Neural Noise- Monolithic multimodal neural probes support both sustained stimulation and long-term neural recording in one implant (Science).
- The design is relevant for closed-loop and chronic BCI/neuroprosthetics use.
- Devices are a direct fit for next-generation neural interface hardware. 1
Weekly enrichment (2026-07-20)
- The underlying study appeared in Science Advances (published 26 September 2025; Zhang et al.) and directly laser-writes electrode arrays onto the curved surface of optical fibers, embedding them in a biocompatible polymer coating to form a monolithic probe rather than a rigid “add-on” assembly.2
- The monolithic design delivers high mechanical bending endurance, stable impedance, and improved biocompatibility, producing a lower inflammatory response than conventional add-on systems.2
- In vivo, the fiber probe stably recorded both spontaneous and evoked neural signals from 8 microelectrodes for 2 to 16 weeks after implantation, with characterization at 0, 1, 4, 10, and 16 weeks of immersion.2 3
- Simultaneous optogenetic photostimulation used 473-nm laser pulses (about 5-ms pulse width, ~5-mW intensity, 1–10 Hz), and the laser stimulation did not interfere with concurrent electrophysiological acquisition.3
- Gold-nanoparticle (AuNP) growth reduced electrode size and enabled multilayer integration of electrode arrays on the fibers, supporting higher-density electrical readout channels.2
- The dual-mode optical-stimulation-plus-electrical-recording capability targets closed-loop modulation of neural circuits relevant to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, while addressing the glial-scarring problem that degrades chronic recordings.2
- Context: parallel 2025–2026 fiber probes pursue the same multimodal, chronic goal — the laser-engineered PRIME fiber packs over 1,000 (up to 1,200) reconfigurable light-emitting sites across 5 mm and 360° in a 160-μm multicore fiber and pairs with Neuropixels for simultaneous optogenetic stimulation and high-density recording.4