Injection of an anterograde virus in HIPP will express hChR2, a cation channel sensitive to blue light, in cortical targets. Fresh cortical slices are then laid on a MEA to record neural activity while we stimulate hCrR2-expressing HIPP axonal terminals targeting cortical layers, to study its anatomical distribution, and pharmacological sensitivity to blockers of the major synaptic conductances (AMPA, NMDA, GABAa).

HIPP axons stimulate preferentially deep ACC and superficial RSC layers in vitro.