Wireless neurophotonic probes for the interrogation of neurons in memory circuits

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As the average age of the population of Canada and the developed world rises,**neurodegenerative conditions will become increasingly prevalent and a growing burden on**the healthcare system and economy. A major neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimers**disease (AD), which causes memory and cognition loss. AD and dementia affect roughly 1.1**million Canadians and incur an economic cost of $10.4B per year in Canada. Currently, there**is no cure or effective treatment. The Lancet Neurology Commission recently stated, an**effective therapy for AD is perhaps the greatest unmet need facing modern medicine."**This project addresses the challenge of understanding neuron circuits in the brain involved in**memory, with the goal of improving the efficacy of neurostimulation therapies for AD and**dementia. Such treatments would stimulate specific brain circuits to promote memory**encoding and/or retrieval in patients with AD or dementia. The project will create a new type**of wireless, implantable deep brain probes for rodent experiments on memory loss rescue**that uses optical stimulation and electrical stimulation+recording of specific groups of**neurons. Importantly, these brain probes will be made using the same processes and**infrastructure as semiconductor microelectronics to ensure compatibility with volume**manufacturing and a viable technology translation path that will widely benefit neuroscientists**and clinical researchers.**This project brings together world-class expertise from around the globe in photonics,**electronics, neuroscience, and deep brain stimulation. In addition to the Canadian team**members, the project involves collaborators in France and United States who will provide**complementary expertise in the design, fabrication, and testing of the neural probes. The**results of this international project will benefit the health of Canadians and lead to high-value**neurotechnology products that are designed and integrated in Canada.