Concepts¶
Neuroscience experiments typically structure a repeatable protocol around a single recording session. A session might be explicitly defined as the time period in which an acquisition system is used to collect neural signal data from a unique subject. A session might include multiple recordings across data modalities or over time. Sessions are typically limited, however, to a single subject; this assumption has been encoded in the standard relationship between Element Animal and Element Session.
This Element is a minimal schema with relatively few tables to describe the experiment session (e.g., data and time, experimenter, subject reference), the project in which the sessions may belong to (e.g., DOI, keywords, etc.), and the data directory for each session.
Precursor Projects¶
All DataJoint pipelines have some form of a session schema or tables. The session table is typically in the upstream part of the pipeline, referencing the subject and serving as a common node to which all other modalities connect and expand downstream (e.g. ephys, imaging, video tracking, behavioral events, etc.).
Element Architecture¶
Each node in the following diagram represents the analysis code in the workflow for Element Session and corresponding table in the database. Within the workflow, Element Session directly connects to upstream Element Animal, and indirectly connects to upstream schemas Project and User.
This Element offer two schema, which differ in how sessions are uniquely identified.
Researchers who wish to keep track of sessions based on when they occurred should use
session_with_datetime. Researchers wo would prefer unique integer IDs can use
session_with_id.
subject schema¶
| Table | Description |
|---|---|
| Subject | Basic information of the research subject |
session schema (APIs: datetime or ID)¶
| Table | Description |
|---|---|
| Session | Stores session information with unique datetimes or numerical IDs |
| SessionDirectory | A collection paths to data directory for a session |
| SessionExperimenter | A record of individual(s) conducting session |
| SessionNote | Stores notes related to sessions |
| ProjectSession | Stores session information associated with a project |
Roadmap¶
Further development of this Element is community driven. Upon user requests and based on guidance from the Scientific Steering Group we will add features to this Element.