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Pascual D, Brauns L, Domes R, Tisler M, Kögel M, Stumpf A, Kirschniak A, Rolinger J, Kraushaar U, Jones PD. A flexible implant for acute intrapancreatic electrophysiology. Biomed Microdevices 2023; 25:35. [PMID: 37646842 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-023-00662-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have proven to be a powerful tool to study electrophysiological processes over the last decades with most technology developed for investigation of the heart or brain. Other targets in the field of bioelectronic medicine are the peripheral nervous system and its innervation of various organs. Beyond the heart and nervous systems, the beta cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans generate action potentials during the production of insulin. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that their activity is a biomarker for blood glucose levels, suggesting that recording their activity in vivo could support patients suffering from diabetes mellitus with long-term automated read-out of blood glucose concentrations. Here, we present a flexible polymer-based implant having 64 low impedance microelectrodes designed to be implanted to a depth of 10 mm into the pancreas. As a first step, the implant will be used in acute experiments in pigs to explore the electrophysiological processes of the pancreas in vivo. Beyond use in the pancreas, our flexible implant and simple implantation method may also be used in other organs such as the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenic Pascual
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Lisa Brauns
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Ruth Domes
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | | | - Marco Kögel
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Angelika Stumpf
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kirschniak
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Maria Hilf Hospital Mönchengladbach, Mönchengladbach, Germany
| | - Jens Rolinger
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Maria Hilf Hospital Mönchengladbach, Mönchengladbach, Germany
| | - Udo Kraushaar
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Peter D Jones
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany.
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2
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Wang Y, Yang X, Zhang X, Wang Y, Pei W. Implantable intracortical microelectrodes: reviewing the present with a focus on the future. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:7. [PMID: 36620394 PMCID: PMC9814492 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00451-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Implantable intracortical microelectrodes can record a neuron's rapidly changing action potentials (spikes). In vivo neural activity recording methods often have either high temporal or spatial resolution, but not both. There is an increasing need to record more neurons over a longer duration in vivo. However, there remain many challenges to overcome before achieving long-term, stable, high-quality recordings and realizing comprehensive, accurate brain activity analysis. Based on the vision of an idealized implantable microelectrode device, the performance requirements for microelectrodes are divided into four aspects, including recording quality, recording stability, recording throughput, and multifunctionality, which are presented in order of importance. The challenges and current possible solutions for implantable microelectrodes are given from the perspective of each aspect. The current developments in microelectrode technology are analyzed and summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xinze Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xiwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, 102206 Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
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3
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Luo J, Xue N, Chen J. A Review: Research Progress of Neural Probes for Brain Research and Brain-Computer Interface. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12121167. [PMID: 36551135 PMCID: PMC9775442 DOI: 10.3390/bios12121167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Neural probes, as an invasive physiological tool at the mesoscopic scale, can decipher the code of brain connections and communications from the cellular or even molecular level, and realize information fusion between the human body and external machines. In addition to traditional electrodes, two new types of neural probes have been developed in recent years: optoprobes based on optogenetics and magnetrodes that record neural magnetic signals. In this review, we give a comprehensive overview of these three kinds of neural probes. We firstly discuss the development of microelectrodes and strategies for their flexibility, which is mainly represented by the selection of flexible substrates and new electrode materials. Subsequently, the concept of optogenetics is introduced, followed by the review of several novel structures of optoprobes, which are divided into multifunctional optoprobes integrated with microfluidic channels, artifact-free optoprobes, three-dimensional drivable optoprobes, and flexible optoprobes. At last, we introduce the fundamental perspectives of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors and then review the research progress of magnetrodes based on it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ning Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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4
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He F, Sun Y, Jin Y, Yin R, Zhu H, Rathore H, Xie C, Luan L. Longitudinal neural and vascular recovery following ultraflexible neural electrode implantation in aged mice. Biomaterials 2022; 291:121905. [PMID: 36403326 PMCID: PMC9701172 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Flexible neural electrodes improve the recording longevity and quality of individual neurons by promoting tissue-electrode integration. However, the intracortical implantation of flexible electrodes inevitably induces tissue damage. Understanding the longitudinal neural and vascular recovery following the intracortical implantation is critical for the ever-growing applications of flexible electrodes in both healthy and disordered brains. Aged animals are of particular interest because they play a key role in modeling neurological disorders, but their tissue-electrode interface remains mostly unstudied. Here we integrate in-vivo two-photon imaging and electrophysiological recording to determine the time-dependent neural and vascular dynamics after the implantation of ultraflexible neural electrodes in aged mice. We find heightened angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in the first two weeks after implantation, which coincides with the rapid increase in local field potentials and unit activities detected by electrophysiological recordings. Vascular remodeling in shallow cortical layers preceded that in deeper layers, which often lasted longer than the recovery of neural signals. By six weeks post-implantation vascular abnormalities had subsided, resulting in normal vasculature and microcirculation. Putative cell classification based on firing pattern and waveform shows similar recovery time courses in fast-spiking interneurons and pyramidal neurons. These results elucidate how structural damages and remodeling near implants affecting recording efficacy, and support the application of ultraflexible electrodes in aged animals at minimal perturbations to endogenous neurophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Yingchu Sun
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Yifu Jin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Rongkang Yin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Hanlin Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Haad Rathore
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Applied Physics Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, USA
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, USA.
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5
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Yin R, Noble BC, He F, Zolotavin P, Rathore H, Jin Y, Sevilla N, Xie C, Luan L. Chronic co-implantation of ultraflexible neural electrodes and a cranial window. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:032204. [PMID: 35036472 PMCID: PMC8756486 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.3.032204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Significance: Electrophysiological recording and optical imaging are two prevalent neurotechnologies with complementary strengths, the combined application of which can significantly improve our capacity in deciphering neural circuits. Flexible electrode arrays can support longitudinal optical imaging in the same brain region, but their mechanical flexibility makes surgical preparation challenging. Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol by which an ultraflexible nanoelectronic thread is co-implanted with a cranial window in a single surgery to enable chronic, dual-modal measurements. Aim: The method uses 1 - μ m -thick polymer neural electrodes which conform to the site of implantation. The mechanical flexibility of the probe allows bending without breaking and enables long-lasting electrophysiological recordings of single-unit activities and concurrent, high-resolution optical imaging through the cranial window. Approach: The protocol describes methods and procedures to co-implant an ultraflexible electrode array and a glass cranial window in the mouse neocortex. The implantation strategy includes temporary attachment of flexible electrodes to a retractable tungsten-microwire insertion shuttle, craniotomy, stereotaxic insertion of the electrode array, skull fixation of the cranial window and electrode, and installation of a head plate. Results: The resultant implant allows simultaneous interrogation of brain activity both electrophysiologically and optically for several months. Importantly, a variety of optical imaging modalities, including wide-field fluorescent imaging, two-photon microscopy, and functional optical imaging, can be readily applied to the specific brain region where ultraflexible electrodes record from. Conclusions: The protocol describes a method for co-implantation of ultraflexible neural electrodes and a cranial window for chronic, multimodal measurements of brain activity in mice. Device preparation and surgical implantation are described in detail to guide the adaptation of these methods for other flexible neural implants and cranial windows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongkang Yin
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Brian C. Noble
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Applied Physics Graduate Program, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Fei He
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Pavlo Zolotavin
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Haad Rathore
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Applied Physics Graduate Program, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Yifu Jin
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Nicole Sevilla
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Department of Bioengineering, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Chong Xie
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Department of Bioengineering, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Lan Luan
- Rice University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Houston, Texas, United States
- Rice University, Department of Bioengineering, Houston, Texas, United States
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6
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Wei C, Wang Y, Pei W, Han X, Lin L, Liu Z, Ming G, Chen R, Wu P, Yang X, Zheng L, Wang Y. Distributed implantation of a flexible microelectrode array for neural recording. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:50. [PMID: 35572780 PMCID: PMC9098495 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00366-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Flexible multichannel electrode arrays (fMEAs) with multiple filaments can be flexibly implanted in various patterns. It is necessary to develop a method for implanting the fMEA in different locations and at various depths based on the recording demands. This study proposed a strategy for reducing the microelectrode volume with integrated packaging. An implantation system was developed specifically for semiautomatic distributed implantation. The feasibility and convenience of the fMEA and implantation platform were verified in rodents. The acute and chronic recording results provied the effectiveness of the packaging and implantation methods. These methods could provide a novel strategy for developing fMEAs with more filaments and recording sites to measure functional interactions across multiple brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- School of Microelectronics, University of Sciences and Technology of China, 230000 Hefei, China
| | - Weihua Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Xinyong Han
