Mixed-signal template-based reduction scheme for stimulus artifact removal in electrical stimulation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Electrical Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Simultaneous electrical stimulation and recording are crucial for understanding neuronal circuitry function.
• Electrical stimulation generates artifacts that obscure neural responses during and immediately after stimulation, limiting data acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a mixed-signal recording topology with template subtraction for artifact removal during electrical stimulation.
• To enable neural recordings and action potential detection within the stimulation pulse period.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-signal recording topology incorporating analog template subtraction was designed.
• Emulated artifacts from a lumped electrical circuit model and experimental artifacts from cardiac cell cultures were used for evaluation.
• Simulations and experimental measurements were performed to assess artifact removal efficacy.

Main Results:

• The topology successfully removed stimulation artifacts, allowing for action potential detection during stimulation, even with high-amplitude artifacts.
• Simulation identified delays in artifact compensation as a primary error source, while quantization error acted as noise influencing detection thresholds.
• Experimental results demonstrated the feasibility of the topology in cardiac cell cultures.

Conclusions:

• The proposed topology effectively removes electrical stimulation artifacts, opening a new window for neural recording.
• This method significantly improves the analysis of neuronal activity by enabling data acquisition during stimulation periods.
• The technology holds promise for advancing neuroscience research and clinical applications.