Vascular Interfaces for Brain Imaging and Stimulation

 描述（由申请人提供）：功能性MRI（fMRI）、EEG和其他用于大规模人脑活动成像的完全无创模式已经开创性地揭示了许多人脑功能，但无法达到使用电极获得的动物中可能的单神经元、单尖峰水平的神经代码分析。这部分是由于所采用的间接观察方法（例如，用于fMRI的血流）以及由于颅骨在距离上的信号模糊（例如，EEG）。相比之下，诸如经颅植入的多电极阵列的侵入性方法可以实现单细胞、单尖峰分辨率， 但它们需要打开颅骨--对于植入的阵列，还需要损伤脑组织--这限制了对一小部分人群的效用，即那些因某些难以治愈的脑部疾病而接受神经外科手术的人，而这些疾病的风险是合理的。经颅植入的阵列也会由于神经胶质增生和其他大脑反应而随着时间的推移降低性能，并产生感染的脆弱性。与经颅电极相比，血管通路提供了一种侵入性更小、更安全和更可扩展的手段，将记录设备输送到埋藏在脑实质内的神经元附近。我们在这里提出创建一个用于脑成像、刺激、电记录和分子通路的血管平台，旨在开发至少在大血管中工作的设备，并为通过血管系统实现毛细血管分辨率神经通路铺平道路。具体来说，我们建议发起一个多机构的，协作的努力，设计一个人类适用的血管神经接口的多路神经记录和刺激，并进行初步的试点理论和实验项目，以验证所产生的概念的基本参数。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Functional MRI (fMRI), EEG, and other completely noninvasive modalities for large-scale imaging of human brain activity have pioneeringly revealed many human brain functions, but cannot reach the single-neuron, single-spike level of neural code analysis possible in animals obtained using electrodes. This is partly due to the indirect methods of observation employed (e.g., blood flow for fMRI) and due to blurring of signals over distance by the skull (e.g., for EEG). In contrast, invasive approaches such as trans-cranially implanted multi- electrode arrays can achieve single-cell, single-spike resolution, but they necessitate opening of the skull - and, for implanted arrays, damage of the brain tissue - limiting utility to a small fraction of the population, those undergoing neurosurgery for some intractable brain disorder that justifies the risk. Trans-cranially implanted arrays also degrade i performance over time due to gliosis and other brain reactions, and create vulnerabilities to infection. Vascular access offers a less-invasive, safer and more scalable means - in comparison to trans-cranial electrodes - to deliver recording devices to the vicinity of neurons buried inside the brain parenchyma. We here propose to create a vascular platform for brain imaging, stimulation, electrical recording, and molecular access, aiming for devices that will work at least in large blood vessels, and also paving the way towards capillary-resolution neural access through vasculature. Specifically, we propose to initiate a multi-institutional, collaboratie effort to design a human-applicable vascular neural interface for multiplexed neural recording and stimulation, and to carry out preliminary pilot theoretical and experimental projects to validate the basic parameters of the resulting concepts.