Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have created a miniaturized microscope for real-time, high-resolution, non-invasive imaging of brain activity in mice. The device is a significant step toward revolutionizing how neuroscientists study the brain.

“What we are doing is creating technology to image brain activity in freely moving and behaving mice to open up the behavior paradigm,” said Weijian Yang, professor of electrical and computer engineering. “The goal is to create a device capable of enabling research into brain activity and behavior in mice in real time — to see how brain activity drives behavior or perception.”

The microscope will advance insights into how the brain works, which is expected to benefit human health by empowering the development of new and improved therapeutic strategies for brain disorders.

The first-of-its-kind imaging system, known as DeepInMiniscope, is described in a paper published Sept. 12 in Science Advances.