A Novel High Channel-Count System for Acute Multisite Neuronal Recordings

Abstract

Multisite recording represents a suitable condition to study microphysiology and network interactions in the central nervous system and, therefore, to understand brain functions. Several different materials and array configurations have been proposed for the development of new probes utilized to record brain activity from experimental animal models. We describe new multisite silicon probes that broaden the currently available application base for neuroscientists. The array arrangement of the probes recording sites was extended to increase their spatial resolution. Probes were integrated with a newly developed electronic hardware and novel software for advanced real-time processing and analysis. The new system, based on 32- and 64-electrode silicon probes, proved very valuable to record field potentials and single unit activity from the olfactory-limbic cortex of the in vitro isolated guinea-pig brain preparation and to acutely record unit activity at multiple sites from the cerebellar cortex in vivo. The potential advantages of the new system in comparison to the currently available technology are discussed.

Fabrication and characterization of the flexible neural microprobes with improved structural design

“…Electrical stimulations of the retina [3] or the visual cortex [4] are intensively investigated and possible applications are considered to assist blinds. Many other attempts to construct neuroprosthetics or brain-computer interfaces have been reported in literature [5][6][7][8]. Such systems demand chronically implantable microelectrode arrays capable of stimulating a large number of closely located neurons and at the same time monitoring the activity of the targeted individual cells.…”

Multisite Microelectrodes for Use in Human Deep Brain Stimulation

“…hum noise) from the electrical environment of an operating room. The preamplifier output is connected to a 32 channel programmable gain main amplifier [7] with integrated patient isolation unit. The signal path of the recording system has a broad bandwidth (0.06Hz…15kHz) so that local field potentials as well as single units can be recorded from each of the 32 recording sites.…”

Semichronic, Collocated Deep Brain Stimulation and Multisite Recording in Rats

“…The front-end device is based on a PIC micro-controller, which controls amplification gain and 64 A/D converters in banks of eight. A receiving DSP-board for buffered acquisition and pre-processing is based on the TMS320C6701 TI processor house in a M67 board from Innovative Integration (Thousand Oaks, California) [15].…”