Holographic optical probing of the computing properties of single neurons

Neurons receive synaptic inputs via its dendrites and understanding the processing of those inputs as well as the influence of the dendrite’s non-linear properties are key components to decode the neuron’s computing power. Recent breakthroughs to understand dendritic function make use holographic structured illumination to stimulate and/or record dendritic activity either via photochemical or optogenetic tools. In this talk, I will summarize our efforts where we used holograms to probe the integrative and non-linear properties of dendrites of a neuron. Understanding the role of dendrites in neuronal function offer significant insights as to how these neurons function as tiny computers in the brain.