Different cell types in the brain have their own connectivity rules and patterns. In a recently published study, our #neuroscience researchers took a deep dive into the connectomics of an important but enigmatic cell type, the chandelier cell. 🧵1
🔬 💻 Using large-scale #electronmicroscopy with automated segmentation, we mapped the complete axo-axonic input onto pyramidal neurons (1,929 synapses in total, 1,127 from chandelier cells) in a volume of layer 2/3 of mouse visual cortex. #ImagingTheFuture#BrainMapping🧵2
By completely reconstructing the presynaptic chandelier cells, we found a novel principle of connectivity, where a group of interneurons are essentially interchangeable, but their postsynaptic targets individually regulate the amount of input they receive from the population. 🧵3
Meanwhile, @junzhuang3 devised a way to measure the activity of chandelier cells during behavior while @anirban6908 and @BrainiacCostas brought together both structural and functional data to model the impact of chandelier cells on the neurons they target. 🧵4
Beyond the specific discoveries regarding the structure and function of chandelier cells, this work will serve as a framework for how cell-type specific connectivity will be studied with modern methods of anatomy, genetics and modeling. 🧵5
The EM dataset, proofread segmentations, and synaptic connectivity used for this study is fully open and available at microns-explorer.org. #openscience 🧵6
Scientists have seen previous links between inflammation and long #COVID, but the new study – out today in @NatureComms – is the first to trace the persistence of these inflammatory markers over time in the same patients. (2/5) nature.com/articles/s4146…
Out of 55 patients with long #COVID, ~2/3 had persistently high levels of certain signals of inflammation. The Allen Institute team was able to differentiate two kinds of #LongCOVID, inflammatory long COVID (in red) and non-inflammatory (in blue). (3/5)
This #openscience data examines the specific types of brain cells that die off or change in #Alzheimers disease. These insights could lead to better therapies to slow or halt the disease’s progression. #endALZ#AllenImpact 🧵3
Announcing 23 Allen Distinguished Investigator awards —representing $15.5M in total funding— aiming to advance #FrontierScience in: neural circuits of under-studied organisms, advances in mammalian synthetic biology & micropeptides involved in immunity 🧵1 alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/fro…
Allen Distinguished Investigator Robyn Crook @SFStateBIO is leading a project to study the neural control of movement in cephalopods, animals that have the most complicated nervous systems of the invertebrate world. #FrontierScience 🐙 alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/fro… 🧵 2
Brain mapping requires thorough synaptic measurements with diverse subclasses of neurons. Check out our latest #neuroscience publication: “Synaptic connectivity to L2/3 of primary visual cortex measured by two-photon #optogenetic stimulation”
📄 elifesciences.org/articles/71103 🧵 1
The reliability of multiphoton optogenetic stimulation was measured across Cre lines & connectivity measurements were verified by #patchclamp recordings 🧵 3
In a new study out in @nature, our researchers make a big step forward in our quest to map the brain. Study findings lay the groundwork to better understand brain disorders & diseases such as #Alzheimers and #schizophrenia.
This new study describes a high-resolution expansion of our #openscience Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas-- the most detailed map of connections in a mammalian brain to date. Access via: connectivity.brain-map.org
Using a computational approach, our researchers found that different sections of the cortex and thalamus can be mapped into a hierarchy, much like a company’s org chart – although not all connections followed this hierarchical structure. #brainmapping