Pinnell R C, Dempster J, Pratt J
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
J Neural Eng. 2015 Dec;12(6):066015. doi: 10.1088/1741-2560/12/6/066015. Epub 2015 Oct 15.
Elucidation of neural activity underpinning rodent behaviour has traditionally been hampered by the use of tethered systems and human involvement. Furthermore the combination of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) and various neural recording modalities can lead to complex and time-consuming laboratory setups. For studies of this type, novel tools are required to drive forward this research.
A miniature wireless system weighing 8.5 g (including battery) was developed for rodent use that combined multichannel DBS and local-field potential (LFP) recordings. Its performance was verified in a working memory task that involved 4-channel fronto-hippocampal LFP recording and bilateral constant-current fimbria-fornix DBS. The system was synchronised with video-tracking for extraction of LFP at discrete task phases, and DBS was activated intermittently at discrete phases of the task.
In addition to having a fast set-up time, the system could reliably transmit continuous LFP at over 8 hours across 3-5 m distances. During the working memory task, LFP pertaining to discrete task phases was extracted and compared with well-known neural correlates of active exploratory behaviour in rodents. DBS could be wirelessly activated/deactivated at any part of the experiment during EEG recording and transmission, allowing for a seamless integration of this modality.
The wireless system combines a small size with a level of robustness and versatility that can greatly simplify rodent behavioural experiments involving EEG recording and DBS. Designed for versatility and simplicity, the small size and low-cost of the system and its receiver allow for enhanced portability, fast experimental setup times, and pave the way for integration with more complex behaviour.
传统上，受缚系统的使用以及人为干预阻碍了对啮齿动物行为背后神经活动的阐释。此外，深部脑刺激（DBS）与各种神经记录方式的结合可能导致复杂且耗时的实验室设置。对于此类研究，需要新的工具来推动这项研究。
开发了一种重8.5克（包括电池）的微型无线系统供啮齿动物使用，该系统结合了多通道DBS和局部场电位（LFP）记录。在一项工作记忆任务中验证了其性能，该任务涉及4通道额颞叶海马LFP记录和双侧恒流穹窿海马伞DBS。该系统与视频跟踪同步，以便在离散任务阶段提取LFP，并且在任务的离散阶段间歇性地激活DBS。
该系统除了设置时间短之外，还能在3 - 5米的距离可靠地连续传输LFP超过8小时。在工作记忆任务期间，提取了与离散任务阶段相关的LFP，并与啮齿动物主动探索行为的知名神经关联进行了比较。在脑电图记录和传输过程中的任何实验阶段，DBS都可以无线激活/停用，从而实现这种方式的无缝集成。
该无线系统体积小，具备一定的稳健性和通用性，可极大地简化涉及脑电图记录和DBS的啮齿动物行为实验。该系统设计注重通用性和简单性，其体积小、成本低，增强了便携性，缩短了实验设置时间，为与更复杂行为的整合铺平了道路。
