A neurophotonic device for stimulation and recording of neural microcircuits

Neural stimulation and recording with high spatiotemporal precision is desirable for studying the real time cellular basis of neural circuits, as well as developing possible therapeutic treatments for neurological diseases. Optical stimulation of genetically targeted neurons expressing the light sensitive ion channel protein Channelrhodopsin (ChR2) and Halorhodopsin (NpHR) has recently been reported as a means for millisecond temporal control of neuronal spiking activity with cell-type selectivity. We combine the new `optogenetics' approaches with a dual-modality device, which consists of a tapered coaxial optical waveguide (“optrode”) directly integrated into a 36 element intra-cortical multi-electrode recording array (MEA). This novel optoelectronic microarray was cortically implanted in ChR2 transduced behaving rats. We have shown that the idiopathic induced epileptic seizure could be modulated by optical stimulation.