Optical neural interface device

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03780
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 21:Electrical and electronic engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ohta Jun 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 教授 (80304161)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 正信 芝浦工業大学, システム理工学部, 教授 (20338312)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: CMOSイメージセンサ / 光刺激 / 脳内埋植 / 蛍光計測 / 光遺伝学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To realize an ultra-thin microphotonic device that can be minimally invasively and dispersively implanted in the mouse brain and enables optical manipulation and measurement of biological functions, we fabricated a brain-implantable flexible microimaging device and a brain-implantable flexible optical stimulation device, implanted them in the mouse brain, and demonstrated imaging and optical stimulation under free-running conditions. We demonstrated imaging and optical stimulation of the brain under free-running conditions. In addition, we have conducted optical manipulation and measurement of neural circuits by microphotonic devices dispersively implanted in the mouse brain, and have analyzed dopamine neural responses to nicotine administration in detail by implanting microphotonic devices in the VTA and nucleus accumbens, and have demonstrated pain responses to formalin injection. The pain response to injections of formalin was analyzed using devices implanted in the DRC and ACC.

Free Research Field

光電子工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により，自由行動下小動物の脳深部における広範囲な神経ネットワーク回路のリアルタイム計測と制御という従来にない手法が提供され，脳深部に位置し互いに複雑なネットワーク回路を形成している海馬，前頭前野，扁桃体，などの神経回路システムの計測・制御が可能となり，記憶や学習，情動等の機構解明に寄与すると期待される．これらは，アルコールやニコチンなどの薬物による中毒の解明，ひいては中毒症状の緩和につながると期待され，更にはうつ病などの精神疾患解明への展開も期待できる．