Recording of the spike firing activity using magnetic field

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K19362
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 46:Neuroscience and related fields
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Hashimoto Kouichi 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(医), 教授 (00303272)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 神経 / 軸索 / 活動電位

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The toroidal coil was placed around the infraorbital nerve in rats. Action potentials were generated by mechanical perioral stimulations and recorded from the toroidal coil. Perioral stimulations evoked electrical signals likely reflecting action potentials propagating the infraorbital nerve. These electrical signals were blocked by a voltage-dependent Na+ channel blocker. Firing patterns of action potentials were different depending on perioral stimulation sites. Perioral stimulation sites were able to be decoded with 80% accuracy using a support vector machine.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、軸索を伝導する活動電位を磁場を介して計測する手段が確立されれば、軸索そのものに電極を刺すなどの侵襲性を最小限に電気活動を計測することができる。感覚神経束を伝達する活動電位は末梢で計測された感覚情報をダイレクトに伝達しているため、本研究の成果により、脳波などに比して感覚情報をダイレクトにリアルタイムで計測することが可能になることが期待される。