Wavelet-based multi-resolution statistics for optical imaging signals: Application to automated detection of odour activated glomeruli in the mouse olfactory bulb.

Optical imaging techniques offer powerful solutions to capture brain networks processing in animals, especially when activity is distributed in functionally distinct spatial domains. Despite the progress in imaging techniques, the standard analysis procedures and statistical assessments for this type of data are still limited. In this paper, we perform two in vivo non-invasive optical recording techniques in the mouse olfactory bulb, using a genetically expressed activity reporter fluorescent protein (synaptopHfluorin) and intrinsic signals of the brain. For both imaging techniques, we show that the odour-triggered signals can be accurately parameterized using linear models. Fitting the models allows us to extract odour specific signals with a reduced level of noise compared to standard methods. In addition, the models serve to evaluate statistical significance, using a wavelet-based framework that exploits spatial correlation at different scales. We propose an extension of this framework to extract activation patterns at specific wavelet scales. This method is especially interesting to detect the odour inputs that segregate on the olfactory bulb in small spherical structures called glomeruli. Interestingly, with proper selection of wavelet scales, we can isolate significantly activated glomeruli and thus determine the odour map in an automated manner. Comparison against manual detection of glomeruli shows the high accuracy of the proposed method. Therefore, beyond the advantageous alternative to the existing treatments of optical imaging signals in general, our framework propose an interesting procedure to dissect brain activation patterns on multiple scales with statistical control.