Biology subjects

Guyoton, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Guyoton, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

BlueBerry: Closed-loop wireless optogenetic manipulation in freely moving animals

Optogenetics is a powerful approach for linking neural activity to behavior by enabling precise manipulation of defined neuronal populations. Recent advances in wireless technologies have led to remotely controlled optogenetic devices that facilitate the study of more complex behaviors, including social interactions. However, implementing real-time, automated, closed-loop experiments in large-scale, naturalistic environments and in groups of interacting animals remains challenging. Moreover, many existing devices are difficult to reproduce, requiring specialized engineering expertise or fabrication facilities that are not widely available. Here we introduce BlueBerry (www.OptoBlueBerry.org), a lightweight (1.4 g), battery powered, multi-channel wireless optogenetic device that is openly available for the scientific community and can be assembled entirely from off-the-shelf-components. BlueBerry combines robust long-range wireless communication with flexible control of stimulation parameters, making it particularly suited for behavior-triggered optogenetic experiments in large arenas and in multiple freely interacting animals. We demonstrate that BlueBerry can not only guide decision making during large-scale navigation, but also deliver individually controlled, behavior-triggered optogenetic stimulation to multiple freely interacting mice, enabling modulation of social dynamics in real-time. The open availability, modular design, and straightforward integration with existing behavioral frameworks make BlueBerry a practical and scalable tool for systems neuroscience.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Emergence of neocortical function in heterotopic neurons

Brains come in various sizes and shapes, yet how neuronal position constrains the type of circuits that they can form remains largely unknown. The spatial layout of anatomical structures with corresponding functions varies widely across species (J-4). Also, during evolution, anatomical structures have duplicated and then diverged to generate new circuits and functions (5, 6). Thus, it is critical to understand how the position of neurons constrains their integration into circuits and, ultimately, their function. To address this question, we studied EmlJ knockout mice in which subsets of neocortical neurons form a new structure below the neocortex termed heterotopia (Ht). We examined how this new location affects the molecular identity, topography, input-output circuit connectivity, electrophysiology, and functional properties of these neurons. Our results reveal a striking conservation of the cellular features and circuit properties of Ht neurons, despite their abnormal location and misorientation. Supporting this observation, these neurons were able to functionally substitute for overlying neocortical neurons in a behaviorally relevant task when the latter were optogenetically silenced. Hence, specific neuronal identities and associated function can be reproduced in altered anatomical settings, revealing a remarkable level of self-organization and adaptability of neocortical circuits.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Cortical circuits for goal-directed cross-modal transfer learning

Adapting goal-directed behaviors to changing sensory conditions is a fundamental aspect of intelligence. The brain uses abstract representations of the environment to generalize learned associations across sensory modalities. The circuit organization that mediates such cross-modal generalizations remains, however, unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mice can bidirectionally generalize sensorimotor task rules between touch and vision by using abstract representations of peri-personal space within the cortex. Using large-scale mapping in the dorsal cortex at single-cell resolution, we discovered multimodal neurons with congruent spatial representations within multiple associative areas of the dorsal and ventral streams. Optogenetic sensory substitution and systematic silencing of these associative areas revealed that a single area in the dorsal stream is necessary and sufficient for cross-modal generalization. Our results identify and comprehensively describe a cortical circuit organization that underlies an essential cognitive function, providing a structural and functional basis for abstract reasoning in the mammalian brain.

neuroscience↗