Ceramic-Based Multisite Microelectrodes for Electrochemical Recordings

该奖项支持微电极阵列技术的开发，该技术可用于以每秒为基础直接监测实验室动物大脑中的神经递质信号。这些器件形成在类似于微电极芯片的陶瓷晶片上。由此产生的微电极阵列可以批量制造用于一般科学用途，并可以配置为直接测量神经递质谷氨酸、乙酰胆碱、GABA和其他分子每秒的变化。目前的技术可以在麻醉动物制剂、脑片和细胞系统中进行。此外，这项技术还可以用于清醒行为动物的研究，这样大脑中的神经递质变化就可以直接与行为和功能相关。一旦完善，这项技术将被基础科学家广泛应用于神经科学和神经生物学领域，并可能有助于科学家开发生物传感器设备的其他应用。基于陶瓷的微电极阵列技术的发展可以将行为与大脑功能联系起来，并进一步了解学习和记忆、癫痫、运动过程、药物滥用、大脑系统和各种神经系统，这些系统都使用谷氨酸、乙酰胆碱和GABA作为主要神经递质。对微电极设计的各种改进包括：1)提高对神经递质谷氨酸、乙酰胆碱和GABA的选择性；2)开发方法，以廉价地实施记录技术，以便其他实验室能够负担得起这项最先进的技术；3)开发用于清醒动物的技术，以便研究人员能够研究大脑系统和行为之间的直接联系；以及4)开发纳米技术方法，以增强微电极的记录性能。

This award supports the development of microelectrode array technologies that can be used to directly monitor, on a second-by-second basis, neurotransmitter signaling in the brains of laboratory animals. The devices are formed on ceramic wafers analogous to microelectrode chips. The resulting microelectrode arrays can be mass fabricated for general scientific use and can be configured to directly measure second-by-second changes in the neurotransmitters glutamate, acetylcholine and GABA and other molecules. The present technology can be carried out in anesthetized animal preparations, brain slices and cellular systems. In addition, the technology can be adapted for studies in awake behaving animals so that neurotransmitter changes in the brain can be directly related to behavior and function. When perfected, this technology will be widely used by basic scientists in the fields of neuroscience and neurobiology, and may contribute to other applications with scientists developing biosensor devices. The development of the ceramic-based microelectrode array technology could allow for linking behavior with brain function and a further understanding of learning and memory, epilepsy, movement processes, drug abuse, brain systems and a variety of neuronal systems that all use glutamate, acetylcholine and GABA as their primary neurotransmitters. A variety of improvements to microelectrode design include 1) enhanced selectivity for the neurotransmitters glutamate, acetylcholine and GABA; 2) development of methodology to implement the recording technology inexpensively so that other laboratories can afford this state-of-the-art technology; 3) development of the technology for awake animals so that investigators can study the direct links between brain systems and behavior; and 4) development of nanotechnology approaches to enhance the recording properties of the microelectrodes.