Elastocapillary self-assembled neurotassels for stable neural activity recordings

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Neural Engineering

Background:

• Mechanically compliant neural probes are crucial for stable neural interfaces in neuroscience research and clinical applications.
• Existing probes often cause tissue damage, limiting long-term functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel implantable neural probe, termed Neurotassel, that is mechanically compliant with brain tissue.
• To evaluate the Neurotassel's ability to enable stable neural recordings and minimize tissue response.

Main Methods:

• Neurotassels were fabricated as arrays of flexible, high-aspect ratio microelectrode filaments.
• Self-assembly into implantable fibers was achieved via elastocapillary interactions during withdrawal from a molten, tissue-dissolvable polymer.
• Chronic implantation in mice was performed to assess tissue response and recording stability.

Main Results:

• Neurotassels demonstrated minimal neuronal cell loss upon chronic implantation.
• Stable recordings from the same neuronal populations were achieved in mice performing a task.
• The technology is scalable to 1024 microelectrode filaments, forming ~100 μm diameter fibers.

Conclusions:

• Neurotassels offer a new approach for stable neural activity recording due to their flexibility and minimal invasiveness.
• The technology holds promise for advanced neuroprosthetics and long-term neural monitoring.
• Scalability and ease of implantation present significant advantages for neural interface development.