Comment on "Detection, stimulation, and inhibition of neuronal signals with high-density nanowire transistor arrays"

Patolsky et al. (Reports, 25 August 2006, p. 1100) used silicon nanowires to record action potentials in rat neuronal axons and found increases in conductance of about 85 nanosiemens. We point out that the data correspond to voltage changes of about -85 millivolts on the nanowire and that conceivable mechanisms of axon-nanowire interaction lead to signals that are opposite in sign or smaller by orders of magnitude.