Grant: Collaborative Health Research Projects (NSERC partnered)

Mice and rats are the workhorses of basic biomedical research. Numerous disease models have been created in mice by modification of specific genes that when disrupted lead to symptoms similar to those seen in humans. Mice are small, which is advantageous for housing and breeding, but presents challenges to physiological and behavioural studies. Evaluating neural activity or movement of awake and freely moving mice is hampered when the animal is tethered to the recording apparatus by power and data transmission lines. The exponential pace of wireless technology development microelectronics and microprocessor miniaturization during the last 5 years has enabled telemetry (wireless radio) based devices to record neural signals and one can find some of these solutions commercially available for large rats. Devices that can electrically stimulate and record neural activity in mice are not commercially available. Another identified need for research and drug development is for routine and long-term monitoring of activity levels and movement characteristics in rats and mice. We have developed a prototype telemetric neural recording and nerve stimulating device which is remotely powered by radio frequency waves, small enough to be for long term (> 4 weeks) subcutaneous implantation in animals as small as mice or young rats. In this project we will improve device powering, add capability to simultaneously monitor/stimulate 4 animals/cage and refinethe fabrication process by application of ASICs and/or microfab/MeMs technologies. We will add a rechargeable energy storage element that will allow it to continue to function briefly outside the radio frequency power field. We will also create a telemetric 3-axis inertial motion unit which will monitor locomotion, rearing tremor, abnormal breathing patterns and other movements which are used to evaluate activity levels, disease progression and treatment efficacy in a number of behavioural models. During the funding period devices that we develop will be applied in experimental situations to try to improve recovery from stroke, spinal cord injury, monitor disease progression in Rett model mice and evaluate therapies to improve outcome in fetal alcohol syndrome rats.