Refining optogenetic methods to map synaptic connections in the brain

A fundamental question in neuroscience is how neuronal circuits give rise to brain function, as disruptions in these connections can lead to brain disorders. Translating the rules governing the functional organization of neural circuits requires knowledge of the synaptic connections among identified classes of neurons as well as the strength and dynamics of these connections. Researchers now report that they have optimized optogenetics to map the neural circuits of the brain of rodents with sing...