ANALYSIS OF THE SIGNALS GENERATED BY NETWORKS OF NEURONS COUPLED TO PLANAR ARRAYS OF MICROTRANSDUCERS IN SIMULATED EXPERIMENTS

Planar microelectrode arrays can be used to characterize the dynamics of networks of neurons reconstituted in vitro. In this paper simulatio ns related to experiments of the electrical activity recording by mean s of planar arrays of microtransducers coupled to networks of neurons are described. First a detailed model of single and synaptically conne cted neurons is given, appropriate to computer simulate the action pot entials of neuronal populations. Then 'realistic' signals are generate d. These signals are intended to reproduce, both in shape and intensit y, those recorded by a microelectrode array. Typical experimental cond itions are considered, and a detailed analysis given, of the bioelectr onic coupling and of its influence on the shape of the recorded signal s. Finally, simulated experiments dealing with dorsal root ganglia neu rons are described and analysed in comparison with experimental result s reported in the literature and obtained in our own laboratory. The e ffectiveness of the planar microelectrode technique is briefly discuss ed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.