Authors:
A. Ghazavi
;
D. Westwick
;
C. Luk
;
N. I. Syed
and
C. Dalton
Affiliation:
University of Calgary, Canada
Keyword(s):
Neuron-electrode Interface, Neuron Stimulation, Sealing Resistance, Finite Element Model, Micro Electrode Array.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Bio-Electromagnetism
;
Biomedical Engineering
;
Biomedical Instruments and Devices
;
Brain-Computer Interfaces
;
Devices
;
Human-Computer Interaction
;
Microelectronics
;
Physiological Computing Systems
Abstract:
Microelectrode arrays (MEA) are non-invasive tools for recording brain cell activity and have been successfully applied to a variety of neurons. However, MEAs fail where consistent stimulation of neurons is desired over an extended period of time. Here, a model is presented to study features that provide optimum stimulation threshold from different sizes and shapes of electrodes. Both simulation and in vitro experimental results suggest that star-shaped electrodes enable a threshold voltage that is 25% lower than that of an electrode with a circular shape, and are thus considered more efficient for neuronal stimulation. These findings are important as they will help produce more efficient microelectrode arrays for in vivo applications such as prosthetic devices, as well as for long-term in vitro neuron stimulation for studying neuronal networks and function.