CASCADE: Criticality Avalanche Spike Cross-platform Analysis Detection Engine, a Multi-Manufacturer MEA Bash Analysis...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings are crucial for studying neuronal network activity.
• Proprietary software from MEA manufacturers creates data format incompatibilities.
• A lack of cross-platform, open-source analysis pipelines hinders standardized MEA data interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a unified, open-source software pipeline for analyzing MEA recordings.
• To enable cross-platform compatibility for MEA data from various manufacturers.
• To facilitate the analysis of neuronal network activity, criticality, and avalanches.

Main Methods:

• Developed CASCADE (Criticality Avalanche Spike Cross-platform Analysis Detection Engine), a Python-based command-line pipeline.
• Implemented analysis for standard parameters: network, burst, and firing rate frequency.
• Integrated methods for measuring neuronal criticality and avalanches.

Main Results:

• CASCADE successfully analyzes MEA recordings from multiple manufacturers (3Brain, Axion Biosystems, Cortical Labs, Maxwell Biosystems, Multi-Channel Systems).
• Benchmarking demonstrated comparable criticality calculations across different MEA recordings using identical computational methods.
• The pipeline ensures consistent analysis regardless of the manufacturer's file format.

Conclusions:

• CASCADE offers a flexible and robust solution for MEA data analysis.
• The pipeline supports the standardized assessment of neuronal avalanches and criticality.
• This tool promotes interoperability and reproducibility in neuroscience research using MEA data.