A Modular Neural Interface For Massively Parallel Recording And Control PDF Download

There are more connections between neurons in the human brain than there are stars in our galaxy. Although such complexity is likely requisite for the ability to internalize, integrate, and respond to the continuous streams of information that the brain must process, it also makes the effective treatment of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, especially challenging. In recent years, the development of new implantable-device technologies to read-out and write-in electrical and chemical signals to and from the brain have created unprecedented opportunities to understand normal brain function and to ameliorate dysfunction resulting from disease or injury. Despite remarkable results in clinical studies and increasing market approvals, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of neuroprosthetics, as well as their debilitating side effects and reasons for their failure, remain poorly understood. Here, we report a new strategy to take advantage of the scalability and electronic processing power of CMOS-based devices combined with a three-dimensional neural interface. This architecture allows for each wire to be independently addressable for recording and stimulation purposes, ameliorating issues of scalability. The core concept consists of a bundle of insulated microwires perpendicularly mated to a large-scale CMOS amplifier array, such as a pixel array found in commercial camera or display chips. While microwires have low insertion damage and excellent electrical recording performance, they have been difficult to scale because they require individual mounting and connectorization. By arranging them into bundles, we control the spatial arrangement and three-dimensional structure of the distal (neuronal) end, with a robust parallel contact plane on the proximal side mated to a planar pixel array. The modular nature of the design allows a wide array of microwire types and size to be mated to different CMOS chips. The density of the microwires for the proximal (chip) end and the distal (brain) end can be modulated independently, allowing the wire-to-wire spacing to be tailored as desired. We thus link the rapid progress and power of commercial CMOS multiplexing, digitization and data acquisition hardware together with a bio-compatible, flexible and sensitive neural interface array. In our preliminary experiments, it became clear that the critical limitation of our technology is the insertion of arrays of microwires without damaging the surrounding tissue. This is challenging because the innermost meninge (pia), a relatively stiff membrane on the surface of the brain, has interwoven vasculature that makes it difficult to remove without causing severe trauma. While the insertion of a single microwire