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190 Beijing, China
| | - Longnian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiduo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Gege Ming
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Ruru Chen
- Brain Machine Fusion Intelligence Institute, 215131 Suzhou, China
| | - Pingping Wu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190 Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Li Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083 Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, 102206 Beijing, China
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7
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Zhao H, Liu R, Zhang H, Cao P, Liu Z, Li Y. Research Progress on the Flexibility of an Implantable Neural Microelectrode. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:386. [PMID: 35334680 PMCID: PMC8954487 DOI: 10.3390/mi13030386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neural microelectrode is the important bridge of information exchange between the human body and machines. By recording and transmitting nerve signals with electrodes, people can control the external machines. At the same time, using electrodes to electrically stimulate nerve tissue, people with long-term brain diseases will be safely and reliably treated. Young's modulus of the traditional rigid electrode probe is not matched well with that of biological tissue, and tissue immune rejection is easy to generate, resulting in the electrode not being able to achieve long-term safety and reliable working. In recent years, the choice of flexible materials and design of electrode structures can achieve modulus matching between electrode and biological tissue, and tissue damage is decreased. This review discusses nerve microelectrodes based on flexible electrode materials and substrate materials. Simultaneously, different structural designs of neural microelectrodes are reviewed. However, flexible electrode probes are difficult to implant into the brain. Only with the aid of certain auxiliary devices, can the implant be safe and reliable. The implantation method of the nerve microelectrode is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiqing Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Ruping Liu
- Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Huiling Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Peng Cao
- Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Zilong Liu
- Division of Optics, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ye Li
- Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
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8
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Cointe C, Laborde A, Nowak LG, Arvanitis DN, Bourrier D, Bergaud C, Maziz A. Scalable batch fabrication of ultrathin flexible neural probes using a bioresorbable silk layer. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:21. [PMID: 35251687 PMCID: PMC8847482 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00353-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Flexible intracerebral probes for neural recording and electrical stimulation have been the focus of many research works to achieve better compliance with the surrounding tissue while minimizing rejection. Strategies have been explored to find the best way to insert flexible probes into the brain while maintaining their flexibility once positioned. Here, we present a novel and versatile scalable batch fabrication approach to deliver ultrathin and flexible probes consisting of a silk-parylene bilayer. The biodegradable silk layer, whose degradation time is programmable, provides a temporary and programmable stiffener to allow the insertion of ultrathin parylene-based flexible devices. Our innovative and robust batch fabrication technology allows complete freedom over probe design in terms of materials, size, shape, and thickness. We demonstrate successful ex vivo insertion of the probe with acute high-fidelity recordings of epileptic seizures in field potentials as well as single-unit action potentials in mouse brain slices. Our novel technological solution for implanting ultraflexible devices in the brain while minimizing rejection risks shows high potential for use in both brain research and clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement Cointe
- LAAS-CNRS, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Adrian Laborde
- LAAS-CNRS, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Lionel G. Nowak
- CerCo, Université Toulouse 3, CNRS, Pavillon Baudot, CHU Purpan, BP 25202, 31052 Toulouse, France
| | - Dina N. Arvanitis
- UMR Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale 1048, Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires, Toulouse, France
| | - David Bourrier
- LAAS-CNRS, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Ali Maziz
- LAAS-CNRS, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31400 Toulouse, France
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9
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Kilias A, Lee YT, Froriep UP, Sielaff C, Moser D, Holzhammer T, Egert U, Fang W, Paul O, Ruther P. Intracortical probe arrays with silicon backbone and microelectrodes on thin polyimide wings enable long-term stable recordings in vivo. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34781276 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac39b7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Recording and stimulating neuronal activity across different brain regions requires interfacing at multiple sites using dedicated tools while tissue reactions at the recording sites often prevent their successful long-term application. This implies the technological challenge of developing complex probe geometries while keeping the overall footprint minimal, and of selecting materials compatible with neural tissue. While the potential of soft materials in reducing tissue response is uncontested, the implantation of these materials is often limited to reliably target neuronal structures across large brain volumes.Approach.We report on the development of a new multi-electrode array exploiting the advantages of soft and stiff materials by combining 7-µm-thin polyimide wings carrying platinum electrodes with a silicon backbone enabling a safe probe implantation. The probe fabrication applies microsystems technologies in combination with a temporal wafer fixation method for rear side processing, i.e. grinding and deep reactive ion etching, of slender probe shanks and electrode wings. The wing-type neural probes are chronically implanted into the entorhinal-hippocampal formation in the mouse forin vivorecordings of freely behaving animals.Main results.Probes comprising the novel wing-type electrodes have been realized and characterized in view of their electrical performance and insertion capability. Chronic electrophysiologicalin vivorecordings of the entorhinal-hippocampal network in the mouse of up to 104 days demonstrated a stable yield of channels containing identifiable multi-unit and single-unit activity outperforming probes with electrodes residing on a Si backbone.Significance.The innovative fabrication process using a process compatible, temporary wafer bonding allowed to realize new Michigan-style probe arrays. The wing-type probe design enables a precise probe insertion into brain tissue and long-term stable recordings of unit activity due to the application of a stable backbone and 7-µm-thin probe wings provoking locally a minimal tissue response and protruding from the glial scare of the backbone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antje Kilias
- Biomicrotechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Yu-Tao Lee
- Microsystem Materials Laboratory, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of NanoEngineering and Microsystems, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ulrich P Froriep
- Biomicrotechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Implant Systems, Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
| | - Charlotte Sielaff
- Department of Implant Systems, Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dominik Moser
- Microsystem Materials Laboratory, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Holzhammer
- Microsystem Materials Laboratory, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Egert
- Biomicrotechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Weileun Fang
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
| | - Oliver Paul
- Microsystem Materials Laboratory, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Ruther
- Microsystem Materials Laboratory, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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10
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Liu X, Bibineyshvili Y, Robles DA, Boreland AJ, Margolis DJ, Shreiber DI, Zahn JD. Fabrication of a Multilayer Implantable Cortical Microelectrode Probe to Improve Recording Potential. JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS : A JOINT IEEE AND ASME PUBLICATION ON MICROSTRUCTURES, MICROACTUATORS, MICROSENSORS, AND MICROSYSTEMS 2021; 30:569-581. [PMID: 34539168 PMCID: PMC8445332 DOI: 10.1109/jmems.2021.3092230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Intracortical neural probes are a key enabling technology for acquiring high fidelity neural signals within the cortex. They are viewed as a crucial component of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in order to record electrical activities from neurons within the brain. Smaller, more flexible, polymer-based probes have been investigated for their potential to limit the acute and chronic neural tissue response. Conventional methods of patterning electrodes and connecting traces on a single supporting layer can limit the number of recording sites which can be defined, particularly when designing narrower probes. We present a novel strategy of increasing the number of recording sites without proportionally increasing the size of the probe by using a multilayer fabrication process to vertically layer recording traces on multiple Parylene support layers, allowing more recording traces to be defined on a smaller probe width. Using this approach, we are able to define 16 electrodes on 4 supporting layers (4 electrodes per layer), each with a 30 μm diameter recording window and 5 μm wide connecting trace defined by conventional LWUV lithography, on an 80 μm wide by 9 μm thick microprobe. Prior to in vitro and in vivo validation, the multilayer probes are electrically characterized via impedance spectroscopy and evaluating crosstalk between adjacent layers. Demonstration of acute in vitro recordings in a cerebral organoid model and in vivo recordings in a murine model indicate the probe's capability for single unit recordings. This work demonstrates the ability to fabricate smaller, more compliant neural probes without sacrificing electrode density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - Yelena Bibineyshvili
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - Denise A Robles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - Andrew J Boreland
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - David J Margolis
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - David I Shreiber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
| | - Jeffrey D Zahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
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11
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Khalifa A, Eisape A, Coughlin B, Cash S. A simple method for implanting free-floating microdevices into the nervous tissue. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33827069 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abf590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective. Free-floating implantable neural interfaces are an emerging powerful paradigm for mapping and modulation of brain activity. Minuscule wirelessly-powered devices have the potential to provide minimally-invasive interactions with neurons in chronic research and medical applications. However, these devices face a seemingly simple problem-how can they be placed into nervous tissue rapidly, efficiently and in an essentially arbitrary location?Approach. We introduce a novel injection tool and describe a controlled injection approach that minimizes damage to the tissue.Main results.To validate the needle injectable tool and the presented delivery approach, we evaluate the spatial precision and rotational alignment of the microdevices injected into agarose, brain, and sciatic nerve with the aid of tissue clearing and MRI imaging. In this research, we limited the number of injections into the brain to four per rat as we are using microdevices that are designed for an adult head size on a rat model. We then present immunohistology data to assess the damage caused by the needle.Significance. By virtue of its simplicity, the proposed injection method can be used to inject microdevices of all sizes and shapes and will do so in a fast, minimally-invasive, and cost-effective manner. As a result, the introduced technique can be broadly used to accelerate the validation of these next-generation types of electrodes in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Khalifa
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Adebayo Eisape
