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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 12, 2025

Multiscale Investigations of Cortical Processing by Integrating Laminar Polytrodes and Optogenetics with Micro Electrocorticography in Rodents

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Microscale Physiological Events on the Human Cortical Surface.

Angelique C Paulk¹, Jimmy C Yang^1,2, Daniel R Cleary^3,4,5

¹Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)

|March 22, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers discovered three novel classes of human brain activity using high-density microelectrodes. These intermediate microscale dynamics offer new insights into neuronal circuit function beyond single-cell and network levels.

Keywords:

auditory stimulation electrical stimulation extracellular activity human cortex microelectrode

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Published on: December 29, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Electrophysiology

Background:

Current understanding of human brain activity focuses on single neurons and large networks.
Knowledge of intermediate microscale local circuit dynamics remains limited.
Bridging this gap is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of cortical function.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and characterize previously unknown intermediate microscale neuronal dynamics in the human brain.
To explore activity patterns beyond single-unit and aggregate network activity.
To identify distinct classes of cortical activity at the microscale.

Main Methods:

Utilized ultra-high-density microelectrode arrays for intracranial recordings in human participants across multiple cortical areas.
Employed advanced analytic techniques to capture neuronal dynamics.
Cross-species validation using recordings from rodents and nonhuman primates.

Main Results:

Discovered three distinct classes of cortical activity not locked to natural brain rhythms.
Identified fast waveforms resembling single-unit activity and two slower, discrete event types in upper cortical layers.
Observed these events across species and recording types (laminar, Utah arrays).
Demonstrated selective modulation of event rates by auditory/electrical stimuli, pharmacological agents, and cold saline.

Conclusions:

High-resolution microelectrodes and analytical methods can capture intermediate neuronal dynamics.
These findings reveal a new layer of cortical activity between action potentials and population dynamics.
Understanding these microscale dynamics is essential for a complete picture of cortical circuit function.