Preliminary evaluation of brain neural networks following chemogenetically-induced activation of the motor cortex in rats

Genetic and viral tools coupled with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques provide unique opportunities to investigate the functional neural networks in the rodent brain. Chemogenetic tools can be used to selectively activate or inhibit specific neural populations and their projections, and in combination with fMRI, can reveal the underlying mechanisms of brain activity. We present early resting-state and pharmacological fMRI results regarding CNO-mediated activation of the hM3Dq DREADD in the motor cortex of rats.