Neural signal transmission measurements with a conductive polymer microelectrode array

Abstract

AbstractThe neural activity of dissociated cultures of mouse cortical neurons was measured with a conductive polymer microelectrode array. Each electrode was electrochemically polymerized from (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) and ethylenedioxythiophene on indium tin oxide electrodes. The spike activity of the cortical neurons was measured with the conducting polymer MEA and spike train cross‐correlograms were calculated to predict the type of synaptic connection. Both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections were identified after 6 to 8 days in vitro. These results show that it is possible to determine the interaction between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in relation to information processing with this new polymer electrode. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 177(1): 37–42, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21155