Low Frequency Stimulation and Resulting Short Term Effects on Neuronal Activity

Ex vivo cultured networks of neurons coupled to Micro Electrode Arrays (MEAs) constitute a valuable tool for experimentally investigating changes in neuronal dynamics at different developmental stages and in response to xenobiotic exposure. Spike trains as well as bursts can be easily extracted from background noise and thus it is straightforward to evaluate changes in activity in response to external manipulation. These devices make it possible to record the firing activity of neurons over very long periods of time, even months, and it is possible to follow up the functional development by means of the electrophysiology generated form isolated neurons (i.e. first days) up to fully connected neuronal networks (third week) and that reflects phases of massive overproduction of synaptic connections and subsequent synaptic elimination and stabilization. The longitudinal recordings presented here reveal characteristic changes in firing activity of the developing network

NOVELLINO Antonio;  PALOSAARI Taina;  WHELAN Maurice; 

2009-08-13

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

JRC51671

1471-2202,   

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcneurosci/,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC51671,   

10.1186/1471-2202-10-S1-P61,