Telemetry-controlled simultaneous stimulation-and-recording device (SRD) to study interhemispheric cortical circuits in rat primary somatosensory (SI) cortex.

BACKGROUND

A growing need exists for neuroscience platforms that can perform simultaneous chronic recording and stimulation of neural tissue in animal models in a telemetry-controlled fashion with signal processing for analysis of the chronic recording data and external triggering capability. We describe the system design, testing, evaluation, and implementation of a wireless simultaneous stimulation-and-recording device (SRD) for modulating cortical circuits in physiologically identified sites in primary somatosensory (SI) cortex in awake-behaving and freely-moving rats. The SRD was developed using low-cost electronic components and open-source software. The function of the SRD was assessed by bench and in-vivo testing.

RESULTS

The SRD recorded spontaneous spiking and bursting neuronal activity, evoked responses to programmed intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) delivered internally by the SRD, and evoked responses to external peripheral forelimb stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The SRD is capable of wireless stimulation and recording on a predetermined schedule or can be wirelessly synchronized with external input as would be required in behavioral testing prior to, during, and following ICMS.