Methods to investigate the structure and connectivity of the nervous system

Abstract

Understanding the computations that take place in neural circuits requires identifying how neurons in those circuits are connected to one another. In addition, recent research indicates that aberrant neuronal wiring may be the cause of several neurodevelopmental disorders, further emphasizing the importance of identifying the wiring diagrams of brain circuits. To address this issue, several new approaches have been recently developed. In this review, we describe several methods that are currently available to investigate the structure and connectivity of the brain, and discuss their strengths and limitations.

Keywords

• brain circuit
• connectomics
• neuron
• synapse
• wiring diagram