INTEGRATED, LOW COST, EEG/EMG RECORDING SYSTEM FOR MICE

DESCRIPTION(adapted from applicant's abstract): Sleep disorders affect millions of Americans. Investigators are developing mice strains to help understand the physiological roles and genetic basis of sleep. To support and take advantage of the advances in molecular genetic research utilizing mice, an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers has been assembled to design, test, build and commercialize a low-cost, low-stress, tethered electroencephalographic (EEG) and electromyographic (EMG) recording system for mice. Its purpose will be to obtain physiological measures of brain function during sleep. The proposed system will have the following advantages over existing systems: an actively assisted swivel will reduce or eliminate swivel torque and allow greater freedom of movement during waking; amplifiers on the implant will substantially reduce the effect of cable movement artifact; multiple EEG channels (two or possibly three) will facilitate more definitive analysis; low cost will promote the use of mice for research on the genetic basis of sleep. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Development of a refined, high capacity EEG system will increase the ability of pharmaceutical companies to screen drugs for seizure and sleep abnormalities. Genetic screens will also be greatly enhanced by allowing high throughput. It will open the field to researchers who otherwise might not be able to study EEG waveforms.