School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Sci Rep. 2012;2:401. doi: 10.1038/srep00401. Epub 2012 May 9.
A quantitative understanding of the dynamics of biological neural networks is fundamental to gaining insight into information processing in the brain. While techniques exist to measure spatial or temporal properties of these networks, it remains a significant challenge to resolve the neural dynamics with subcellular spatial resolution. In this work we consider a fundamentally new form of wide-field imaging for neuronal networks based on the nanoscale magnetic field sensing properties of optically active spins in a diamond substrate. We analyse the sensitivity of the system to the magnetic field generated by an axon transmembrane potential and confirm these predictions experimentally using electronically-generated neuron signals. By numerical simulation of the time dependent transmembrane potential of a morphologically reconstructed hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron, we show that the imaging system is capable of imaging planar neuron activity non-invasively at millisecond temporal resolution and micron spatial resolution over wide-fields.
定量理解生物神经网络的动力学对于深入了解大脑中的信息处理至关重要。虽然存在测量这些网络的空间或时间特性的技术，但以亚细胞空间分辨率解析神经动力学仍然是一个重大挑战。在这项工作中，我们考虑了一种基于钻石衬底中光学活性自旋的纳米级磁场传感特性的神经元网络的全新宽场成像形式。我们分析了系统对轴突跨膜电势产生的磁场的灵敏度，并使用电子产生的神经元信号实验验证了这些预测。通过对形态重建的海马 CA1 锥体神经元的时变跨膜电势进行数值模拟，我们表明成像系统能够以毫秒时间分辨率和微米空间分辨率在宽场范围内非侵入式地成像平面神经元活动。
