Presentation Details
Employing two-photon imaging and holographic stimulation to probe the cellular basis of odor engrams in the hippocampus.

Kira A.Steinke, Gregory Futia, Connor McCullough, Emily A.Gibson, Diego Restrepo.

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA

Abstract


Memory-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's and dementia, are a growing concern in the United States, affecting approximately 6.5 million people in 2023 and ranking as the second most significant neurological burden in the country, with trends suggesting these numbers will increase. A hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s is the lost sense of smell, highlighting important connections between memory and olfaction. Thus, it is increasingly relevant to study the biological processes underlying memory formation and recall in olfactory settings. An emerging model for memory encoding and retrieval is cellular priming and pattern completion for the recall of episodic memories, where memory engrams represent encoded experiences. However, there has been a lack of studies focusing on targeted, holographic replay of olfactory engram cells encoding learned behavioral responses. This research focuses on memory engrams formed in the hippocampus, particularly in dorsal CA1 (dCA1), as critical players in temporal learning and memory, as dCA1 has been shown to track changes in cue-outcome associations over time. We have developed a method for simultaneous calcium imaging and holographic optogenetic stimulation in neurons co-expressing GCaMP and ChRmine in stratum pyramidale neurons of dCA1. Our research focuses on both excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons, as they both play crucial, but differential roles in olfactory-based learning and decision making. This research will provide valuable insights into the fundamental processes underlying memory formation and recall, shedding light on the neural mechanisms that may be compromised in memory-related diseases and opening new avenues for potential interventions. 

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