Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences - International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
J Neurosci Methods. 2019 Jan 1;311:186-192. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.10.026. Epub 2018 Oct 21.
Chronic recordings with multi-electrode arrays are widely used to study neural networks underlying complex primate behaviors. Most of these systems are designed for studying neural activity in the cortical hemispheres resulting in a lack of devices being capable of simultaneously recording from ensembles of neurons in deep brainstem structures. However, to fully understand complex behavior, it is fundamental to also decipher the intrinsic mechanisms of the underlying motor pattern generating circuits in the brainstem.
We report a light-weight system that simultaneously measures single-unit activity from a large number of recording sites in the brainstem of marmoset monkeys. It includes a base chamber fixed to the animal's skull and a removable upper chamber that can be semi-chronically mounted to the base chamber to flexibly position an embedded micro-drive containing a 32-channel laminar probe to record from various positions within the brainstem for several weeks.
The current system is capable of simultaneously recording stable single-unit activity from a large number of recording sites in the brainstem of vocalizing marmoset monkeys.
To the best of our knowledge, chronic systems to record from deep brainstem structures with multi-site laminar probes in awake, behaving monkeys do not yet exist.
The semi-chronic implantation of laminar electrodes into the brainstem of behaving marmoset monkeys opens new research possibilities in fully understanding the neural mechanisms underlying complex behaviors in marmoset monkeys.
多电极阵列的慢性记录被广泛用于研究复杂灵长类动物行为的神经网络。这些系统大多是为研究皮质半球中的神经活动而设计的，导致缺乏能够同时从深部脑干结构中的神经元集合中进行记录的设备。然而，为了全面理解复杂行为，解析大脑脑干中运动模式产生回路的内在机制也是至关重要的。
我们报告了一种轻量级系统，该系统可同时测量狨猴脑干中大量记录位点的单细胞活动。它包括一个固定在动物头骨上的基座室和一个可移动的上室，可半慢性地安装到基座室上，以灵活地定位包含 32 通道层状探头的嵌入式微驱动器，从而可在数周内从脑干的各个位置进行记录。
当前的系统能够从发声狨猴的脑干中大量记录位点稳定地记录单细胞活动。
据我们所知，在清醒、行为的猴子中，还没有用于从深部脑干结构用多位点层状探头进行记录的慢性系统。
在行为的狨猴中，将层状电极半慢性地植入脑干开辟了新的研究可能性，有助于全面理解狨猴复杂行为的神经机制。
