{
  "abstract": "Optogenetic tools are indispensable for understanding the causal neural mechanisms underlying animal behavior, providing millisecond-precision control over genetically defined neural populations. Random-access laser-scanning optogenetics is a powerful and underutilized method for transiently manipulating cortical activity in mice. Despite the utility of this technique, no general-purpose open-source implementation currently exists, and potential users need expertise across optics, real-time hardware control, and programming. This represents a major barrier to adoption, particularly for newly established research groups. Here we present 'Zapit', the first open-source general-purpose platform for random-access laser-scanning optogenetic experiments in head-fixed mice. Zapit is fully documented, has a user-friendly GUI, works in stereotaxic coordinates, and comes with easy-to-build hardware options that extend functionality beyond any published system. We validate Zapit's performance through electrophysiological recordings and cortical photoinhibition in behaving mice. Zapit is a novel and innovative tool with the potential to democratize laser-scanning optogenetics and significantly increase uptake throughout the scientific community.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, UCL, London, United Kingdom.",
    "University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.",
    "Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL, London, United Kingdom."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 20,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Michael Lohse",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8864-0704"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Oliver M Gauld",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3317-2250"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Maja T Quigley",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-7524-5221"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ainiah Masood",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-1957-6531"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chaofei Bao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jingjie Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1605-0518"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nathaniel J Miska",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8587-4919"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Gerion Nabbefeld",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-5416-6352"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Quentin Pajot-Moric",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2371-2137"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Simon Townsend",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-5135-5957"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Peter Vincent"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Angela Y Yang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nikolaos Zervogiannis",
      "orcid": "0009-0009-4702-8071"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Athena Akrami",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5711-0903"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chunyu A Duan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3095-8653"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jeffrey C Erlich",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9073-7986"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sonja B Hofer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Thomas D Mrsic-Flogel",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8947-408X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Philip Coen",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1495-1061"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Robert A A Campbell",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8330-4477"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ppmq1e5vyf9r.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.7554/elife.111872",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13707375",
  "id": "9ppmq1e5vyf9r",
  "issns": [
    "2050-084X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42932446",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2804|Photoreceptor and optogenetics research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7170062634",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13707375?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13707375",
  "pmid": "42932446",
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ppmq1e5vyf9r.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:51Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42932446",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42932446"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2804|Photoreceptor and optogenetics research",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Open source laser-scanning photostimulation for neuroscience with Zapit.",
  "title_text": "Open source laser-scanning photostimulation for neuroscience with Zapit.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:51Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ppmq1e5vyf9r",
  "venue": "ELife",
  "versions": []
}