A Reward-Based Behavioral Platform to Measure Neural Activity During Head-Fixed Behavior

Overview

Journal Front Cell Neurosci

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2017 Jun 17

PMID 28620282

Citations 10

Authors

Andrew H Micallef

Naoya Takahashi

Matthew E Larkum

Lucy M Palmer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Understanding the neural computations that contribute to behavior requires recording from neurons while an animal is behaving. This is not an easy task as most subcellular recording techniques require absolute head stability. The Go/No-Go sensory task is a powerful decision-driven task that enables an animal to report a binary decision during head-fixation. Here we discuss how to set up an Ardunio and Python based platform system to control a Go/No-Go sensory behavior paradigm. Using an Arduino micro-controller and Python-based custom written program, a reward can be delivered to the animal depending on the decision reported. We discuss the various components required to build the behavioral apparatus that can control and report such a sensory stimulus paradigm. This system enables the end user to control the behavioral testing in real-time and therefore it provides a strong custom-made platform for probing the neural basis of behavior.

Citing Articles

An Open-Source Joystick Platform for Investigating Forelimb Motor Control, Auditory-Motor Integration, and Value-Based Decision-Making in Head-Fixed Mice.

Linares-Garcia I, Iliakis E, Juliani S, Ramirez A, Woolley J, Diaz-Hernandez E bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39896607 PMC: 11785236. DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.23.634598.

Low-cost open hardware system for behavioural experiments simultaneously with electrophysiological recordings.

Aguiar L, de Vasconcelos N, Tunes G, Fontenele A, de Albuquerque Nogueira R, Bussotti Reyes M HardwareX. 2022; 8:e00132.

PMID: 35498270 PMC: 9041193. DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00132.

The role of higher-order thalamus during learning and correct performance in goal-directed behavior.

La Terra D, Bjerre A, Rosier M, Masuda R, Ryan T, Palmer L Elife. 2022; 11.

PMID: 35259091 PMC: 8937217. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.77177.

Closed-loop automated reaching apparatus (CLARA) for interrogating complex motor behaviors.

Bowles S, Williamson W, Nettles D, Hickman J, Welle C J Neural Eng. 2021; 18(4).

PMID: 34407518 PMC: 8699662. DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac1ed1.

Thalamic input to motor cortex facilitates goal-directed action initiation.

Takahashi N, Moberg S, Zolnik T, Catanese J, Sachdev R, Larkum M Curr Biol. 2021; 31(18):4148-4155.e4.

PMID: 34302741 PMC: 8478854. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.089.

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