Carbon Nanotubes as Suitable Interface for Improving Neural Recordings

Abstract

In the last decades, system neuroscientists around the world have dedicated their research to understand how neuronal networks work and how they malfunction in various diseases. Furthermore in the last years we have seen a progressively increased interaction of brain networks with external devices either for the use of brain computer interfaces or through the currently extended brain stimulation (e.g. transcranial magnetic stimulation) for therapy. Both techniques have evidenced even more the need for a better understanding of neuronal networks. These studies have resulted in the development of different strategies to understand the ongoing neuronal activity, such as fluorescence microscopy for genetic labelling and optogenetic techniques, imaging techniques, or the recording/stimulation with increasingly large numbers of electrodes in the whole brain or in both cell cultured neurons and slice preparations. It is in these last two areas where the technology developed on microelectrode arrays, commonly called multi-electrode arrays (MEAs), has become important over other technologies