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States of America
| | - Brian Coughlin
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
| | - Sydney Cash
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States of America
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12
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Thielen B, Meng E. A comparison of insertion methods for surgical placement of penetrating neural interfaces. J Neural Eng 2021; 18:10.1088/1741-2552/abf6f2. [PMID: 33845469 PMCID: PMC8600966 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abf6f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many implantable electrode arrays exist for the purpose of stimulating or recording electrical activity in brain, spinal, or peripheral nerve tissue, however most of these devices are constructed from materials that are mechanically rigid. A growing body of evidence suggests that the chronic presence of these rigid probes in the neural tissue causes a significant immune response and glial encapsulation of the probes, which in turn leads to gradual increase in distance between the electrodes and surrounding neurons. In recording electrodes, the consequence is the loss of signal quality and, therefore, the inability to collect electrophysiological recordings long term. In stimulation electrodes, higher current injection is required to achieve a comparable response which can lead to tissue and electrode damage. To minimize the impact of the immune response, flexible neural probes constructed with softer materials have been developed. These flexible probes, however, are often not strong enough to be inserted on their own into the tissue, and instead fail via mechanical buckling of the shank under the force of insertion. Several strategies have been developed to allow the insertion of flexible probes while minimizing tissue damage. It is critical to keep these strategies in mind during probe design in order to ensure successful surgical placement. In this review, existing insertion strategies will be presented and evaluated with respect to surgical difficulty, immune response, ability to reach the target tissue, and overall limitations of the technique. Overall, the majority of these insertion techniques have only been evaluated for the insertion of a single probe and do not quantify the accuracy of probe placement. More work needs to be performed to evaluate and optimize insertion methods for accurate placement of devices and for devices with multiple probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Thielen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Ellis Meng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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13
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Hybrid Multisite Silicon Neural Probe with Integrated Flexible Connector for Interchangeable Packaging. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21082605. [PMID: 33917654 PMCID: PMC8068078 DOI: 10.3390/s21082605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Multisite neural probes are a fundamental tool to study brain function. Hybrid silicon/polymer neural probes combine rigid silicon and flexible polymer parts into one single device and allow, for example, the precise integration of complex probe geometries, such as multishank designs, with flexible biocompatible cabling. Despite these advantages and benefiting from highly reproducible fabrication methods on both silicon and polymer substrates, they have not been widely available. This paper presents the development, fabrication, characterization, and in vivo electrophysiological assessment of a hybrid multisite multishank silicon probe with a monolithically integrated polyimide flexible interconnect cable. The fabrication process was optimized at wafer level, and several neural probes with 64 gold electrode sites equally distributed along 8 shanks with an integrated 8 µm thick highly flexible polyimide interconnect cable were produced. The monolithic integration of the polyimide cable in the same fabrication process removed the necessity of the postfabrication bonding of the cable to the probe. This is the highest electrode site density and thinnest flexible cable ever reported for a hybrid silicon/polymer probe. Additionally, to avoid the time-consuming bonding of the probe to definitive packaging, the flexible cable was designed to terminate in a connector pad that can mate with commercial zero-insertion force (ZIF) connectors for electronics interfacing. This allows great experimental flexibility because interchangeable packaging can be used according to experimental demands. High-density distributed in vivo electrophysiological recordings were obtained from the hybrid neural probes with low intrinsic noise and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
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14
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Vandekerckhove B, Missinne J, Vonck K, Bauwens P, Verplancke R, Boon P, Raedt R, Vanfleteren J. Technological Challenges in the Development of Optogenetic Closed-Loop Therapy Approaches in Epilepsy and Related Network Disorders of the Brain. MICROMACHINES 2020; 12:38. [PMID: 33396287 PMCID: PMC7824489 DOI: 10.3390/mi12010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic, neurological disorder affecting millions of people every year. The current available pharmacological and surgical treatments are lacking in overall efficacy and cause side-effects like cognitive impairment, depression, tremor, abnormal liver and kidney function. In recent years, the application of optogenetic implants have shown promise to target aberrant neuronal circuits in epilepsy with the advantage of both high spatial and temporal resolution and high cell-specificity, a feature that could tackle both the efficacy and side-effect problems in epilepsy treatment. Optrodes consist of electrodes to record local field potentials and an optical component to modulate neurons via activation of opsin expressed by these neurons. The goal of optogenetics in epilepsy is to interrupt seizure activity in its earliest state, providing a so-called closed-loop therapeutic intervention. The chronic implantation in vivo poses specific demands for the engineering of therapeutic optrodes. Enzymatic degradation and glial encapsulation of implants may compromise long-term recording and sufficient illumination of the opsin-expressing neural tissue. Engineering efforts for optimal optrode design have to be directed towards limitation of the foreign body reaction by reducing the implant's elastic modulus and overall size, while still providing stable long-term recording and large-area illumination, and guaranteeing successful intracerebral implantation. This paper presents an overview of the challenges and recent advances in the field of electrode design, neural-tissue illumination, and neural-probe implantation, with the goal of identifying a suitable candidate to be incorporated in a therapeutic approach for long-term treatment of epilepsy patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Vandekerckhove
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (B.V.); (J.M.); (P.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Jeroen Missinne
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (B.V.); (J.M.); (P.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Kristl Vonck
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.V.); (P.B.); (R.R.)
| | - Pieter Bauwens
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (B.V.); (J.M.); (P.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Rik Verplancke
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (B.V.); (J.M.); (P.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Paul Boon
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.V.); (P.B.); (R.R.)
| | - Robrecht Raedt
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.V.); (P.B.); (R.R.)
| | - Jan Vanfleteren
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (B.V.); (J.M.); (P.B.); (R.V.)
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15
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Woods GA, Rommelfanger NJ, Hong G. Bioinspired Materials for In Vivo Bioelectronic Neural Interfaces. MATTER 2020; 3:1087-1113. [PMID: 33103115 PMCID: PMC7583599 DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The success of in vivo neural interfaces relies on their long-term stability and large scale in interrogating and manipulating neural activity after implantation. Conventional neural probes, owing to their limited spatiotemporal resolution and scale, face challenges for studying the massive, interconnected neural network in its native state. In this review, we argue that taking inspiration from biology will unlock the next generation of in vivo bioelectronic neural interfaces. Reducing the feature sizes of bioelectronic neural interfaces to mimic those of neurons enables high spatial resolution and multiplexity. Additionally, chronic stability at the device-tissue interface is realized by matching the mechanical properties of bioelectronic neural interfaces to those of the endogenous tissue. Further, modeling the design of neural interfaces after the endogenous topology of the neural circuitry enables new insights into the connectivity and dynamics of the brain. Lastly, functionalization of neural probe surfaces with coatings inspired by biology leads to enhanced tissue acceptance over extended timescales. Bioinspired neural interfaces will facilitate future developments in neuroscience studies and neurological treatments by leveraging bidirectional information transfer and integrating neuromorphic computing elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A. Woods
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Rommelfanger
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Guosong Hong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
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16
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Egert D, Pettibone JR, Lemke S, Patel PR, Caldwell CM, Cai D, Ganguly K, Chestek CA, Berke JD. Cellular-scale silicon probes for high-density, precisely localized neurophysiology. J Neurophysiol 2020; 124:1578-1587. [PMID: 32965150 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00352.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural implants with large numbers of electrodes have become an important tool for examining brain functions. However, these devices typically displace a large intracranial volume compared with the neurons they record. This large size limits the density of implants, provokes tissue reactions that degrade chronic performance, and impedes the ability to accurately visualize recording sites within intact circuits. Here we report next-generation silicon-based neural probes at a cellular scale (5 × 10 µm cross section), with ultra-high-density packing (as little as 66 µm between shanks) and 64 or 256 closely spaced recording sites per probe. We show that these probes can be inserted into superficial or deep brain structures and record large spikes in freely behaving rats for many weeks. Finally, we demonstrate a slice-in-place approach for the precise registration of recording sites relative to nearby neurons and anatomical features, including striatal µ-opioid receptor patches. This scalable technology provides a valuable tool for examining information processing within neural circuits and potentially for human brain-machine interfaces.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Devices with many electrodes penetrating into the brain are an important tool for investigating neural information processing, but they are typically large compared with neurons. This results in substantial damage and makes it harder to reconstruct recording locations within brain circuits. This paper presents high-channel-count silicon probes with much smaller features and a method for slicing through probe, brain, and skull all together. This allows probe tips to be directly observed relative to immunohistochemical markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Egert
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Jeffrey R Pettibone
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Stefan Lemke
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Paras R Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ciara M Caldwell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Dawen Cai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Karunesh Ganguly
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Cynthia A Chestek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Neurosciences Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Robotics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Joshua D Berke
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California.,Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California
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17
