An Algorithm for Tracking the Position and Velocity of Multiple Neuronal Signals Using Implantable Microelectrodes In Vivo.

Lionel M Broche,Michael Pycraft Hughes,Karla D Bustamante

doi:10.3390/mi12111346

Lionel M Broche, Michael Pycraft Hughes + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12111346

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Abstract

Increasingly complex multi-electrode arrays for the study of neurons both in vitro and in vivo have been developed with the aim of tracking the conduction of neural action potentials across a complex interconnected network. This is usually performed through the use of electrodes to record from single or small groups of microelectrodes, and using only one electrode to monitor an action potential at any given time. More complex high-density electrode structures (with thousands of electrodes or more) capable of tracking action potential propagation have been developed but are not widely available. We have developed an algorithm taking data from clusters of electrodes positioned such that action potentials are detected by multiple sites, and using this to detect the location and velocity of action potentials from multiple neurons. The system has been tested by analyzing recordings from probes implanted into the locust nervous system, where recorded positions and velocities correlate well with the known physical form of the nerve.

Highlights

Since the first development of action potential measurement in the 1950s [1], instruments have been developed to enable the monitoring of single action potentials (APs).Whilst original recording devices comprised thin wires, since the 1970s, the predominant approach to neural recording electrodes has been through the use of micromachined silicon electrodes constructed using techniques developed in the semiconductor industry
Where single electrodes are used in multi-neuron settings, this is commonly performed by classifying the sources according to amplitude to determine proximity, though this is only effective for AP sources adjacent to the electrode; as distance increases, so does the likelihood of multiple sources being at similar distance from the electrode in any given direction; such single electrode systems are unable to give spatial information about these sources, such as location or velocity
Pickard et al demonstrated that a single implanted multielectrode probe can detect many action potentials by comparing the relative magnitudes of the potential “spike” [6]. This approach has been used by other groups to discriminate between APs, but the typical wide spacing between microelectrodes of implantable devices means that AP spikes can be detected by only one electrode at a given point in time (e.g., [7])

Summary

Introduction

Since the first development of action potential measurement in the 1950s [1], instruments have been developed to enable the monitoring of single action potentials (APs).Whilst original recording devices comprised thin wires, since the 1970s, the predominant approach to neural recording electrodes has been through the use of micromachined silicon electrodes constructed using techniques developed in the semiconductor industry. As manufacturing techniques have improved, it has been possible to increase the number of electrodes on each device in order to enable recording from multiple neurons simultaneously, either in in vivo or in vitro settings [2,3,4,5]. Pickard et al demonstrated that a single implanted multielectrode probe can detect many action potentials by comparing the relative magnitudes of the potential “spike” [6]. This approach has been used by other groups to discriminate between APs, but the typical wide spacing between microelectrodes of implantable devices (typically multiple hundreds of microns) means that AP spikes can be detected by only one electrode at a given point in time (e.g., [7])

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