title: A wireless neural recording system with a precision motorized microdrive for freely behaving animals.
abstract: The brain is composed of many different types of neurons. Therefore, analysis of brain activity with single-cell resolution could provide fundamental insights into brain mechanisms. However, the electrical signal of an individual neuron is very small, and precise isolation of single neuronal activity from moving subjects is still challenging. To measure single-unit signals in actively behaving states, establishment of technologies that enable fine control of electrode positioning and strict spike sorting is essential. To further apply such a single-cell recording approach to small brain areas in naturally behaving animals in large spaces or during social interaction, we developed a compact wireless recording system with a motorized microdrive. Wireless control of electrode placement facilitates the exploration of single neuronal activity without affecting animal behaviors. Because the system is equipped with a newly developed data-encoding program, the recorded data are readily compressed almost to theoretical limits and securely transmitted to a host computer. Brain activity can thereby be stably monitored in real time and further analyzed using online or offline spike sorting. Our wireless recording approach using a precision motorized microdrive will become a powerful tool for studying brain mechanisms underlying natural or social behaviors.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan [2] Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan [3] Training Program of Leaders for Integrated Medical System for Fruitful Healthy-Longevity Society, Center for the Promotion of Interdisciplinary Education and Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan [2] Department of Developmental Molecular Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisataka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nonomura
authors.affiliation: Department of Communications and Computer Engineering, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan [2] Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004594:Electrophysiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D059015:Wireless Technology