A split microdrive for simultaneous multi-electrode recordings from two brain areas in awake small animals

A new type of recording chamber with an easy-to-exchange microdrive array for chronic recordings in macaque monkeys

“…Moving chronically implanted microelectrodes has been used previously in small animals (Fee and Leonardo 2001;Haiss et al 2010;Lansink et al 2007;Muthuswamy et al 2005;Sato et al 2007;Swadlow et al 2005;Wilson and McNaughton 1993;Yamamoto and Wilson 2008) as well as nonhuman primates (Cham et al 2005;deCharms et al 1999;Eliades and Wang 2008;Hoffman and McNaughton 2002;Jackson and Fetz 2007) and offers the possibility to pass the glial sheath surrounding the tip of the microelectrode. Replacing the electrodes provides the possibility to continue the experiment with fully intact electrodes once the old ones indicate mechanical damage, broken electrical connection, or reduced impedance.…”

Learning-Associated Gamma-Band Phase-Locking of Action–Outcome Selective Neurons in Orbitofrontal Cortex

“…A microdrive, holding 14 individually moveable electrode drivers, was chronically implanted onto a craniotomy (2 mm diameter) in the left hemisphere dorsal to the OFC at 3.4 -3.6 mm anterior and 3.0 -3.2 mm lateral to bregma. The drivers were loaded with 12 tetrodes and two reference electrodes, circularly spaced (Gothard et al, 1996;Lansink et al, 2007) with distances between adjacent tetrodes at 300 m, not taking into account slight offsets in dorsoventral position. Using dental cement, the drive was anchored to six stainless steel screws, one of which was positioned in the left parietal bone and served as ground.…”

The Lantern: An ultra-light micro-drive for multi-tetrode recordings in mice and other small animals

“…This mechanism is considerably simplified and has a reduced number of parts with respect to the existing designs. For example, previous designs needed a second tubing attached to the electrode holder to prevent the capillary and tetrode from buckling (Gothard et al, 1996;Lansink et al, 2007). Because in the new design the path of the silica capillary is completely rectilinear, and friction is minimal, the need for this auxiliary tubing is obviated.…”

“…Because in the new design the path of the silica capillary is completely rectilinear, and friction is minimal, the need for this auxiliary tubing is obviated. Moreover, the drive body itself keeps the electrode holder in the proper horizontal bearing, effectively replacing the second supporting rod that was required in the progenitor drive designed for rats (Gothard et al, 1996;Lansink et al, 2007). The current drive mechanism allows each tetrode about 5 mm of useful travel range, covering the entire dorsoventral extent of a typical mouse brain.…”