Implementing Nanogap Sensors in Neuroscience Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Disorders of the nervous system have significant negative affects on society. In order to address this problem, there is an urgent need to develop new techniques to monitor neuronal activity that will enable improved understanding of the nervous system, and more specifically brain function. These include ultrasensitive neurotransmitter detection techniques based on previously developed nanofabrication technologies. The expected result of the innovative nanofabrication work will be the creation of next-generation sensing devices and methodologies. In the proposed work, these devices and methodologies will be applied to monitor exocytotic release from individual neurons and model neurons to improve understanding of the mechanisms of exocytosis. The expected result of this effort will be new analytical tools that will enable ultra-sensitive detection of neurologically related molecules of interest in extremely small volumes of ionic solution. The measurement of these molecules will enable the acquisition of neurophysiological data that was not practically available previously. The analysis of this now available data will lead to new treatment methods for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. While these techniques are applicable to a variety of problems in the sciences, initial applications will be focused on neuronal function due to the importance of neuroscience research and its impact on human health. Neurological and neurodegenerative disorders continue to be a problem in modern society. For example, drug addiction causes significant loss of productivity. Improved understanding of the human brain, and the effects of pharmacological agents (e.g., drugs of abuse) on the human brain, learned as a result of the proposed work will lead to new treatment methods for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. To accomplish these goals, methodologies to study the key components of the brain, specifically neurons, will be developed.