Miniature Untethered EEG Recorder Improves Advanced Neuroscience Methodologies

Rodent electroencephalography (EEG) in preclinical research is frequently conducted in behaving animals. However, the difficulty inherent in identifying EEG epochs associated with a particular behavior or cue is a significant obstacle to more efficient analysis. In this paper we highlight a new solution, using infrared event stamping to accurately synchronize EEG, recorded from superficial sites above the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, with video motion tracking data in a transgenic Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model. Epochs capturing specific behaviors were automatically identified and extracted prior to further analysis. This was achieved by the novel design of an ultra-miniature wearable EEG recorder, the NAT-1 device, and its in-situ IR recording module. The device is described in detail, and its contribution to enabling new neuroscience is demonstrated.