Head-fixed Mouse Imaging
Head-fixed Mouse Imaging - Related Videos
07:01
Head Implants for the Neuroimaging of Awake, Head-Fixed Rats
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2022
A detailed new procedure for functional imaging of awake, head-fixed rats is described.
09:08
Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Cited by 59 •
2011
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an increasingly popular tool for examining the phenotype of genetically altered mice. This article illustrates the methods necessary to achieve high-throughput phenotyping of genetically altered mice using multiple-mouse MRI.
10:14
Whisker-signaled Eyeblink Classical Conditioning in Head-fixed Mice
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Cited by 9 •
2016
The preparation presented here for whisker-signaled eyeblink conditioning in head-fixed mice precisely stimulates specific whiskers while allowing mice to ambulate on a cylindrical treadmill. A whisker stimulation conditioned stimulus (CS) paired with a periorbital shock unconditioned stimulus (US) results in reliable associative learning on this apparatus.
06:25
Long-Term Imaging of Identified Neural Populations using Microprisms in Freely Moving and Head-Fixed Animals
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2024
When integrated with a head-plate and an optical design compatible with both single- and two-photon microscopes, the microprism lens presents a significant advantage in measuring neural responses in a vertical column under diverse conditions, including well-controlled experiments in head-fixed states or natural behavioral tasks in freely moving animals.
02:34
Mouse Headpost Implantation: A Method for Head Fixation in Rodents
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2023
This video shows a headpost implantation surgery in murine model. The headpost is used not only to head-fix and therefore restrain the mouse during experimentation, but also to securely attach a head device in freely moving animals.
FAQs
The cranial implant provides a stable connection between the skull and the rigid support frame. This stabilization limits movement of the imaging region, reducing motion artifacts that could obscure changes in fluorescence or other recorded signals. As a result, researchers can make more precise measurements of neural activity and relate those measurements to behavior during controlled experiments.
Two-photon fluorescence microscopy supports high-resolution imaging through a cranial window while the mouse remains awake. In this setting, it can be used to monitor neurons, blood vessels, or calcium signals during behavior. Its role is especially valuable when researchers need cellular-level measurements that can be compared with sensory, motor, or learning-related events.
Repeated recordings allow researchers to follow neural and vascular changes over time in the same living animal. This longitudinal perspective can show how activity relates to learning, behavior, or disease-related changes as they develop. It also strengthens comparisons across sessions because measurements can be connected to the animal’s ongoing behavioral performance rather than treated as isolated observations.
Preparation generally involves attaching a lightweight cranial implant, securing that implant to a rigid frame, and imaging through a cranial window. The setup must support stable measurements while the mouse performs a controlled task. Once established, the preparation can accommodate optical or other sensors and permit recordings of brain activity during awake behavior.
Depending on the sensor and imaging method, recordings can target neuronal activity, calcium signals, or blood vessels. These measurements provide complementary views of brain function, including cellular activity and vascular dynamics. Selecting among them allows a study to focus on circuit function, activity during behavior, or changes associated with neurological disease.
This approach is useful when researchers need to connect brain measurements with precisely controlled sensory, motor, or learning tasks. Head fixation helps limit motion artifacts while preserving awake behavior, making it possible to compare neural activity with task-related actions. The same preparation also supports investigations of circuit function and disease-related changes in the living brain.