Self-Assembled Origami Neural Probes for Scalable, Multifunctional, Three-Dimensional Neural Interface.

Flexible intracortical neural probes have drawn attention for their enhanced longevity in high-resolution neural recordings due to reduced tissue reaction. However, the conventional monolithic fabrication approach has met significant challenges in: (i) scaling the number of recording sites for electrophysiology; (ii) integrating of other physiological sensing and modulation; and (iii) configuring into three-dimensional (3D) shapes for multi-sided electrode arrays. We report an innovative self-assembly technology that allows for implementing flexible origami neural probes as an effective alternative to overcome these challenges.

Simultaneous electrophysiology and optogenetic perturbation of the same neurons in chronically implanted animals using μLED silicon probes.

Micro-light-emitting-diode (μLED) silicon probes feature independently controllable miniature light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) embedded at several positions in each shank of a multi-shank probe, enabling temporally and spatially precise optogenetic neural circuit interrogation. Here, we present a protocol for performing causal and reproducible neural circuit manipulations in chronically implanted, freely moving animals. We describe steps for introducing optogenetic constructs, preparing and implanting a μLED probe, performing simultaneous in vivo electrophysiology with focal optogenetic perturbation, and recovering a probe following termination of an experiment.

Power-Efficient LFP-Adaptive Dynamic Zoom-and-Track Incremental ΔΣ Front-End for Dual-Band Subcortical Recordings.

We report a power-efficient analog front-end integrated circuit (IC) for multi-channel, dual-band subcortical recordings. In order to achieve high-resolution multi-channel recordings with low power consumption, we implemented an incremental ΔΣ ADC (IADC) with a dynamic zoom-and-track scheme. This scheme continuously tracks local field potential (LFP) and adaptively adjusts the input dynamic range (DR) into a zoomed sub-LFP range to resolve tiny action potentials.

Simultaneous Electrophysiology and Optogenetic Perturbation of the Same Neurons in Chronically Implanted Animals using μLED Silicon Probes.

Unlabelled: Optogenetics are a powerful tool for testing how a neural circuit influences neural activity, cognition, and behavior. Accordingly, the number of studies employing optogenetic perturbation has grown exponentially over the last decade. However, recent studies have highlighted that the impact of optogenetic stimulation/silencing can vary depending on the construct used, the local microcircuit connectivity, extent/power of illumination, and neuron types perturbed.

Fictive Scratching Patterns in Brain Cortex-Ablated, Midcollicular Decerebrate, and Spinal Cats.

: The spinal cord's central pattern generators (CPGs) have been explained by the symmetrical half-center hypothesis, the bursts generator, computational models, and more recently by connectome circuits. Asymmetrical models, at odds with the half-center paradigm, are composed of extensor and flexor CPG modules. Other models include not only flexor and extensor motoneurons but also motoneuron pools controlling biarticular muscles.

Locomotion in intact and in brain cortex-ablated cats.

The current decerebration procedures discard the role of the thalamus in the motor control and decortication only rules out the brain cortex part, leaving a gap between the brain cortex and the subthalamic motor regions. In here we define a new preparation denominated Brain Cortex-Ablated Cat (BCAC), in which the frontal and parietal brain cortices as well as the central white matter beneath them were removed, this decerebration process may be considered as suprathalamic, since the thalamus remained intact. To characterize this preparation cat hindlimb electromyograms (EMG), kinematics and cutaneous reflexes (CR) produced by electrical stimulation of sural (SU) or saphenous (SAPH) nerves were analyzed during locomotion in intact and in BCAC.

Tamoxifen Promotes Axonal Preservation and Gait Locomotion Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury in Cats.

We performed experiments in cats with a spinal cord penetrating hemisection at T13-L1 level, with and without tamoxifen treatment. The results showed that the numbers of the ipsilateral and contralateral ventral horn neurons were reduced to less than half in the nontreated animals compared with the treated ones. Also, axons myelin sheet was preserved to almost normal values in treated cats.