Tangential distribution analysis

Tangential Distribution Analysis is used to obtain data about length and distribution in virtual/anatomical regions.

How it works

In Neurolucida, draw a closed contour in the XY plane around the neuron you want to analyze. The contour's Z coordinate doesn't matter.

In Neurolucida Explorer, the contour is treated as a 3D volume divided into equal size analysis bins. The volume's depth is infinite in Z. The bins are generated along the long axis of the contour, or along the X or Y axis.

Procedure

Select the contour, cell body, and trees.
Click Anatomical from the Analyze ribbon and choose Tangential Distribution Analysis from the drop-down menu.
- Select the branched structure type to analyze and click Display. The Tangential Distribution Analysis window appears.
  Bin Size: Length of the bin.
  Center First Bin About Soma: If checked, the first bin is centered at the center point of the cell body; if unchecked, the first bin is based on the contour.
  Automatic Orientation With Contour: The bins are created along the long axis of the closed contour. Width Modifications is enabled.
  Bins Parallel to X/Y-axis: The bins are arranged along the specified axis.

Analysis results

Start: Beginning of the bin.
End: End of the bin.
Length: Length of the trees within a given bin.
Percent: Percentage of all the trees in a given bin.

Reference

Bender, K. J., Rangel, J., & Feldman, D. E. (2003). Development of Columnar Topography in the Excitatory Layer 4 to Layer 2/3 Projection in Rat Barrel Cortex. The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 23(25), 8759–8770.