Peking University Develops Advanced Neural Probe Neuroscroll

TapTechNews June 25 - The Future Technology Institute of Peking University has designed and fabricated an ultrathin flexible microelectrode array film, and through a special rolling assembly process like a scroll, created a neural probe named Neuroscroll, which achieved for the first time in the world the recording of full-depth and high-throughput neuronal activities in the macaque brain. The relevant results were published in Nature Neuroscience.

TapTechNews attached the paper address: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01692-6

A neural probe is a needle-like electrical sensor used to record neural activities and is a core technology in brain science research and brain-computer interfaces. The single probe developed by Peking University integrates 1024 neural signal channels that can be recorded simultaneously, reaching the international leading level.

The existing high-channel neural probes are mainly suitable for brain research of rodents such as rats and mice. Even when used in brain research of primate animals, it is difficult to cover the entire brain scale.

The length of Neuroscroll can be easily adjusted and is suitable for single probes ranging from 10 millimeters to 90 millimeters, covering the brain sizes of non-human primates and humans, and the probe remains intact and functional after repeated bending and deformation.

The research team used Neuroscroll to achieve simultaneous monitoring of more than 700 single-neuron activities spanning the full depth from the cerebral cortical surface to the base of the brain in the macaque brain. In addition, stable neural recording was achieved in the rat brain for up to two years.