Non-ablative doses of focal ionizing radiation alters function of central neural circuits.

Background: Modulation of pathological neural circuit activity in the brain with a minimum of complications is an area of intense interest.

Objective: The goal of the study was to alter neurons' physiological states without apparent damage of cellular integrity using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Methods: We treated a 7.

An Intracortical Implantable Brain-Computer Interface for Telemetric Real-Time Recording and Manipulation of Neuronal Circuits for Closed-Loop Intervention.

Recording and manipulating neuronal ensemble activity is a key requirement in advanced neuromodulatory and behavior studies. Devices capable of both recording and manipulating neuronal activity brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) should ideally operate un-tethered and allow chronic longitudinal manipulations in the freely moving animal. In this study, we designed a new intracortical BCI feasible of telemetric recording and stimulating local gray and white matter of visual neural circuit after irradiation exposure.

A fiducial skull marker for precise MRI-based stereotaxic surgery in large animal models.

Background: Stereotaxic neurosurgery in large animals is used widely in different sophisticated models, where precision is becoming more crucial as desired anatomical target regions are becoming smaller. Individually calculated coordinates are necessary in large animal models with cortical and subcortical anatomical differences.

New Method: We present a convenient method to make an MRI-visible skull fiducial for 3D MRI-based stereotaxic procedures in larger experimental animals.

Brain Tissue Reaction to Deep Brain Stimulation-A Longitudinal Study of DBS in the Goettingen Minipig.

Objectives: The use of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in treatment of various brain disorders is constantly growing; however, the number of studies of the reaction of the brain tissue toward implanted leads is still limited. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze the impact of DBS leads on brain tissue in a large animal model using minipigs.

Methods: Twelve female animals, one control and eleven with bilaterally implanted DBS electrodes were used in our experiment.

Basic surgical techniques in the Göttingen minipig: intubation, bladder catheterization, femoral vessel catheterization, and transcardial perfusion.

The emergence of the Göttingen minipig in research of topics such as neuroscience, toxicology, diabetes, obesity, and experimental surgery reflects the close resemblance of these animals to human anatomy and physiology (1-6).The size of the Göttingen minipig permits the use of surgical equipment and advanced imaging modalities similar to those used in humans (6-8). The aim of this instructional video is to increase the awareness on the value of minipigs in biomedical research, by demonstrating how to perform tracheal intubation, transurethral bladder catheterization, femoral artery and vein catheterization, as well as transcardial perfusion.

Safety and function of a new clinical intracerebral microinjection instrument for stem cells and therapeutics examined in the Göttingen minipig.

Background: A new intracerebral microinjection instrument (IMI) allowing multiple electrophysiologically guided microvolume injections from a single proximal injection path in rats has been adapted to clinical use by coupling the IMI to an FHC microTargeting Manual Drive, designed to be used with standard stereotactic frame-based systems and FHC frameless microTargeting Platforms.

Methods: The function and safety of the device was tested by conducting bilateral electrophysiologically guided microinjections of fluorescent microspheres in the substantia nigra of 4 Göttingen minipigs.

Results: The device was easy to handle and enabled accurate electrophysiologically guided targeting of the substantia nigra with minimal local tissue damage.