Automated device for permitting free movement during simultaneous photometry and electrophysiology in mice

Benjamin J De Corte; Youngcho Kim; Kelsey A Heslin; John H Freeman; Eleanor H Simpson; Krystal L Parker; Peter D Balsam

doi:10.1038/s41592-026-03092-z

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Automated device for permitting free movement during simultaneous photometry and electrophysiology in mice

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Automated device for permitting free movement during simultaneous photometry and electrophysiology in mice

Benjamin J De Corte, Youngcho Kim, Kelsey A Heslin, John H Freeman, Eleanor H Simpson, Krystal L Parker and Peter D Balsam

Nature methods

05/11/2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41592-026-03092-z

PMID: 42115773

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Abstract

Photometry and electrophysiology are powerful tools for investigating brain-behavior relationships. Combining these techniques in freely moving animals would allow us to ask questions such as how neuromodulators impact neuronal firing rates during behavior. Current options are limited-requiring a substantial loss in data quality or restricting naturalistic movement. These drawbacks arise from engineering limits on devices that allow optically tethered subjects to move freely. Here we introduce a device that overcomes these challenges. Its automated orientation-tracking system allows subjects to move freely for multiple hours with minimal supervision and without sacrificing data quality. The device is modular and adaptable, being compatible with most recording systems and equipped for added functionality. To demonstrate its utility, we simultaneously tracked extracellular striatal dopamine and single-neuron firing as mice performed a reward-learning task. Mice showed excellent mobility and we observed robust trial-by-trial correlations between striatal firing and dopamine signaling.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Automated device for permitting free movement during simultaneous photometry and electrophysiology in mice
Creators: Benjamin J De Corte - Columbia University
Youngcho Kim - Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Iowa City, IA, USA
Kelsey A Heslin - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
John H Freeman - University of Iowa
Eleanor H Simpson - New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
Krystal L Parker - University of Iowa
Peter D Balsam - New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature methods
DOI: 10.1038/s41592-026-03092-z
PMID: 42115773
NLM abbreviation: Nat Methods
ISSN: 1548-7091
eISSN: 1548-7105
Publisher: Springer Nature
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 05/11/2026
Academic Unit: Neurology; Psychiatry; Office Of The Provost; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9985163699402771

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