Microwire microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have been a popular low-cost tool for chronic electrophysiological recordings and are an inexpensive means to record the electrical dynamics crucial to brain function. However, both the fabrication and implantation procedures for multi-MEAs on a single rodent are time-consuming and the accuracy and quality are highly manual skill-dependent. To address the fabrication and implantation challenges for microwire MEAs, (1) a computer-aided designed and 3D printed skull cap for the pre-determined implantation locations of each MEA and (2) a benchtop fabrication approach for low-cost custom microwire MEAs were developed. A proof-of-concept design of a 32-channel 4-MEA (8-wire each) recording system was prototyped and tested through Sprague Dawley rat recordings. The skull cap design, based on the CT-scan of a single rat conforms well with multiple Sprague Dawley rats of various sizes, ages, and weight with a minimal bregma alignment error (A/P axis standard error of the mean = 0.25 mm, M/L axis standard error of the mean = 0.07 mm, n = 6). The prototyped 32-channel system was able to record the spiking activities over five months. The developed benchtop fabrication method and the 3D printed skull cap implantation platform would enable neuroscience groups to conduct in-house design, fabrication, and implantation of customizable microwire MEAs at a lower cost than the current commercial options and experience a shorter lead time for the design modifications and iterations.
Microwire microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have been a popular low-cost tool for chronic electrophysiological recordings. Multi-MEA implantations can reveal electrical dynamics crucial to brain function. However, both the fabrication and implantation procedures for multi-MEAs on a single rodent are time-consuming and highly manual skill-dependent for quality. To enable in-house design, fabrication, and implantation of custom microwire MEAs, we developed (1) a computer-aided designed and 3D printed skull cap for pre-determined implantation locations of each MEA and (2) a benchtop fabrication approach for low-cost custom microwire MEAs. A proof-of-concept design of 32-channel 4-MEA (8-wire each) recording system was prototyped and tested through Sprague Dawley rat recordings. The skull cap design based on CT-scan of single rat conforms well with multiple Sprague Dawley rats of various size, age, and weight with minimal bregma alignment error. The prototyped 32-channel system were able to record spiking activities over 5 months. In comparison with conventional stereotactic surgeries, the skull cap system simplifies the implantation location alignment for each MEA by embedding them into the pre-printed designs, thus dramatically reducing the surgical time and effort and increasing the accuracy and repeatability. Compared to commercially available custom microwire MEAs, this in-house fabrication method enables neuroscience labs to create a custom recording apparatus with lower cost and shorter lead time for design modifications. A new methodology for neuroscience labs to fabricate and insert custom microwire MEAs has been developed and it could be easily generalized to enable low-cost highly-custom multi-region recording/stimulation studies.
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