CSNE Seminar - Dr. Polina Anikeeva

Dr. Polina Anikeeva, CSNE member and AMAX Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA,  will present "Optoelectronics for Neural Recording and Stimulation” as a CSNE seminar.

Abstract:

Recently the invention of optogenetics have allowed for high-speed control of genetically defined neural circuit elements in freely moving mammals. However, with the ability to control came the demand to monitor neural activity during optogenetic experiments. To address the need for simultaneous optical stimulation and electrophysiological recording we have recently demonstrated a low-cost, miniature device “Optetrode”. The Optetrode’s small dimensions and modest weight (~2g) have allowed us to investigate the effects of optical excitation and inhibition of several genetically distinct cell populations in the prefrontal cortex of freely moving mice during the open field test. We have also demonstrated the utility of the Optetrode in electrophysiological recording and optical stimulation of projections from basolateral amygdala to the prefrontal cortex. Recently my lab has been focusing on extending the Optetrode concept to higher-resolution electrophysiological recordings and the development of flexible optoelectronic neural recording and stimulation devices that allow for greater tissue compatibility.