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He F, Lycke R, Ganji M, Xie C, Luan L. Ultraflexible Neural Electrodes for Long-Lasting Intracortical Recording. iScience 2020; 23:101387. [PMID: 32745989 PMCID: PMC7398974 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Implanted electrodes provide one of the most important neurotechniques for fundamental and translational neurosciences by permitting time-resolved electrical detection of individual neurons in vivo. However, conventional rigid electrodes typically cannot provide stable, long-lasting recordings. Numerous interwoven biotic and abiotic factors at the tissue-electrode interface lead to short- and long-term instability of the recording performance. Making neural electrodes flexible provides a promising approach to mitigate these challenges on the implants and at the tissue-electrode interface. Here we review the recent progress of ultraflexible neural electrodes and discuss the engineering principles, the material properties, and the implantation strategies to achieve stable tissue-electrode interface and reliable unit recordings in living brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; NeuroEngineering Initiative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Roy Lycke
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; NeuroEngineering Initiative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 107 Dean Keeton, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Mehran Ganji
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; NeuroEngineering Initiative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 107 Dean Keeton, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; NeuroEngineering Initiative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; NeuroEngineering Initiative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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18
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BRAIN Initiative: Cutting-Edge Tools and Resources for the Community. J Neurosci 2020; 39:8275-8284. [PMID: 31619497 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1169-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The overarching goal of the NIH BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative is to advance the understanding of healthy and diseased brain circuit function through technological innovation. Core principles for this goal include the validation and dissemination of the myriad innovative technologies, tools, methods, and resources emerging from BRAIN-funded research. Innovators, BRAIN funding agencies, and non-Federal partners are working together to develop strategies for making these products usable, available, and accessible to the scientific community. Here, we describe several early strategies for supporting the dissemination of BRAIN technologies. We aim to invigorate a dialogue with the neuroscience research and funding community, interdisciplinary collaborators, and trainees about the existing and future opportunities for cultivating groundbreaking research products into mature, integrated, and adaptable research systems. Along with the accompanying Society for Neuroscience 2019 Mini-Symposium, "BRAIN Initiative: Cutting-Edge Tools and Resources for the Community," we spotlight the work of several BRAIN investigator teams who are making progress toward providing tools, technologies, and services for the neuroscience community. These tools access neural circuits at multiple levels of analysis, from subcellular composition to brain-wide network connectivity, including the following: integrated systems for EM- and florescence-based connectomics, advances in immunolabeling capabilities, and resources for recording and analyzing functional connectivity. Investigators describe how the resources they provide to the community will contribute to achieving the goals of the NIH BRAIN Initiative. Finally, in addition to celebrating the contributions of these BRAIN-funded investigators, the Mini-Symposium will illustrate the broader diversity of BRAIN Initiative investments in cutting-edge technologies and resources.
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19
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Fan B, Rodriguez AV, Vercosa DG, Kemere C, Robinson JT. Sputtered porous Pt for wafer-scale manufacture of low-impedance flexible microelectrodes. J Neural Eng 2020; 17:036029. [PMID: 32454468 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab965c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recording electrical activity from individual cells in vivo is a key technology for basic neuroscience and has growing clinical applications. To maximize the number of independent recording channels as well as the longevity, and quality of these recordings, researchers often turn to small and flexible electrodes that minimize tissue damage and can isolate signals from individual neurons. One challenge when creating these small electrodes, however, is to maintain a low interfacial impedance by applying a surface coating that is stable in tissue and does not significantly complicate the fabrication process. APPROACH Here we use a high-pressure Pt sputtering process to create low-impedance electrodes at the wafer scale using standard microfabrication equipment. MAIN RESULTS We find that direct-sputtered Pt provides a reliable and well-controlled porous coating that reduces the electrode impedance by 5-9 fold compared to flat Pt and is compatible with the microfabrication technologies used to create flexible electrodes. These porous Pt electrodes show reduced thermal noise that matches theoretical predictions. In addition, we show that these electrodes can be implanted into rat cortex, record single unit activity, and be removed all without disrupting the integrity of the coating. We also demonstrate that the shape of the electrode (in addition to the surface area) has a significant effect on the electrode impedance when the feature sizes are on the order of tens of microns. SIGNIFICANCE Overall, porous Pt represents a promising method for manufacturing low-impedance electrodes that can be seamlessly integrated into existing processes for producing flexible neural probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Fan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States of America. Co-first authors
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20
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Na K, Sperry ZJ, Lu J, Vöröslakos M, Parizi SS, Bruns TM, Yoon E, Seymour JP. Novel diamond shuttle to deliver flexible neural probe with reduced tissue compression. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2020; 6:37. [PMID: 32528723 PMCID: PMC7261651 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-020-0149-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The ability to deliver flexible biosensors through the toughest membranes of the central and peripheral nervous system is an important challenge in neuroscience and neural engineering. Bioelectronic devices implanted through dura mater and thick epineurium would ideally create minimal compression and acute damage as they reach the neurons of interest. We demonstrate that a three-dimensional diamond shuttle can be easily made with a vertical support to deliver ultra-compliant polymer microelectrodes (4.5-µm thick) through dura mater and thick epineurium. The diamond shuttle has 54% less cross-sectional area than an equivalently stiff silicon shuttle, which we simulated will result in a 37% reduction in blood vessel damage. We also discovered that higher frequency oscillation of the shuttle (200 Hz) significantly reduced tissue compression regardless of the insertion speed, while slow speeds also independently reduced tissue compression. Insertion and recording performance are demonstrated in rat and feline models, but the large design space of these tools are suitable for research in a variety of animal models and nervous system targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyounghwan Na
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
| | - Zachariah J. Sperry
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
| | - Jiaao Lu
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
| | - Mihaly Vöröslakos
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Saman S. Parizi
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
| | - Tim M. Bruns
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, 03722 Korea
- Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722 Korea
| | - John P. Seymour
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
- Vivian L Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005 USA
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21
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De Santis M, Cacciotti I. Wireless implantable and biodegradable sensors for postsurgery monitoring: current status and future perspectives. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 31:252001. [PMID: 32101794 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab7a2d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In in vivo postsurgery monitoring, the use of wireless biodegradable implantable sensors has gained and is gaining a lot of interest, particularly in cases of monitoring for a short period of time. The employment of biodegradable materials allows the circumvention of secondary surgery for device removal. Additionally, the use of wireless communication for data elaboration avoids the need for transcutaneous wires. As such, it is possible to prevent possible inflammation and infections associated with long-term implants which are not wireless. It is expected that microfabricated biodegradable sensors will have a strong impact in acute or transient biomedical applications. However, the design of such high-performing electronic systems, both fully biodegradable and wireless, is very complex, particularly at small scales. The associated technologies are still in their infancy and should be more deeply and extensively investigated in animal models and, successively, in humans, before being clinically implemented. In this context, the present review aims to provide a complete overview of wireless biodegradable implantable sensors, covering the vital signs to be monitored, the wireless technologies involved, and the biodegradable materials used for the production of the devices, as well as designed devices and their applications. In particular, both their advantages and drawbacks are highlighted, and the key challenges faced, mainly associated with fabrication techniques, and control over degradation kinetics and biocompatibility of the device, are reported and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele De Santis
- University of Rome 'Niccolò Cusano', Engineering Department, Via Don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Rome, Italy
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22
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Das R, Moradi F, Heidari H. Biointegrated and Wirelessly Powered Implantable Brain Devices: A Review. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2020; 14:343-358. [PMID: 31944987 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2020.2966920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
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23
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Yang W, Gong Y, Li W. A Review: Electrode and Packaging Materials for Neurophysiology Recording Implants. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:622923. [PMID: 33585422 PMCID: PMC7873964 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.622923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, a wide variety of neural tissue implants have been developed for neurophysiology recording from living tissues. An ideal neural implant should minimize the damage to the tissue and perform reliably and accurately for long periods of time. Therefore, the materials utilized to fabricate the neural recording implants become a critical factor. The materials of these devices could be classified into two broad categories: electrode materials as well as packaging and substrate materials. In this review, inorganic (metals and semiconductors), organic (conducting polymers), and carbon-based (graphene and carbon nanostructures) electrode materials are reviewed individually in terms of various neural recording devices that are reported in recent years. Properties of these materials, including electrical properties, mechanical properties, stability, biodegradability/bioresorbability, biocompatibility, and optical properties, and their critical importance to neural recording quality and device capabilities, are discussed. For the packaging and substrate materials, different material properties are desired for the chronic implantation of devices in the complex environment of the body, such as biocompatibility and moisture and gas hermeticity. This review summarizes common solid and soft packaging materials used in a variety of neural interface electrode designs, as well as their packaging performances. Besides, several biopolymers typically applied over the electrode package to reinforce the mechanical rigidity of devices during insertion, or to reduce the immune response and inflammation at the device-tissue interfaces are highlighted. Finally, a benchmark analysis of the discussed materials and an outlook of the future research trends are concluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyang Yang
- Microtechnology Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Yan Gong
- Microtechnology Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Wen Li
- Microtechnology Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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24
