Real-time estimation and biofeedback of single-neuron firing rates using local field potentials.
The long-term stability and low-frequency composition of local field potentials (LFPs) offer important advantages for robust and efficient neuroprostheses. However, cortical LFPs recorded by multi-electrode arrays are often assumed to contain only redundant information arising from the activity of large neuronal populations. Here we show that multichannel LFPs in monkey motor cortex each contain a slightly different mixture of distinctive slow potentials that accompany neuronal firing. As a result, the firing rates of individual neurons can be estimated with surprising accuracy. We implemented this method in a real-time biofeedback brain-machine interface, and found that monkeys could learn to modulate the activity of arbitrary neurons using feedback derived solely from LFPs. These findings provide a principled method for monitoring individual neurons without long-term recording of action potentials.
Institute of Neuroscience, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.
Thomas M
TM
Hall
1] Institute of Neuroscience, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4HH, UK [2] School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
Kianoush
K
Nazarpour
Institute of Neuroscience, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.
Andrew
A
Jackson
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*