Tj. Ebner et G. Chen, USE OF VOLTAGE-SENSITIVE DYES AND OPTICAL RECORDINGS IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM, Progress in neurobiology, 46(5), 1995, pp. 463-506
Understanding the spatio-temporal features of the information processi
ng occurring in any complex neural structure requires the monitoring a
nd analysis of the activity in populations of neurons. Electrophysiolo
gical and other mapping techniques have provided important insights in
to the function of neural circuits and neural populations in many syst
ems. However, there remain limitations with these approaches. Therefor
e, complementary techniques which permit the monitoring of the spatio-
temporal activity in neuronal populations are of continued interest. O
ne promising approach to monitor the electrical activity in population
s of neurons or on multiple sites of a single neuron is with voltage-s
ensitive dyes coupled with optical recording techniques: This review c
oncentrates on the use of voltage-sensitive dyes and optical imaging a
s tools to study the activity in neuronal populations in the central n
ervous system. Focusing on 'fast' voltage-sensitive dyes first, severa
l technical issues and developments in optical imaging will be reviewe
d. These will include more recent developments in voltage-sensitive dy
es as well as newer developments in optical recording technology. Seco
nd, studies using voltage-sensitive dyes to investigate information pr
ocessing questions in the central nervous system and in the invertebra
te nervous system will be reviewed. Some emphasis will be placed on th
e cerebellum, but the major goal is to survey how voltage-sensitive dy
es and optical recordings have been utilized in the central nervous sy
stem. The review will include optical studies on the visual, auditory,
olfactory, somatosensory, auditory, hippocampal and brainstem systems
, as well as single cell studies addressing information processing que
stions. Discussion of the intrinsic optical signals is also included.
The review attempts to show how voltage-sensitive dyes and optical rec
ordings can be used to obtain high spatial and temporal resolution mon
itoring of neuronal activity.