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Chung JE, Joo HR, Smyth CN, Fan JL, Geaghan-Breiner C, Liang H, Liu DF, Roumis D, Chen S, Lee KY, Pebbles JA, Tooker AC, Tolosa VM, Frank LM. Chronic Implantation of Multiple Flexible Polymer Electrode Arrays. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31633681 DOI: 10.3791/59957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous recordings from large populations of individual neurons across distributed brain regions over months to years will enable new avenues of scientific and clinical development. The use of flexible polymer electrode arrays can support long-lasting recording, but the same mechanical properties that allow for longevity of recording make multiple insertions and integration into a chronic implant a challenge. Here is a methodology by which multiple polymer electrode arrays can be targeted to a relatively spatially unconstrained set of brain areas. The method utilizes thin-film polymer devices, selected for their biocompatibility and capability to achieve long-term and stable electrophysiologic recording interfaces. The resultant implant allows accurate and flexible targeting of anatomically distant regions, physical stability for months, and robustness to electrical noise. The methodology supports up to sixteen serially inserted devices across eight different anatomic targets. As previously demonstrated, the methodology is capable of recording from 1024 channels. Of these, the 512 channels in this demonstration used for single neuron recording yielded 375 single units distributed across six recording sites. Importantly, this method also can record single units for at least 160 days. This implantation strategy, including temporarily bracing each device with a retractable silicon insertion shuttle, involves tethering of devices at their target depths to a skull-adhered plastic base piece that is custom-designed for each set of recording targets, and stabilization/protection of the devices within a silicone-filled, custom-designed plastic case. Also covered is the preparation of devices for implantation, and design principles that should guide adaptation to different combinations of brain areas or array designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E Chung
- Medical Scientist Training Program and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco;
| | - Hannah R Joo
- Medical Scientist Training Program and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Clay N Smyth
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Jiang Lan Fan
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco
| | - Charlotte Geaghan-Breiner
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Hexin Liang
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Daniel Fan Liu
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco
| | - Demetris Roumis
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Supin Chen
- Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Neuralink Corp
| | - Kye Y Lee
- Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
| | - Jeanine A Pebbles
- Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
| | - Angela C Tooker
- Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
| | - Vanessa M Tolosa
- Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Neuralink Corp
| | - Loren M Frank
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco; Howard Hughes Medical Institute
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Kleinfeld D, Luan L, Mitra PP, Robinson JT, Sarpeshkar R, Shepard K, Xie C, Harris TD. Can One Concurrently Record Electrical Spikes from Every Neuron in a Mammalian Brain? Neuron 2019; 103:1005-1015. [PMID: 31495645 PMCID: PMC6763354 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The classic approach to measure the spiking response of neurons involves the use of metal electrodes to record extracellular potentials. Starting over 60 years ago with a single recording site, this technology now extends to ever larger numbers and densities of sites. We argue, based on the mechanical and electrical properties of existing materials, estimates of signal-to-noise ratios, assumptions regarding extracellular space in the brain, and estimates of heat generation by the electronic interface, that it should be possible to fabricate rigid electrodes to concurrently record from essentially every neuron in the cortical mantle. This will involve fabrication with existing yet nontraditional materials and procedures. We further emphasize the need to advance materials for improved flexible electrodes as an essential advance to record from neurons in brainstem and spinal cord in moving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kleinfeld
- Section of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Partha P Mitra
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jacob T Robinson
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rahul Sarpeshkar
- Department of Engineering, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Physics, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kenneth Shepard
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Timothy D Harris
- Howard Hughes Medical Institutes, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Arafat MA, Rubin LN, Jefferys JGR, Irazoqui PP. A Method of Flexible Micro-Wire Electrode Insertion in Rodent for Chronic Neural Recording and a Device for Electrode Insertion. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2019; 27:1724-1731. [DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2019.2932032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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27
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Barz F, Trouillet V, Paul O, Ruther P. CMOS-Compatible, Flexible, Intracortical Neural Probes. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2019; 67:1366-1376. [PMID: 31442966 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2019.2936740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Flexible intracortical neural probes elicit a lower foreign body response when compared to rigid implants. However, by incorporating complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry, silicon-based neural probes can offer an improved scalability and more functionalities than any other currently available technology. OBJECTIVE Our goal is the development of a novel neural probe that combines flexibility with the functionalities of active CMOS-based probes. METHODS We interface CMOS-based probe tips of only a few millimeters in length with flexible polyimide cables, which enable the complete implantation of the tips into brain tissue. The multilayer platinum metallization of the cables is patterned using a novel combination of ion beam and plasma etching. Implantation of the flexible probes is verified in brain models using stiff insertion shuttles. RESULT We assembled neural probes from passive and active tips as short as 1.5 mm and less than 180 μm in width. Active probes feature electrode arrays with 72 recording sites and multiplexing to 16 parallel output lines. We reliably patterned cables with signal lines of 2 μm in width and 3 μm in spacing. Ion beam etching deteriorated the composition of the polyimide substrate and its resistance to around 1 kΩ. An additional plasma treatment re-established high insulation resistances and recovered the chemical composition. Probes were successfully implanted to a depth of 7 mm using insertion shuttles and withstood forces of 63 mN. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the methods required for the fabrication and application of a new generation of neural probes. SIGNIFICANCE The synergetic approach surpasses the limitation of each individual probe technology and should be considered in future developments.
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Control of neural probe shank flexibility by fluidic pressure in embedded microchannel using PDMS/PI hybrid substrate. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220258. [PMID: 31339963 PMCID: PMC6655783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Implantable neural probes are widely used to record and stimulate neural activities. These probes should be stiff enough for insertion. However, it should also be flexible to minimize tissue damage after insertion. Therefore, having dynamic control of the neural probe shank flexibility will be useful. For the first time, we have successfully fabricated flexible neural probes with embedded microfluidic channels for dynamic control of neural probe stiffness by controlling fluidic pressure in the channels. The present hybrid neural probes consisted of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyimide (PI) layers could provide the required stiffness for insertion and flexibility during operation. The PDMS channels were fabricated by reversal imprint using a silicon mold and bonded to a PI layer to form the embedded channels in the neural probe. The probe shape was patterned using an oxygen plasma generated by an inductively coupled plasma etching system. The critical buckling force of PDMS/PI neural probes could be tuned from 0.25-1.25 mN depending on the applied fluidic pressure in the microchannels and these probes were successfully inserted into a 0.6% agarose gel that mimicked the stiffness of the brain tissue. Polymer-based neural probes are typically more flexible than conventional metal wire-based probes, and they could potentially provide less tissue damage after implantation.
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29
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Wen X, Wang B, Huang S, Liu TL, Lee MS, Chung PS, Chow YT, Huang IW, Monbouquette HG, Maidment NT, Chiou PY. Flexible, multifunctional neural probe with liquid metal enabled, ultra-large tunable stiffness for deep-brain chemical sensing and agent delivery. Biosens Bioelectron 2019; 131:37-45. [PMID: 30818131 PMCID: PMC6602555 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.01.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Flexible neural probes have been pursued previously to minimize the mechanical mismatch between soft neural tissues and implants and thereby improve long-term performance. However, difficulties with insertion of such probes deep into the brain severely restricts their utility. We describe a solution to this problem using gallium (Ga) in probe construction, taking advantage of the solid-to-liquid phase change of the metal at body temperature and probe shape deformation to provide temperature-dependent control of stiffness over 5 orders of magnitude. Probes in the stiff state were successfully inserted 2 cm-deep into agarose gel "brain phantoms" and into rat brains under cooled conditions where, upon Ga melting, they became ultra soft, flexible, and stretchable in all directions. The current 30 μm-thick probes incorporated multilayer, deformable microfluidic channels for chemical agent delivery, electrical interconnects through Ga wires, and high-performance electrochemical glutamate sensing. These PDMS-based microprobes of ultra-large tunable stiffness (ULTS) should serve as an attractive platform for multifunctional chronic neural implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximiao Wen
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shan Huang
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tingyi Leo Liu
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Meng-Shiue Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Shan Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu Ting Chow
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - I-Wen Huang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Harold G Monbouquette
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nigel T Maidment
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Pei-Yu Chiou
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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30
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A softening laminar electrode for recording single unit activity from the rat hippocampus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2321. [PMID: 30787389 PMCID: PMC6382803 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39835-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Softening neural implants that change their elastic modulus under physiological conditions are promising candidates to mitigate neuroinflammatory response due to the reduced mechanical mismatch between the artificial interface and the brain tissue. Intracortical neural probes have been used to demonstrate the viability of this material engineering approach. In our paper, we present a robust technology of softening neural microelectrode and demonstrate its recording performance in the hippocampus of rat subjects. The 5 mm long, single shank, multi-channel probes are composed of a custom thiol-ene/acrylate thermoset polymer substrate, and were micromachined by standard MEMS processes. A special packaging technique is also developed, which guarantees the stable functionality and longevity of the device, which were tested under in vitro conditions prior to animal studies. The 60 micron thick device was successfully implanted to 4.5 mm deep in the hippocampus without the aid of any insertion shuttle. Spike amplitudes of 84 µV peak-to-peak and signal-to-noise ratio of 6.24 were achieved in acute experiments. Our study demonstrates that softening neural probes may be used to investigate deep layers of the rat brain.
