Arousal as a Universal Embedding for Spatiotemporal Brain Dynamics

Explore a 25-minute video abstract presenting groundbreaking research on the relationship between arousal and brain dynamics. Delve into the hypothesis that a single scalar measurement of arousal, such as pupil diameter, can reconstruct complex spatiotemporal measurements of large-scale brain physiology. Examine the results of multimodal, cortex-wide optical imaging and behavioral monitoring in awake mice, demonstrating how neuronal calcium, metabolism, and blood-oxygen measurements can be accurately modeled using pupil diameter data. Discover how this framework extends to behavioral and electrophysiological measurements from the Allen Brain Observatory, integrating diverse experimental data into a unified generative model. Gain insights into the implications of this research for interpreting brain, body, and behavior observations across various modalities, contexts, and scales, challenging traditional interpretations of spontaneous brain fluctuations.