Transitioning Microfabricated Multiple Electrode Arrays to Freely Moving Animal R

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目将创建新一代的分析工具，使有关大脑的化学信息被收集在清醒和行为的动物在多个地点同时进行。PI和其他人之前的研究已经证明，可以利用电化学传感器（通常是单根碳纤维微电极）在体内收集有用的化学信息。这项提议将使现有的多传感器平台适用于清醒和有行为的动物。该传感器平台基于PI开发的碳传感器的微加工微电极阵列（MMEA）。这些碳传感器能够在复杂的生物环境中收集高质量的电化学信息。由于这些MMEA是使用微制造工艺制成的，因此与传统的碳纤维微电极相比，它们在可重复性和易于构建方面具有优势;以及可以扩展以增加待检测的传感器或分子数量的灵活性。在麻醉动物中使用这些MMEAs收集体内信息。该项目将改进最先进的技术，以监测清醒和行为动物尾壳核中的多巴胺释放。虽然该项目的重点是尾壳核，但预计微加工探针将普遍适用于大脑中的化学监测，并且可以用该技术监测的分子的数量和类型将继续扩大。 公共卫生相关性：了解大脑功能的潜在化学贡献是解决各种健康和社会问题的关键问题，包括抑郁症，药物成瘾和神经退行性疾病。这项资助开发了监测清醒和行为动物大脑中化学信号所需的工具。这些工具是神经科学研究的关键需求，这项工作将有助于其他研究人员获得所需的技术和基础设施来进行这些类型的测量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will create a new generation of analytical tools to enable chemical information about the brain to be collected in awake and behaving animals at multiple sites simultaneously. Previous research by the PIs and others has demonstrated that useful chemical information can be collected in vivo utilizing electrochemical sensors, typically single carbon fiber microelectrodes. This proposal will adapt existing multi- sensor platforms for applications in awake and behaving animals. The sensor platforms are based on microfabricated microelectrode arrays (MMEA) of carbon sensors developed by the PIs. These carbon sensors enable high-quality electrochemical information to be collected in complex biological environments. Because these MMEAs are made using microfabrication processes they are expected to have advantages compared to traditional carbon fiber microelectrodes in reproducibility and ease of construction; as well as the flexibility to be expanded to increase the number of sensors or molecules to be detected. In vivo information has been collected using these MMEAs in anesthetized animals. This project will improve the state-of-the-art to enable monitoring dopamine release in the caudate putamen of awake and behaving animals. While this project focuses on the caudate putamen, it is expected that the microfabricated probes will be generally applicable for chemical monitoring in the brain and that the number and types of molecules that can be monitored with this technology will continue to expand. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Understanding the underlying chemical contributions to brain function is a critical issue in solving a variety of health and societal issues including depression, drug addiction, and neurodegenerative disorders. This grant develops the tools needed to monitor chemical signaling in the brain of awake and behaving animals. These tools are a critical need for neuroscience research and this work will aid in enabling other researchers access to required technology and infrastructure to make these types of measurements.