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Updated: May 14, 2026
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Recording Spatially Restricted Oscillations in the Hippocampus of Behaving Mice
Published on: July 1, 2018
Wireless hippocampal neural recording via a multiple input RF receiver to construct place-specific firing fields
Seung Bae Lee1, Joseph R Manns, Maysam Ghovanloo
1GT-Bionics lab, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.
Summary
This study presents a 32-channel wireless neural recording system (WINeR) for in vivo experiments. The system accurately captured epileptic activity and place cell firing fields, demonstrating its effectiveness compared to wired systems.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Signal Processing
Background:
- Advancements in neural recording technology are crucial for understanding brain function.
- Wireless systems offer greater freedom for animal subjects during in vivo experiments.
- Existing wireless neural recording systems face challenges with coverage area and signal fidelity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report on the design and in vivo validation of a 32-channel wireless neural recording system (WINeR).
- To evaluate the WINeR system's performance in capturing neural activity related to epilepsy and memory.
- To compare the quality of wireless recordings with a commercial hard-wired system.
Main Methods:
- Developed a 32-channel wireless neural recording system (WINeR) with a system-on-a-chip (SoC) transmitter and synchronized dual receivers.
- Fabricated the transmitter chip using 0.5-µm CMOS technology, optimizing for low power consumption.
- Utilized time division multiplexing (TDM) of pulse width modulated (PWM) samples and a time-to-digital converter (TDC) for signal digitization.
- Conducted in vivo experiments on rats, including inducing epileptic activity and mapping place cell firing fields.
- Compared WINeR system recordings against a commercial hard-wired system.
Main Results:
- The WINeR system successfully recorded neural activity in freely moving rats.
- Epileptic activities induced by tetanus toxin (TT) in the dorsal hippocampus were captured.
- Place-specific firing fields of hippocampal place cells were mapped during a circular track behavioral task.
- Wireless recordings showed comparable quality to traditional hard-wired systems, validated through direct comparison.
Conclusions:
- The 32-channel WINeR system provides a viable and effective solution for high-quality wireless neural recordings in vivo.
- The system's design, incorporating synchronized receivers, successfully addresses coverage limitations in large experimental arenas.
- WINeR technology holds significant potential for advancing neuroscience research by enabling less constrained in vivo studies.
