Designing low-cost, customizable high-density probes for acute and chronic neural recordings in rodents

Neural Dynamics Technologies Inc., Newton MA

Investigators

Abstract

SF424 ? Project Summary Understanding how the brain generates certain behaviors requires an understanding of the function of individual neurons in dynamical neural circuits. Currently, there are few technologies available however that allow researchers to record both the activity within a brain region, and between brain regions in the brains of awake, behaving animals. Recent advances in microelectrode fabrication are now enabling recordings of recording hundreds to thousands of neurons simultaneously across brain regions that will lead to functional analyses of dynamical neural circuits. To date however, there are no commercially available low-cost solutions for these kinds of revolutionary high-density probes. In addition, currently available high-density probes do not offer customization in design and layout. Neural Dynamics Technologies will develop low-cost, highly customizable, high-density probes for acute and chronic experiments in rodent in close collaboration with MIT. These probes are innovative because they rely on a new fabrication process that allows for both customization in probe design and low-cost fabrication. Furthermore, our probes will be made compatible for integration with existing commercial amplifier systems that are standardly used for both acute and chronic experiments in rodents. The first aim of this proposal is to streamline the design process of high-density probes such that the fabrication process will be ready to produce a wide variety of probe designs at low cost. The second aim will involve streamlining the production methods to enable fabrication of customizable probes with broad compatibility with existing commercial amplifier systems, which will allow neuroscience labs to use the probes with their existing equipment and analysis methods.