then propagate to the neighbouring regions

Adaptive quantization of local field potentials for wireless implants in freely moving animals: an open-source neural recording device

International audienceModern neuroscience research requires electrophysiological recording of local field potentials (LFPs) in moving animals. Wireless transmission has the advantage of removing the wires between the animal and the recording equipment but is hampered by the large number of data to be sent at a relatively high rate