Veteran Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Bioengineering

Rodent Behavioral Testing to Assess Functional Deficits Caused by Microelectrode Implantation in the Rat Motor Cortex

Monika Goss-Varley^1,2, Andrew J. Shoffstall^1,2, Keith R. Dona^1,2, Justin A. McMahon^1,2, Sydney C. Lindner^1,2, Evon S. Ereifej^1,2, Jeffrey R. Capadona^1,2

¹Advanced Platform Technology Center, Rehabilitation Research and Development, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, ²Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University

We have shown that a microelectrode implantation in the motor cortex of rats causes immediate and lasting motor deficits. The methods proposed herein outline a microelectrode implantation surgery and three rodent behavioral tasks to elucidate potential changes in the fine or gross motor function due to implantation-caused damage to the motor cortex.

Bioengineering

Focused Ion Beam Lithography to Etch Nano-architectures into Microelectrodes

Shreya Mahajan¹, Jonah A. Sharkins^2,4, Allen H. Hunter⁵, Amir Avishai⁶, Evon S. Ereifej^2,3,4

¹Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, ²Veteran Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, ³Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, ⁴Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, ⁵Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, University of Michigan, ⁶Carl Zeiss SMT, Inc.

We have shown that the etching of nano-architecture into intracortical microelectrode devices may reduce the inflammatory response and has the potential to improve electrophysiological recordings. The methods described herein outline an approach to etch nano-architectures into the surface of non-functional and functional single shank silicon intracortical microelectrodes.