Free‐Standing Nanofilm Electrode Arrays for Long‐Term Stable Neural Interfacings

Flexible neural electrodes integrated on micrometer‐thick polymer substrates offer important opportunities for improving the stability of neuronal activity recordings during cognitive processes. However, the bending stiffness of micrometer‐thick polymer substrates is typically two orders of magnitud...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced materials (Weinheim) 2022-02, Vol.34 (5), p.e2107343-n/a
Main Authors: Gao, Lei, Wang, Jinfen, Zhao, Yan, Li, Hongbian, Liu, Mengcheng, Ding, Jianfei, Tian, Huihui, Guan, Shouliang, Fang, Ying
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arrays
Brain - physiology
Electrodes
Electrodes, Implanted
flexible probe
in vivo recording
Microelectrodes
nanoscale electrode
neural interfaces
neural recording
Neurons - physiology
Polymers
Stiffness
Substrates
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Summary:Flexible neural electrodes integrated on micrometer‐thick polymer substrates offer important opportunities for improving the stability of neuronal activity recordings during cognitive processes. However, the bending stiffness of micrometer‐thick polymer substrates is typically two orders of magnitude higher than that of nanofilm electrodes, making it a limiting factor in electrode‐tissue interfacings. Here, this limitation is overcome by developing self‐assembled nanofilm electrode arrays (NEAs) that consist of high‐density, free‐standing gold nanofilm electrodes. Chronically implanted NEAs can form intimate and innervated interfaces with neural tissue, enabling stable neuronal activity recordings across multiple brain regions over several months. As an application example, the activities of the same neuronal populations are tracked across odor discrimination reversal learning and it is illustrated how dorsal striatal neurons represent and update stimulus‐outcome associations across multiple timescales. The results underscore the potential of free‐standing nanoscale materials for interfacing biological systems over long terms. Nanofilm electrode arrays (NEAs) that consist of high‐density, free‐standing gold nanofilm electrodes are developed. The NEAs are encapsulated into biodissolvable polymer carriers through an efficient elastocapillary self‐assembly process, enabling their reliable implantation into deep brain tissues. Chronically implanted NEAs can form intimate and innervated interfaces with neural tissue, enabling stable neuronal activity recordings across multiple brain regions over several months.
ISSN:0935-9648
1521-4095
DOI:10.1002/adma.202107343