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31
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Zhao Z, Li X, He F, Wei X, Lin S, Xie C. Parallel, minimally-invasive implantation of ultra-flexible neural electrode arrays. J Neural Eng 2019; 16:035001. [PMID: 30736013 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab05b6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Implanted microelectrodes provide a unique means to directly interface with the nervous system but have been limited by the lack of stable functionality. There is growing evidence suggesting that substantially reducing the mechanical rigidity of neural electrodes promotes tissue compatibility and improves their recording stability in both the short- and long-term. However, the miniaturized dimensions and ultraflexibility desired for mitigating tissue responses preclude the probe's self-supported penetration into the brain tissue. APPROACH Here we demonstrate the high-throughput implantation of multi-shank ultraflexible neural electrode arrays with surgical footprints as small as 200 µm2 in a mouse model. This is achieved by using arrays of tungsten microwires as shuttle devices, and bio-dissolvable adhesive polyethylene glycol (PEG) to temporarily attach a shank onto each microwire. MAIN RESULTS We show the ability to simultaneously deliver electrode arrays in designed patterns, to adjust the implantation locations of the shanks by need, to target different brain structures, and to control the surgical injury by reducing the microwire diameters to cellular scale. SIGNIFICANCE These results provide a facile implantation method to apply ultraflexible neural probes in scalable neural recording.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengtuo Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States of America
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32
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Chung JE, Joo HR, Fan JL, Liu DF, Barnett AH, Chen S, Geaghan-Breiner C, Karlsson MP, Karlsson M, Lee KY, Liang H, Magland JF, Pebbles JA, Tooker AC, Greengard LF, Tolosa VM, Frank LM. High-Density, Long-Lasting, and Multi-region Electrophysiological Recordings Using Polymer Electrode Arrays. Neuron 2019; 101:21-31.e5. [PMID: 30502044 PMCID: PMC6326834 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a massive neuronal network, organized into anatomically distributed sub-circuits, with functionally relevant activity occurring at timescales ranging from milliseconds to years. Current methods to monitor neural activity, however, lack the necessary conjunction of anatomical spatial coverage, temporal resolution, and long-term stability to measure this distributed activity. Here we introduce a large-scale, multi-site, extracellular recording platform that integrates polymer electrodes with a modular stacking headstage design supporting up to 1,024 recording channels in freely behaving rats. This system can support months-long recordings from hundreds of well-isolated units across multiple brain regions. Moreover, these recordings are stable enough to track large numbers of single units for over a week. This platform enables large-scale electrophysiological interrogation of the fast dynamics and long-timescale evolution of anatomically distributed circuits, and thereby provides a new tool for understanding brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E Chung
- Medical Scientist Training Program and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Hannah R Joo
- Medical Scientist Training Program and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jiang Lan Fan
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daniel F Liu
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alex H Barnett
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, 162 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Supin Chen
- Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Charlotte Geaghan-Breiner
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | | | - Kye Y Lee
- Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Hexin Liang
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jeremy F Magland
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, 162 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Jeanine A Pebbles
- Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Angela C Tooker
- Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Leslie F Greengard
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, 162 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA; Courant Institute, NYU, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Vanessa M Tolosa
- Center for Micro- and Nano-Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Loren M Frank
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Center for Integrative Neuroscience, and Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Robinson JT, Pohlmeyer E, Gather MC, Kemere C, Kitching JE, Malliaras GG, Marblestone A, Shepard KL, Stieglitz T, Xie C. Developing Next-generation Brain Sensing Technologies - A Review. IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL 2019; 19:10.1109/jsen.2019.2931159. [PMID: 32116472 PMCID: PMC7047830 DOI: 10.1109/jsen.2019.2931159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Advances in sensing technology raise the possibility of creating neural interfaces that can more effectively restore or repair neural function and reveal fundamental properties of neural information processing. To realize the potential of these bioelectronic devices, it is necessary to understand the capabilities of emerging technologies and identify the best strategies to translate these technologies into products and therapies that will improve the lives of patients with neurological and other disorders. Here we discuss emerging technologies for sensing brain activity, anticipated challenges for translation, and perspectives for how to best transition these technologies from academic research labs to useful products for neuroscience researchers and human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob T. Robinson
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric Pohlmeyer
- John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Malte C. Gather
- SUPA, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9SS Scotland, UK
| | - Caleb Kemere
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - John E. Kitching
- Time and Frequency Division, NIST, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - George G. Malliaras
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK
| | - Adam Marblestone
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kenneth L. Shepard
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Thomas Stieglitz
- Institute of Microsystem Technology, Laboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Klein E, Gossler C, Paul O, Ruther P. High-Density μLED-Based Optical Cochlear Implant With Improved Thermomechanical Behavior. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:659. [PMID: 30327585 PMCID: PMC6174235 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study reports the realization of an optical cochlear implant (oCI) with optimized thermomechanical properties for optogenetic experiments. The oCI probe comprises 144 miniaturized light-emitting diodes (μLEDs) distributed along a bendable, 1.5-cm-long, 350-μm-wide and 26-μm-thick probe shaft, individually controlled via a n × p matrix interconnection. In contrast to our earlier approach based on polyimide (PI) and epoxy resin with different thermal expansion coefficients, the μLEDs and interconnecting wires are now embedded into a triple-layer stack of a single, biocompatible, and highly transparent epoxy material. The new material combination results in a pronounced reduction of thermomechanical bending in comparison with the material pair of the earlier approach. We developed a spin-coating process enabling epoxy resin layers down to 5 μm at thickness variations of less than 7% across the entire carrier wafer. We observed that the cross-linking of epoxy resin layers strongly depends on the spin-coating parameters which were found to be correlated to a potential separation of epoxy resin components of different densities. Furthermore, various metallization layers and corresponding adhesion promoting layers were investigated. We identified the combination of silicon carbide with a titanium-based metallization to provide the highest peeling strength, achieving an adhesion to epoxy improved by a factor of two. In order to obtain a high process yield, we established a stress-free implant release using the electrochemical dissolution of a sacrificial aluminum layer. The direct comparison of oCI probe variants using a single epoxy material and the combination of PI and epoxy resin revealed that the epoxy-resin-only probe shows minimal thermomechanical probe bending with a negligible hysteresis. The thermal probe characterization demonstrated that the temperature increase is limited to 1 K at μLED DC currents of up to 10 mA depending on the stimulation duration and the medium surrounding the probe. The optical output power and peak wavelengths of the new oCI variant were extracted to be 0.82 mW and 462 nm when operating the μLEDs at 10 mA, 10 kHz, and a duty cycle of 10%. The optical power corresponds to a radiant emittance of 407 mW/mm2, sufficient for optogenetic experiments using channelrhodopsin-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Klein
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christian Gossler
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Paul
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools, Cluster of Excellence, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Ruther
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools, Cluster of Excellence, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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35
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Belle AM, Enright HA, Sales AP, Kulp K, Osburn J, Kuhn EA, Fischer NO, Wheeler EK. Evaluation of in vitro neuronal platforms as surrogates for in vivo whole brain systems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10820. [PMID: 30018409 PMCID: PMC6050270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitatively benchmarking similarities and differences between the in vivo central nervous system and in vitro neuronal cultures can qualify discrepancies in functional responses and establish the utility of in vitro platforms. In this work, extracellular electrophysiology responses of cortical neurons in awake, freely-moving animals were compared to in vitro cultures of dissociated cortical neurons. After exposure to two well-characterized drugs, atropine and ketamine, a number of key points were observed: (1) significant differences in spontaneous firing activity for in vivo and in vitro systems, (2) similar response trends in single-unit spiking activity after exposure to atropine, and (3) greater sensitivity to the effects of ketamine in vitro. While in vitro cultures of dissociated cortical neurons may be appropriate for many types of pharmacological studies, we demonstrate that for some drugs, such as ketamine, this system may not fully capture the responses observed in vivo. Understanding the functionality associated with neuronal cultures will enhance the relevance of electrophysiology data sets and more accurately frame their conclusions. Comparing in vivo and in vitro rodent systems will provide the critical framework necessary for developing and interpreting in vitro systems using human cells that strive to more closely recapitulate human in vivo function and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Belle
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Ana Paula Sales
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Kristen Kulp
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Joanne Osburn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Edward A Kuhn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA.
| | - Elizabeth K Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA.
