Miniature Acquisition Module for Ensemble Unit Recording

This project will develop a complete, practical, cost effective high density electro-physiology recfor general neuroscience and biological neural network research. This project involves design of 1)on-animal electronics; 2) computer interfaces; and 3) software for storing acquired data, experimentanalysis. Biological neural network research involves spontaneous investigation of large ensembles orequires data acquisition and storage on a large number of recording channels to construct the timeneuronal assemblies. The goal is to reconstruct the population state-vectors of neural systems involintegration and cognitive processing, specifically in conscious, freely behaving animals. Recent sucmanipulator technology has made possible simultaneous recording from over 100 CNS neurons (Wilson &McNaughton, 1993). The data acquisition system used in those studies was designed by the P.I. workinwith Drs. Wilson and McNaughton. This design, while very successful, has encountered new practical lharness mass, rotatable harness commutator, system manageability and cost. This system will employ ncomputer technologies to overcome current constraints on channel density and provide the next generabiological neural network research.