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Synchrony surfacing: Epicortical recording of correlated action potentials
Author(s) -
Bockhorst Tobias,
Pieper Florian,
Engler Gerhard,
Stieglitz Thomas,
GalindoLeon Edgar,
Engel Andreas K.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/ejn.14167
Subject(s) - neuroscience , interfacing , local field potential , electrophysiology , sensory system , computer science , receptive field , electroencephalography , biology , computer hardware
Synchronous spiking of multiple neurons is a key phenomenon in normal brain function and pathologies. Recently, approaches to record spikes from the intact cortical surface using small high‐density arrays of microelectrodes have been reported. It remained unaddressed how epicortical spiking relates to intracortical unit activity. We introduced a mesoscale approach using an array of 64 electrodes with intermediate diameter (250 μm) and combined large‐coverage epicortical recordings in ferrets with intracortical recordings via laminar probes. Empirical data and modelling strongly suggest that our epicortical electrodes selectively captured synchronized spiking of neurons in the cortex beneath. As a result, responses to sensory stimulation were more robust and less noisy compared to intracortical activity, and receptive field properties were well preserved in epicortical recordings. This should promote insights into assembly‐coding beyond the informative value of subdural EEG or single‐unit spiking, and be advantageous to real‐time applications in brain‐machine interfacing.