title: Whole-brain activity mapping onto a zebrafish brain atlas.
abstract: In order to localize the neural circuits involved in generating behaviors, it is necessary to assign activity onto anatomical maps of the nervous system. Using brain registration across hundreds of larval zebrafish, we have built an expandable open-source atlas containing molecular labels and definitions of anatomical regions, the Z-Brain. Using this platform and immunohistochemical detection of phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) as a readout of neural activity, we have developed a system to create and contextualize whole-brain maps of stimulus- and behavior-dependent neural activity. This mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP)-mapping assay is technically simple, and data analysis is completely automated. Because MAP-mapping is performed on freely swimming fish, it is applicable to studies of nearly any stimulus or behavior. Here we demonstrate our high-throughput approach using pharmacological, visual and noxious stimuli, as well as hunting and feeding. The resultant maps outline hundreds of areas associated with behaviors.
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Randlett
authors.forename: Caroline L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Eva A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.forename: Onyeka
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nnaemeka
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schoppik
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Portugues
authors.forename: Alix M B
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lacoste
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riegler
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Engert
authors.forename: Alexander F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Schier
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001331:Automation; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D013550:Swimming; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D002118:Calcium