Methods for anterograde tracing of active circuits

The project aims to develop a new method for anterograde tracing from inhibitory neurons, building on a previously developed rational design for excitatory presynaptic neurons. This new method will be monosynaptic, activity-dependent, non-toxic, and provide genetic access to postsynaptic cells, specifically from genetically determined inhibitory starter cells without retrograde transmission. Additionally, an analogous tracer will be developed for cholinergic circuits, which are currently difficult to trace efficiently. Finally, a method will be developed for labeling and providing genetic access to cells that have been either excited or inhibited by specific presynaptic neurons over a prescribed time period, leveraging the unique activity dependence of the transsynaptic labeling techniques.