Flexible multielectrodes can resolve multiple muscles in an insect appendage.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Neuroethology

Background:

• Current research on the neuromechanical basis of behavior is limited by data collection methods.
• Simultaneous recording from multiple neurons or muscles in intact, behaving animals is a critical unmet need.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the fabrication and testing of flexible multielectrode arrays (fMEAs).
• To address the need for methods enabling simultaneous multi-neuron/muscle recordings in behaving animals.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of flexible multielectrode arrays (fMEAs).
• Testing fMEAs for recording neural and muscle activity in the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis.
• Utilizing the flexibility and optimized recording site geometry of fMEAs for internal tissue insertion and signal clarity.

Main Results:

• Successfully recorded activity from several distinct units in the cockroach coxa using fMEAs.
• Demonstrated that fMEAs can be guided through internal tissues to access distinct neuronal and muscular groups.
• Achieved easily separable multichannel spike waveforms even with spike overlap, due to tuned recording site geometry.

Conclusions:

• Flexible multielectrode arrays (fMEAs) significantly advance the ability to record from multiple neurons or muscles simultaneously in intact, behaving animals.
• The flexibility of fMEAs minimizes interference with natural animal movement, facilitating in-vivo recordings.
• These fMEAs offer a promising tool for neuroscience, neuroethology, and biomechanics research.