Implantable computer-controlled adaptive multi-electrode positioning system (AMEP)

Acute neuronal recordings performed with metal microelectrodes in non-human primates allow investigating the neural substrate of complex cognitive behaviors. Yet, the daily re-insertion and positioning of the electrodes prevents recording from many neurons simultaneously, limiting the suitability of these types of recordings for brain-computer-interface applications or for large-scale population statistical methods on a trial-by-trial basis. In contrast, chronically implanted multi-electrode arrays offer the opportunity to record from many neurons simultaneously, but immovable electrodes prevent optimization of the signal during and after implantation and cause the tissue response to progressively impair the transduced signal quality, thereby limiting the number of different neurons that can be recorded over the lifetime of the implant. Semi-chronically implanted matrices of electrodes, instead, allow individually movable electrodes in depth and achieve higher channel count compared to acute methods, hence partially overcome these limitations. Existing semi-chronic systems with higher channel count lack computerized control of electrode movements, leading to limited user-friendliness and uncertainty in depth-positioning. Here we demonstrate a chronically-implantable Adaptive Multi-Electrode Positioning (AMEP) system with detachable drive for computerized depth-adjustment of individual electrodes over several millimeters. This semi-chronic 16-channel system is designed to optimize the simultaneous yield of units in an extended period following implantation since the electrodes can be independently depth-adjusted with minimal effort and their signal quality continuously assessed. Importantly, the electrode array is designed to remain within a chronic recording chamber for a prolonged time, or can be used for acute recordings with high signal-to-noise ratio in the cerebral cortex of non-human primates.

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