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36
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Wei X, Luan L, Zhao Z, Li X, Zhu H, Potnis O, Xie C. Nanofabricated Ultraflexible Electrode Arrays for High-Density Intracortical Recording. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2018; 5:1700625. [PMID: 29938162 PMCID: PMC6010728 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201700625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Understanding brain functions at the circuit level requires time-resolved simultaneous measurement of a large number of densely distributed neurons, which remains a great challenge for current neural technologies. In particular, penetrating neural electrodes allow for recording from individual neurons at high temporal resolution, but often have larger dimensions than the biological matrix, which induces significant damage to brain tissues and therefore precludes the high implant density that is necessary for mapping large neuronal populations with full coverage. Here, it is demonstrated that nanofabricated ultraflexible electrode arrays with cross-sectional areas as small as sub-10 µm2 can overcome this physical limitation. In a mouse model, it is shown that these electrodes record action potentials with high signal-to-noise ratio; their dense arrays allow spatial oversampling; and their multiprobe implantation allows for interprobe spacing at 60 µm without eliciting chronic neuronal degeneration. These results present the possibility of minimizing tissue displacement by implanted ultraflexible electrodes for scalable, high-density electrophysiological recording that is capable of complete neuronal circuitry mapping over chronic time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Wei
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
- Department of PhysicsThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Zhengtuo Zhao
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Hanlin Zhu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Ojas Potnis
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTX78712USA
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37
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Advances and Perspectives in Chemical Imaging in Cellular Environments Using Electrochemical Methods. CHEMOSENSORS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors6020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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38
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Lo MC, Wang S, Singh S, Damodaran VB, Ahmed I, Coffey K, Barker D, Saste K, Kals K, Kaplan HM, Kohn J, Shreiber DI, Zahn JD. Evaluating the in vivo glial response to miniaturized parylene cortical probes coated with an ultra-fast degrading polymer to aid insertion. J Neural Eng 2018; 15:036002. [PMID: 29485103 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/aa9fad] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite the feasibility of short-term neural recordings using implantable microelectrodes, attaining reliable, chronic recordings remains a challenge. Most neural recording devices suffer from a long-term tissue response, including gliosis, at the device-tissue interface. It was hypothesized that smaller, more flexible intracortical probes would limit gliosis by providing a better mechanical match with surrounding tissue. APPROACH This paper describes the in vivo evaluation of flexible parylene microprobes designed to improve the interface with the adjacent neural tissue to limit gliosis and thereby allow for improved recording longevity. The probes were coated with an ultrafast degrading tyrosine-derived polycarbonate (E5005(2K)) polymer that provides temporary mechanical support for device implantation, yet degrades within 2 h post-implantation. A parametric study of probes of varying dimensions and polymer coating thicknesses were implanted in rat brains. The glial tissue response and neuronal loss were assessed from 72 h to 24 weeks post-implantation via immunohistochemistry. MAIN RESULTS Experimental results suggest that both probe and polymer coating sizes affect the extent of gliosis. When an appropriate sized coating dimension (100 µm × 100 µm) and small probe (30 µm × 5 µm) was implanted, a minimal post-implantation glial response was observed. No discernible gliosis was detected when compared to tissue where a sham control consisting of a solid degradable polymer shuttle of the same dimensions was inserted. A larger polymer coating (200 µm × 200 µm) device induced a more severe glial response at later time points, suggesting that the initial insertion trauma can affect gliosis even when the polymer shuttle degrades rapidly. A larger degree of gliosis was also observed when comparing a larger sized probe (80 µm × 5 µm) to a smaller probe (30 µm × 5 µm) using the same polymer coating size (100 µm × 100 µm). There was no significant neuronal loss around the implantation sites for most device candidates except the group with largest polymer coating and probe sizes. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that: (1) the degree of mechanical trauma at device implantation and mechanical mismatches at the probe-tissue interface affect long term gliosis; (2) smaller, more flexible probes may minimize the glial response to provide improved tissue biocompatibility when used for chronic neural signal recording; and (3) some degree of glial scarring did not significantly affect neuronal distribution around the probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Chen Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
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Szostak KM, Grand L, Constandinou TG. Neural Interfaces for Intracortical Recording: Requirements, Fabrication Methods, and Characteristics. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:665. [PMID: 29270103 PMCID: PMC5725438 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Implantable neural interfaces for central nervous system research have been designed with wire, polymer, or micromachining technologies over the past 70 years. Research on biocompatible materials, ideal probe shapes, and insertion methods has resulted in building more and more capable neural interfaces. Although the trend is promising, the long-term reliability of such devices has not yet met the required criteria for chronic human application. The performance of neural interfaces in chronic settings often degrades due to foreign body response to the implant that is initiated by the surgical procedure, and related to the probe structure, and material properties used in fabricating the neural interface. In this review, we identify the key requirements for neural interfaces for intracortical recording, describe the three different types of probes-microwire, micromachined, and polymer-based probes; their materials, fabrication methods, and discuss their characteristics and related challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna M. Szostak
- Next Generation Neural Interfaces Lab, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laszlo Grand
- Next Generation Neural Interfaces Lab, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Timothy G. Constandinou
- Next Generation Neural Interfaces Lab, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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40
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Woeppel K, Yang Q, Cui XT. Recent Advances in Neural Electrode-Tissue Interfaces. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2017; 4:21-31. [PMID: 29423457 PMCID: PMC5798641 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurotechnology is facing an exponential growth in the recent decades. Neural electrode-tissue interface research has been well recognized as an instrumental component of neurotechnology development. While satisfactory long-term performance was demonstrated in some applications, such as cochlear implants and deep brain stimulators, more advanced neural electrode devices requiring higher resolution for single unit recording or microstimulation still face significant challenges in reliability and longevity. In this article, we review the most recent findings that contribute to our current understanding of the sources of poor reliability and longevity in neural recording or stimulation, including the material failure, biological tissue response and the interplay between the two. The newly developed characterization tools are introduced from electrophysiology models, molecular and biochemical analysis, material characterization to live imaging. The effective strategies that have been applied to improve the interface are also highlighted. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in improving the interface and achieving seamless integration between the implanted electrodes and neural tissue both anatomically and functionally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Woeppel
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Qianru Yang
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Xinyan Tracy Cui
- Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
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41
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Lee HC, Gaire J, Currlin SW, McDermott MD, Park K, Otto KJ. Foreign Body Response to Intracortical Microelectrodes Is Not Altered with Dip-Coating of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG). Front Neurosci 2017; 11:513. [PMID: 28959183 PMCID: PMC5603673 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is a frequently used polymer for neural implants due to its biocompatible property. As a follow-up to our recent study that used PEG for stiffening flexible neural probes, we have evaluated the biological implications of using devices dip-coated with PEG for chronic neural implants. Mice (wild-type and CX3CR1-GFP) received bilateral implants within the sensorimotor cortex, one hemisphere with a PEG-coated probe and the other with a non-coated probe for 4 weeks. Quantitative analyses were performed using biomarkers for activated microglia/macrophages, astrocytes, blood-brain barrier leakage, and neuronal nuclei to determine the degree of foreign body response (FBR) resulting from the implanted microelectrodes. Despite its well-known acute anti-biofouling property, we observed that PEG-coated devices caused no significantly different FBR compared to non-coated controls at 4 weeks. A repetition using CX3CR1-GFP mice cohort showed similar results. Our histological findings suggest that there is no significant impact of acute delivery of PEG on the FBR in the long-term, and that temporary increase in the device footprint due to the coating of PEG also does not have a significant impact. Large variability seen within the same treatment group also implies that avoiding large superficial vasculature during implantation is not sufficient to minimize inter-animal variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heui C Lee
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN, United States.,J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States
| | - Janak Gaire
- Department of Neuroscience, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States
| | - Seth W Currlin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States
| | - Matthew D McDermott
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Kinam Park
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN, United States.,Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Kevin J Otto
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States.,Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, United States
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42
