Electrical Imaging and Capacitive Stimulation of Retinal Neurons using a semiconductor-based Neurochip

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Electrical Imaging and Capacitive Stimulation of Retinal Neurons using a semiconductor-based Neurochip Guenther Zeck1, 2, 3*, Jacob Menzler2 and Max Eickenscheidt3 1 University of Tübingen, NMI, Germany 2 Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Systems and Computational Neuroscience, Germany 3 Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Membrane- and Neurophysics, Germany Background/Aims Neural interfaces allow for information exchange with the nervous system by recording the relevant signals and by introducing information through electrical stimulation. Today's interfaces reflect a gap between the number of recorded and theoretically recordable neurons in brain tissue because of the relatively low number of electrodes and the large separation between them. Semiconductor-based multi-electrode arrays (Neurochip) comprising 16384 sensors/mm2 provide sufficient sampling density to record from hundreds of neurons at once. The inert oxide covering the NeuroChips allows eliciting electrical activity in nearby neurons by capacitive stimulation. In this presentation I will discuss the application of Neurochips in retina research with the focus on retinal diseases. Methods/Statistics The mammalian retina has a layered structure. It can be easily interfaced to planar extracellular arrays (Neurochip) comprising sensor sites that simultaneously record the spiking activity from populations of neurons. Here, the hereditary retinal disease of retinitis pigmentosa is investigated in a mouse model of photoreceptor degeneration (rd1). Extracellular voltages from the retinal ganglion cell layer were recorded in wildtype and rd1 retinas at high spatial (8 x 16 μm) and temporal (12 kHz) resolution. A multi-capacitor array comprising 400 square-shaped stimulation sites is used to elicit electrical activity in retinal ganglion cells and, under certain conditions, in presynaptic neurons. Results Loss of photoreceptors is accompanied by aberrant rhythmic activity in the majority of retinal ganglion cells. Such activity is never measured in healthy retinas. The rhythmic activity correlates with local field potentials that propagate across the retinal ganglion cell layer. Using pharmacological blockers we identify presynaptic circuitry involved in the generation and maintenance of the pathological retinal activity. In a second example we investigate the capacitive stimulation of retinal ganglion cells with monophasic stimuli. Falling voltage ramps applied to the capacitor elicit action potentials in a nearby ganglion cell within 1 ms after pulse onset. A burst of action potentials follows within 5 – 10 ms. This burst is caused by presynaptic neurons and can be avoided by appropriate stimulation protocols. Conclusion/Summary Here we present two related applications of a semiconductor-based chip comprising recording and stimulation arrays. The identification of simultaneous activity from ~ hundred retinal ganglion cells in the disease retina helped to identify mechanisms responsible for pathological activity. The successful capacitive stimulation of neurons in retinal tissue without Faradaic electrochemical reactions may provide a basis for safe and efficient neuroprosthetic devices. Keywords: neuroengineering Conference: The Monte Verita' Workshop on the Frontiers in Neuroengineering, Ascona, Switzerland, 5 Sep - 9 Sep, 2010. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation Topic: Frontiers in Neuroengineering Citation: Zeck G, Menzler J and Eickenscheidt M (2010). Electrical Imaging and Capacitive Stimulation of Retinal Neurons using a semiconductor-based Neurochip. Front. Neuroeng. Conference Abstract: The Monte Verita' Workshop on the Frontiers in Neuroengineering. doi: 10.3389/conf.fneng.2010.10.00013 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 18 Aug 2010; Published Online: 10 Sep 2010. * Correspondence: Dr. Guenther Zeck, University of Tübingen, NMI, Tübingen, Germany, zeck@neuro.mpg.de Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Guenther Zeck Jacob Menzler Max Eickenscheidt Google Guenther Zeck Jacob Menzler Max Eickenscheidt Google Scholar Guenther Zeck Jacob Menzler Max Eickenscheidt PubMed Guenther Zeck Jacob Menzler Max Eickenscheidt Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.