Microelectrode arrays

Despite being inspired by biological neuronal networks (BNNs), artificial neural networks (ANNs) have fundamental differences from their biological counterparts. While ANNs excel at solving complex problems across various domains, BNNs outperform them in terms of energy efficiency and processing highly complex parallel inputs. However, the mechanisms behind these advantages remain unclear, making it challenging to integrate them into artificial computation. It has been shown that biological neurons exhibit a characteristic sigmoid-like firing rate response [1], termed bio-sigmoid, as a functi

The emergence of spontaneous activity in the form of synchronized bursting events (SBE) is considered to play a crucial role in activity-dependent development of neuronal networks. As inhibition matures, the spatiotemporal structure of activity becomes increasingly influenced by the balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I). Moreover, intricate interactions between excitatory (ENs) and inhibitory (INs) neurons may arise during their activity-dependent structural differentiation. However, how the resulting spatial embedding of INs and ENs in a network impacts on the spatiotemporal structu

Expanding use of large-scale neural recordings has led to paradigm shifts in how neural computation is understood [1]. Technologies used for collecting these datasets face fundamental limitations ranging from power dissipation, penetration depth, and resolution [2] while facing additional practical challenges related to sensor integration with the subject or patient. While the ultimate goal of simultaneously recording from every neuron in the brain is far out of reach, more modest advancements still need to be made to ensure the proper neural coverage is achieved to construct a sufficient app

Primary cilia are sensory organelles understood to play important roles throughout development, as evidenced by the spectrum of neurodevelopmental phenotypes observed in instances of ciliary dysfunction (termed ciliopathies). Recent research indicates that in the adult brain, primary cilia may play roles in excitability, maintaining synaptic connectivity, and even form specialised synapses capable of altering the transcriptional landscape of neurons.To further understand the role of cilia in postmitotic neurons, we generated human induced pluripotent stem cell lines (hiPSCs) with NPHP1-/- and

Stroke is one of the main reasons of acquired epilepsy in adults. Little is known about the underlying pathomechanisms that occur during epileptogenesis, so between the transient hypoxia and the first late seizure.Some transcription factors drive gene-expression towards an epileptogenic phenotype through channelopathies, which may be acquired through brain insults, such as the T-type Ca2+ channel CaV3.2.Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is quickly activated and can bind to the promoter of CaV3.2, potentially inducing an epileptogenic cascade in penumbra neurons.We used NS20Y cells and prima

…microstructures on top of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) t

Advances in the development of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) for in-vitro electrophysiological recordings have enabled the characterization of multi-scale behavior in neuronal networks, ranging from subcellular level to network dynamics. Such devices are fundamental for studying the phenotype of neurological disorders and for drug discovery, providing unique insights into the complexity of neuronal networks. Electrode density, spacing, and size influence the signal quality, noise level, and sensitivity. To properly characterize the full behavior of neuronal networks, MEAs must combine single-ce

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) for non-invasive electrical readout of neurons are a valuable tool for long-term studies of neuronal network signaling on a single-cell level. However, conventional MEAs are built only in 2D and thus do not represent the three-dimensional network topology of the human brain. Here, we present an approach to equip planar MEAs with 3D microscaffolds featuring circuitry for enabling three-dimensional brain-on-a-chip devices with single-cell outgrowth control and electrical readout. Recently, we presented non-functional microscaffolds prepared by 3D nanoprinting (3DN) f

To date, our understanding of how the human brain retrieves, processes, and stores information remains limited. A specific challenge lies in unravelling how local plasticity mechanisms shape the transfer of information between neurons. Traditional approaches to studying local plasticity in vitro, such as patch clamp or calcium imaging, are often limited by low throughput or the ability to record only from a subset of neurons within intricate networks. In response to these challenges, we adopt a bottom-up approach to engineer low-density neuronal networks with defined architectures. Human induc

Aims Microelectrode arrays (MEA) are commonly used in neuroscience as a device for monitoring neuronal firing and synaptic activity in vitro from 2D and 3D neuronal cultures and brain slices. MEA recordings serve as powerful functional assay for neuroscience, but this is only applicable if it does not outstrip our ability to analyze the data. Here we present the MEASpikeR package, an R toolbox specifically designed for analyzing and exploring in vitro neuronal spike activity and field post synaptic potential (fPSP) recorded with the MED64 system (AlphaMED Scientific). Methods MEASpikeR consist

…implanted with two 16-channel microelectrode arrays in the primary motor cortex. A behavioral setup and shaping paradigm was developed to direct the attention of rats to a motor neuroprosthetic endpoint, and to enable cor

…With the use of microelectrode arrays, the Maestro Pro can measure the electrical activity of neural cultures in a high throughput, label-free manner. Here, an optimized in vitro assay is demonstrated to characterize the response of neural cultures to neuroactive compounds. 40,000 primary cortical rat neurons per well were plated on CytoView 24-well plates, and neural activity and viability were monitored on the Maestro Pro. To determine the optimal culture conditions for compound dosing, neural netwo

Neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and dystonia, are associated with excessive neuronal activity synchrony that overshadows normal brain activity. To disrupt these pathological occurrences, implantable brain stimulators apply electrical stimulation continuously, in an open-loop setting. However, stimulation should ideally be provided only when needed, guided by a closed-loop control system. Computational studies have focused on developing closed-loop stimulation protocols to counteract excessive neuronal synchronization. Delayed feedback control (DFC) is a method kn