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Harris AZ, Golder D, Likhtik E. Multisite Electrophysiology Recordings in Mice to Study Cross-Regional Communication During Anxiety. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 80:8.40.1-8.40.21. [PMID: 28678397 DOI: 10.1002/cpns.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recording neural activity in awake, freely moving mice is a powerful and flexible technique for dissecting the neural circuit mechanisms underlying pathological behavior. This unit describes protocols for designing a drive and recording single neurons and local field potentials during anxiety-related paradigms. We also include protocols for integrating pharmacologic and optogenetic means for circuit manipulations, which, when combined with electrophysiological recordings, demonstrate input-specific and cell-specific contributions to circuit-wide activity. We discuss the planning, execution, and troubleshooting of physiology experiments during anxiety-like behavior. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Z Harris
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, New York
| | - Danielle Golder
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, CUNY, New York City, New York
| | - Ekaterina Likhtik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, CUNY, New York City, New York.,CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York City, New York
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Diaz-Botia CA, Luna LE, Neely RM, Chamanzar M, Carraro C, Carmena JM, Sabes PN, Maboudian R, Maharbiz MM. A silicon carbide array for electrocorticography and peripheral nerve recording. J Neural Eng 2017; 14:056006. [PMID: 28573982 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/aa7698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Current neural probes have a limited device lifetime of a few years. Their common failure mode is the degradation of insulating films and/or the delamination of the conductor-insulator interfaces. We sought to develop a technology that does not suffer from such limitations and would be suitable for chronic applications with very long device lifetimes. APPROACH We developed a fabrication method that integrates polycrystalline conductive silicon carbide with insulating silicon carbide. The technology employs amorphous silicon carbide as the insulator and conductive silicon carbide at the recording sites, resulting in a seamless transition between doped and amorphous regions of the same material, eliminating heterogeneous interfaces prone to delamination. Silicon carbide has outstanding chemical stability, is biocompatible, is an excellent molecular barrier and is compatible with standard microfabrication processes. MAIN RESULTS We have fabricated silicon carbide electrode arrays using our novel fabrication method. We conducted in vivo experiments in which electrocorticography recordings from the primary visual cortex of a rat were obtained and were of similar quality to those of polymer based electrocorticography arrays. The silicon carbide electrode arrays were also used as a cuff electrode wrapped around the sciatic nerve of a rat to record the nerve response to electrical stimulation. Finally, we demonstrated the outstanding long term stability of our insulating silicon carbide films through accelerated aging tests. SIGNIFICANCE Clinical translation in neural engineering has been slowed in part due to the poor long term performance of current probes. Silicon carbide devices are a promising technology that may accelerate this transition by enabling truly chronic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Diaz-Botia
- University of California-Berkeley and University of California-San Francisco Graduate group in Bioengineering, CA, United States of America
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Computational Assessment of Neural Probe and Brain Tissue Interface under Transient Motion. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2016; 6:27. [PMID: 27322338 PMCID: PMC4931487 DOI: 10.3390/bios6020027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The functional longevity of a neural probe is dependent upon its ability to minimize injury risk during the insertion and recording period in vivo, which could be related to motion-related strain between the probe and surrounding tissue. A series of finite element analyses was conducted to study the extent of the strain induced within the brain in an area around a neural probe. This study focuses on the transient behavior of neural probe and brain tissue interface with a viscoelastic model. Different stages of the interface from initial insertion of neural probe to full bonding of the probe by astro-glial sheath formation are simulated utilizing analytical tools to investigate the effects of relative motion between the neural probe and the brain while friction coefficients and kinematic frequencies are varied. The analyses can provide an in-depth look at the quantitative benefits behind using soft materials for neural probes.
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45
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Modeling the Insertion Mechanics of Flexible Neural Probes Coated with Sacrificial Polymers for Optimizing Probe Design. SENSORS 2016; 16:s16030330. [PMID: 26959021 PMCID: PMC4813905 DOI: 10.3390/s16030330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Single-unit recording neural probes have significant advantages towards improving signal-to-noise ratio and specificity for signal acquisition in brain-to-computer interface devices. Long-term effectiveness is unfortunately limited by the chronic injury response, which has been linked to the mechanical mismatch between rigid probes and compliant brain tissue. Small, flexible microelectrodes may overcome this limitation, but insertion of these probes without buckling requires supporting elements such as a stiff coating with a biodegradable polymer. For these coated probes, there is a design trade-off between the potential for successful insertion into brain tissue and the degree of trauma generated by the insertion. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element model (FEM) to simulate insertion of coated neural probes of varying dimensions and material properties into brain tissue. Simulations were performed to predict the buckling and insertion forces during insertion of coated probes into a tissue phantom with material properties of brain. The simulations were validated with parallel experimental studies where probes were inserted into agarose tissue phantom, ex vivo chick embryonic brain tissue, and ex vivo rat brain tissue. Experiments were performed with uncoated copper wire and both uncoated and coated SU-8 photoresist and Parylene C probes. Model predictions were found to strongly agree with experimental results (<10% error). The ratio of the predicted buckling force-to-predicted insertion force, where a value greater than one would ideally be expected to result in successful insertion, was plotted against the actual success rate from experiments. A sigmoidal relationship was observed, with a ratio of 1.35 corresponding to equal probability of insertion and failure, and a ratio of 3.5 corresponding to a 100% success rate. This ratio was dubbed the “safety factor”, as it indicated the degree to which the coating should be over-designed to ensure successful insertion. Probability color maps were generated to visually compare the influence of design parameters. Statistical metrics derived from the color maps and multi-variable regression analysis confirmed that coating thickness and probe length were the most important features in influencing insertion potential. The model also revealed the effects of manufacturing flaws on insertion potential.
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46
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Murphy MD, Guggenmos DJ, Bundy DT, Nudo RJ. Current Challenges Facing the Translation of Brain Computer Interfaces from Preclinical Trials to Use in Human Patients. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 9:497. [PMID: 26778962 PMCID: PMC4702293 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current research in brain computer interface (BCI) technology is advancing beyond preclinical studies, with trials beginning in human patients. To date, these trials have been carried out with several different types of recording interfaces. The success of these devices has varied widely, but different factors such as the level of invasiveness, timescale of recorded information, and ability to maintain stable functionality of the device over a long period of time all must be considered in addition to accuracy in decoding intent when assessing the most practical type of device moving forward. Here, we discuss various approaches to BCIs, distinguishing between devices focusing on control of operations extrinsic to the subject (e.g., prosthetic limbs, computer cursors) and those focusing on control of operations intrinsic to the brain (e.g., using stimulation or external feedback), including closed-loop or adaptive devices. In this discussion, we consider the current challenges facing the translation of various types of BCI technology to eventual human application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell D Murphy
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of KansasLawrence, KS, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas City, KS, USA
| | - David J Guggenmos
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - David T Bundy
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Randolph J Nudo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas City, KS, USA; Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas City, KS, USA
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47
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Lo MC, Wang S, Singh S, Damodaran VB, Kaplan HM, Kohn J, Shreiber DI, Zahn JD. Coating flexible probes with an ultra fast degrading polymer to aid in tissue insertion. Biomed Microdevices 2015; 17:34. [PMID: 25681971 PMCID: PMC4827618 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-015-9927-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We report a fabrication process for coating neural probes with an ultrafast degrading polymer to create consistent and reproducible devices for neural tissue insertion. The rigid polymer coating acts as a probe insertion aid, but resorbs within hours post-implantation. Despite the feasibility for short term neural recordings from currently available neural prosthetic devices, most of these devices suffer from long term gliosis, which isolates the probes from adjacent neurons, increasing the recording impedance and stimulation threshold. The size and stiffness of implanted probes have been identified as critical factors that lead to this long term gliosis. Smaller, more flexible probes that match the mechanical properties of brain tissue could allow better long term integration by limiting the mechanical disruption of the surrounding tissue during and after probe insertion, while being flexible enough to deform with the tissue during brain movement. However, these small flexible probes inherently lack the mechanical strength to penetrate the brain on their own. In this work, we have developed a micromolding method for coating a non-functional miniaturized SU-8 probe with an ultrafast degrading tyrosine-derived polycarbonate (E5005(2K)). Coated, non-functionalized probes of varying dimensions were reproducibly fabricated with high yields. The polymer erosion/degradation profiles of the probes were characterized in vitro. The probes were also mechanically characterized in ex vivo brain tissue models by measuring buckling and insertion forces during probe insertion. The results demonstrate the ability to produce polymer coated probes of consistent quality for future in vivo use, for example to study the effects of different design parameters that may affect tissue response during long term chronic intra-cortical microelectrode neural recordings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-chen Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA,
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