Three-dimensional-printed headcap with embedded microdrive system for customizable multi-region brain recordings with...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Electrophysiological recordings are vital for brain research and therapeutic development.
• Accurate invasive implantation of neural probes is critical for high-fidelity electrophysiology.
• Current manual implantation methods are labor-intensive and can limit precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an innovative, cost-efficient, 3D-printed headcap with embedded microdrive (THEM) system.
• To streamline the in-vivo electrode implantation process for precise multi-region brain neural probe implantations.
• To reduce surgical time and enhance accuracy and repeatability in electrophysiological experiments.

Main Methods:

• Designed and fabricated a custom bregma-referenced headcap with integrated microdrive.
• Developed an upper support structure for probe packaging and management.
• Conducted surgeries and electrophysiological recordings in Sprague Dawley rats targeting medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

Main Results:

• The THEM system significantly reduces surgical time compared to conventional methods.
• The system simplifies complex multi-implant procedures.
• Enhanced procedural accuracy and repeatability were demonstrated in electrophysiological recordings.

Conclusions:

• The THEM system offers a significant improvement over conventional surgical implantation methods.
• This innovative tool streamlines multi-region neural probe implantation for neuroscience research.
• The system provides a promising solution for efficient and precise electrophysiology studies.