Wireless transmission of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at a carbon-fiber microelectrode: proof of principle

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at a carbon-fiber microelectrode (CFM) provides exquisite temporal and spatial resolution for monitoring brain chemistry. The utility of this approach has recently been demonstrated by measuring sub-second dopamine changes associated with behavior. However, one drawback is the cable link between animal and recording equipment that restricts behavior and precludes monitoring in complex environments. As a first step towards developing new instrumentation to overcome this technical limitation, the goal of the present study was to establish proof of principle for the wireless transmission of FSCV at a CFM. Proof of principle was evaluated in terms of measurement stability, fidelity, and susceptibility to ambient electrical noise. Bluetooth digital telemetry provided bi-directional communication between remote and home-base units and stable, high-fidelity data transfer comparable to conventional, wired systems when tested using a dummy cell (i.e., a resistor and capacitor in series simulating electrical properties of a CFM), and dopamine measurements with flow injection analysis and in the anesthetized rat with electrical stimulation. The wireless system was also less susceptible to interference from ambient electrical noise. Taken together, the present findings establish proof of principle for the wireless transmission of FSCV at a CFM.