Modular Data Acquisition System for Recording Activity and Electrical Stimulation of Brain Tissue Using Dedicated...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Simultaneous recording and stimulation of neural activity is crucial for understanding brain function.
• Existing systems often face limitations in channel count, real-time processing, and compatibility with various hardware.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a modular Data Acquisition (DAQ) system for simultaneous electrical stimulation and recording of brain activity.
• To detail the hardware and software architecture, focusing on real-time performance and integration with Neurostim-3 ASIC and MEAs.
• To characterize the Neurostim-3's signal processing capabilities for neural signal analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modular DAQ system with up to 512 bidirectional channels.
• Integration with custom Neurostim-3 Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and commercial Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs).
• Real-time software design for seamless operation on a standard Personal Computer (PC) without precomputation.

Main Results:

• The DAQ system supports simultaneous control of 512 independent input-output channels.
• Neurostim-3 channels demonstrate signal gain linearity across a wide amplitude range.
• High-pass cut-off frequency near 0.6Hz enables recording of Local Field Potentials (LFPs) and spiking activity.
• Successful acquisition of physiological data from stimulated and non-stimulated rat brain tissue.

Conclusions:

• The developed DAQ system, integrating Neurostim-3 and MEAs, offers efficient and effective simultaneous brain stimulation and recording.
• The system's real-time processing capabilities and hardware compatibility provide valuable insights into brain information processing.
• This technology is suitable for advanced neuroscience research, enabling detailed analysis of neural signals.