Miniaturized electronic depth control probes for MR compatible recording and stimulation in freely behaving mice (mEDC)

High-density intracortical neural probes for extracellular potential recordings are powerful tools to investigate the complex communication among the overwhelming number of neurons in the brain. As the recordable extracellular action potentials decrease rapidly as a function of distance from their sources, the precise positioning of recording electrodes close to the neurons is a prerequisite to achieve a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio. The concept of electronic depth control (EDC) takes advantage of silicon probe shafts comprising an integrated switching matrix enabling recording site densities of 50 electrodes/mm along the probe shanks. The goal of the mEDC project is threefold: (i) improvement of the long-term recording capability of EDC probe arrays, (ii) expansion of probe functionality towards electrical stimulation, and (iii) probe applicability in mouse models. The systems will be tailored in close collaboration with BrainLinks-BrainTools PIs working on epilepsy and stroke models. The miniaturized EDC probes will build on silicon-based neural probe arrays with significantly smaller probe cross-sections. The entire probe systems will be designed to be compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

contact person: Dr. Patrick Ruther
Phone: +49 761 203-7197
Email: ruther@imtek.de

Start of project: 01.03.2013
End of project: 28.02.2014

Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg
Dr. Patrick Ruther
Materialien der Mikrosystemtechnik
Prof. Dr. Oliver Paul
Georges-Köhler-Allee 103
79110 Freiburg
Germany

Phone: +497612037190
Fax: +497612037192
http://www.imtek.de/material/
Actual Research Report

Hochdichte Elektroden-Arrays, intrakortikalen Sonden, CMOS-Technologie, Elektrophysiologie, elektrische Stimulation