Developing A Transition MicroElelectrode Array for Large-scale Brain Recording

项目摘要 大脑的功能是由它的神经回路决定的，神经回路由大约850亿个 神经元细胞目前的大脑记录技术不足以实现高分辨率的目标 由于缺乏大规模的记录技术，另一个重要挑战是 当前的脑记录技术正在使植入电极获得更长的寿命 手术随着时间的推移，恶劣的生理环境（潮湿，离子，反应性氧化物质，免疫 响应等）在神经组织中分解和/或封装电极植入物。 为了克服这些障碍，我们建议开发和验证一种植入式过渡微- 用于大规模大脑记录和调制的电极阵列（tMEA）。这种方法有可能 最终达到每平方厘米106个“电极”的界面密度，这是几个数量级 超越现有的神经记录解决方案。除了超高的录音能力， 从现有的神经技术来看，tMEA使用活神经元作为电记录的手段， 引导探针将通过3D打印由可降解的生物聚合物制成。我们希望生物相容性 tMEA独特设计将大大减少组织损伤，并可抑制炎性免疫 大脑的反应。tMEA技术将使用植入后安全降解的生物聚合物， 暴露出活的神经干细胞，这些细胞将把它们的轴突投射到局部大脑区域，形成突触。 与病人自身神经元的联系通过这种方式，生物神经元轴突生长成稳定的 “电极阵列”，并取代故障倾向的非生物接口与自然生物连接作为一个高， 性能脑机接口。所有这些独特的特征赋予了tMEA独特的潜力， 神经科学家和临床医生探索人类大脑功能和治疗神经系统疾病， 神经科学、医疗实践和各种其他未来技术的进步。

Project Summary The brain’s functions are determined by its neural circuits, which consist of approximately 85 billion neuronal cells. Current brain recording technology is not sufficient to accomplish the goal of a high resolution mapping of brain activity due to the lack of a large-scale recording technology. Another vital challenge for current brain recording technology is obtaining longer lifetime for the implanted electrodes to prevent repeated surgeries. As over time, the harsh physiological environment (wet, ionic, reactive oxidizing species, immune response, etc.) in the neural tissue breaks down and/or encapsulates the electrode implants. To overcome these obstacles, we propose to develop and validate an implantable Transition Micro- Electrode Array (tMEA) for large-scale brain recording and modulation. This approach has the potential to eventually achieve an interface density of 106 “electrodes” per cm2, which is several orders of magnitude beyond established neural recording solutions. Except for the ultra-high recording capability, radically different from existing neural technologies, the tMEA uses living neurons as means of electrical recording and its axon guiding probes will be fabricated from degradable biopolymer via 3D printing. We expect the biocompatibility of the tMEA’s unique design will greatly decrease tissue damage and may suppress inflammatory immune response in the brain. The tMEA technology will use biopolymers that degrade safely after implantation, exposing living neural stem cells that will project their axons into local brain regions to form synaptic connections with the patient’s own neurons. In this way, the biological neuronal axons grow into a stable “electrode array” and replace a failure-prone abiotic interface with natural biotic connections act as a high- performance brain-machine interface. All these distinctive features endow the tMEA with unique potential for neuroscientists and clinicians to explore human brain functions and treat neurological disease, enabling an advancement of neuroscience, medical practice, and a variety of other future technologies.