In vivo characterisation of photostimulation and slow-wave activity (SWA) manipulation

The cholinergic system is critically involved in the modulation of cognitive functions. The central role of acetylcholine in cognition seems to be related to the synchronization of gamma band oscillations: gamma band power increases in relation to working memory load and abnormal gamma oscillations are associated with cognitive deficits. It has been demonstrated that muscarinic agonists can improve the frequency, and decrease the duration and the power of slow waves (delta). This balance of neuromodulator levels plays a key role in sleep and memory (Vakalopoulos C et al., Front Neurosci 2014, 8, 63). Carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, has been shown to stabilize gamma frequency oscillations. To modulate brainwaves in neural circuits, IBEC, in collaboration with IDIBAPS, designed and prepared novel light-regulated agonists of muscarinic receptors, and tested their efficacy in cells and brain slices under different wavelengths of light irradiation. The data collected consists of 5 files. In this case, the main goal was to study the effect of the application of the PAI molecule (Phthalimide-Azo-Iperoxo) in the neural activity of the primary visual cortex of adult mice. Different concentrations of the PAI molecule were applied: 200nM and 1 uM.