Functional neuronal topography: A statistical approach to micro mapping neuronal location

In order to understand the relationship between neuronal organization and behavior, precise methods that identify and quantify functional cellular ensembles are required. This is especially true in the quest to understand the mechanisms of memory. Brain structures involved in memory formation and storage, as well as the molecular determinates of memory are well-known, however, the microanatomy of functional neuronal networks remain largely unidentified. We developed a novel approach to statistically map molecular markers in neuronal networks through quantitative topographic measurement. Brain nuclei and their subdivisions are well-defined – our approach allows for the identification of new functional micro-regions within established subdivisions. A set of analytic methods relevant for measurement of discrete neuronal data across a diverse range of brain subdivisions are presented. We provide a methodology for the measurement and quantitative comparison of functional micro-neural network activity based on immunohistochemical markers matched across individual brains using micro-binning and heat mapping within brain sub-nuclei. These techniques were applied to the measurement of different memory traces, allowing for greater understanding of the functional encoding within sub-nuclei and its behavior mediated change. These approaches can be used to understand other functional and behavioral questions, including sub-circuit organization, normal memory function and the complexities of pathology. Precise micro-mapping of functional neuronal topography provides essential data to decode network activity underlying behavior.