CHRONIC RAT SYSTEM FOR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC STUDY OF AGING

描述（改编自申请人摘要）： 将建立一个适合于电生理学的慢性大鼠系统 老化大脑的研究，它将有一个微电极阵列 其长度在制造过程中是可调节的， 电极尖端可以被布置成与电极的3D结构相匹配， 正在研究皮质特征。该系统将提供一个独特的机会， 在行为大鼠中研究年龄对皮层信息的影响 以当前技术不可能的方式进行处理。除了 直接受益于老龄化研究界， 第一和第二阶段产生的结果将适用于许多其他计划， 电生理学记录从清醒，行为大鼠。 第一阶段开发了两个关键组成部分：（1）制造0.4毫米 间距微电极阵列结构，其中各个电极的长度 可以在0.5mm和3.0mm之间，以及（2）25通道经皮连接器。 慢性实验将验证连接器的生物相容性及其 固定技术急性实验将验证多电极阵列 可以记录大鼠海马区自发神经活动。 第二阶段将优化和验证大鼠植入的慢性系统 海马和证明相关的电生理发现， 大鼠海马的衰老过程。 拟定商业应用： 一种适合植入的慢性微电极阵列系统将上市 研究衰老的电生理学方面。 它也将被推销给 研究人员研究了老鼠的其他皮层过程。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): A chronic rat system will be developed suitable for electrophysiological investigations of the aging brain, It will have an array of microelectrodes whose lengths are adjustable during manufacture so that the 3-D distribution of the electrode tips can be arranged to match the 3-D architecture of the cortical feature under study. This system will offer a unique opportunity to investigate in behaving rats the effect of aging on cortical information processing in a way not possible with current techniques. In addition to benefiting directly the aging research community, the tools and techniques resulting from Phases I and II will be applicable to many other programs using electrophysiological recordings from awake, behaving rats. Phase I develops the two key components: (1) a technique for making a 0.4-mm pitch microelectrode array structure where the lengths of individual electrodes can be between 0.5mm and 3.0mm, and (2) a 25-channel percutaneous connector. Chronic experiments will verify the biocompatibility of the connector and its fixation technique. Acute experiments will verify that the multielectrode array can record spontaneous neural activity in rat hippocampus. Phase II will optimize and validate the chronic system for implantation in rat hippocampus and demonstrate the relevance of electrophysiological findings in rat hippocampus to the aging process. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: A chronic microelectrode array system will be marketed that is suitable for implantation in rats to study the electrophysiologic aspects of aging. It will also be marketed to researchers for investigating other cortical processes in rats.