CN102334988B - Manual combined type microelectrode propeller and production method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a manual combined micro-electrode propeller and a manufacturing method thereof, which are used for collecting and stimulating bioelectrical signals under the free movement of rodents and birds. The lower tight cap connected to the lower end of the housing, the housing is equipped with an electrode holder, the microelectrode is fixed on the electrode holder and extends out of the lower end of the housing, and the screw used to push the electrode holder to move extends into the housing from the upper end of the housing It is in point contact with the electrode holder, and a coil spring is arranged between the electrode holder and the inner surface of the lower end of the shell, and the electrode lead wire is connected to the microelectrode. The invention is simple and light in structure, easy to manufacture, adopts resin as the main material, weighs only about 3g, consumes only one lower fastening cap for each use, and other main parts can be reused, and can be used to propel electrodes with low flexibility. It is also suitable for advancing highly flexible electrodes. In addition, the micro-propeller can also be combined into a micro-electrode asynchronous propeller for multi-point recording.

Description

Manual combined microelectrode pusher and manufacturing method

technical field

The invention relates to a manual combined microelectrode propeller and a manufacturing method, in particular to a brain research device suitable for but not limited to microelectrode propulsion of rodents and birds in a free state.

Background technique

Using microelectrodes to record the brain neural activity of experimental animals (such as rodents and birds) is a common technique for studying the neural basis of behavior, the neural mechanism of learning and memory, and other advanced neural activities. During the recording process, especially the chronic recording process, the recording of neural electrical activity usually uses a micro pusher to insert the recording electrode into the target position of the brain area of the experimental animal.

The micro-push device provided by the patented Hybrid Multichannel Printed Circuit Board Microdrive (US20090105776) includes a printed circuit board base, stainless steel conduit, electrodes, and a screw mechanism. Among them, the printed circuit board is the substrate of electronic and mechanical components. The patented solution uses four sets of screw mechanisms to independently push the recording electrodes through the slider.

The device provided by the patented Multi-electrode Microdrive Array (US7769421) includes a circular base, a slideway, a manually adjustable screw mechanism, 14 sets of identical catheters, and capillary-wrapped electrodes. The slide block connected with the capillary tube wrapping a group of electrodes is adjusted by the screw mechanism, and it precesses along the catheter in the slideway inclined at 30°. The advantage of this patented solution is that the capillary wrapping the electrode with both rigidity and toughness makes the electrode precess consistently along the slideway under the push of the slider. The patented solution is suitable for highly flexible electrodes.

The patent "a manual microelectrode propeller" (publication number: CN201157420) provides a manual microelectrode propeller, which includes a base, a propulsion rod, a rotating ring, and a slider. As the rotating ring drives the screw to rotate, the sliding The block moves vertically in the slideway, and there is a slideway at the floating end of the slideway, and the electrode plug in the slideway can adjust the horizontal position through the knob. The manual thruster has a large overall structure and can only be used for single-electrode recording and stimulation tests, and is suitable for large animals such as monkeys and cats.

The device provided by the patent "microelectrode propulsion device and its method" (publication number: CN101999897A) includes a gasket, a box, a nut, a screw, a slider and a bottom plate. The slideway of the box has a built-in slider, and the microelectrode is fixed on the array plate on the stepped groove of the slider, and the slider moves up and down with the rotation of the screw. The patented solution is applicable to the propulsion of microelectrodes in the brains of free-moving geckos.

The device provided in the paper "Miniature Motorized Microdrive and Commutator System for Chronic Neural Recording in Small Animals" (J Neurosci Meth, 2001, 112: 83-94) includes a threaded slider, a DC motor, a motor mounting plate, a base, a lead screw, Catheter bundle. This solution is a computer-controlled high-precision propulsion system, which can independently adjust the propulsion of three sets of electrodes, with a propulsion accuracy of 1 micron, and the mass of the entire device is only 1.5g, which is expensive.

The device provided in the paper "A Semi-Chronic Motorized Microdrive and Control Algorithm for Autonomously Isolating and Maintaining Optimal Extracellular Action Potentials" (J Neurophysiol, 2005, 93: 570-579) includes catheters, standard lumens, lumen adapters, positioning knobs, motor assemblies Cap, position sensor, piezoelectric/electrostrictive linear motor. This paper introduces a control algorithm to automatically isolate and maintain good extracellular recordings, so that four sets of independent recording electrodes are automatically advanced by linear motors.

The above-mentioned micro-thrusters capable of remote control or automatic propulsion have high precision and good application effect, but are expensive and difficult to be widely used; and the above-mentioned manual propulsion devices are often complex in structure or large in size and mass, and low in reuse rate. The wound surface formed during fixation is also relatively large, which has a great influence on the free movement of animals. In addition, it is difficult to use the existing micro-propellers in combination to realize micro-electrodes inserted into animal brain regions at different depths.

Contents of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and provide a manual combined microelectrode pusher with simple and light structure, reusable and high microelectrode applicability and a manufacturing method of the microelectrode pusher.

The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: a manual combined microelectrode propeller, which is used for collecting and stimulating bioelectrical signals under the free movement of rodents and birds. A cylindrical shell, an upper tight cap connected to the upper end of the shell, a lower tight cap connected to the lower end of the shell and can be fixed on the skull of the experimental animal, an electrode holder is arranged inside the shell, and a microelectrode implanted in the skull of the experimental animal It is fixed on the electrode holder and protrudes from the lower end of the shell. The screw used to push the electrode holder to move extends from the upper end of the shell into the shell to make point contact with the electrode holder. There are coil springs, and electrode leads are attached to the microelectrodes.

Specifically, the electrode holder is a stepped cylinder with a protruding hemisphere on its large end surface, the screw has a hemispherical head in point contact with the hemisphere, and one end of the coil spring is sleeved on the electrode holder. On the small end of the device, the other end is in contact with the inner surface of the lower end of the shell, and the electrode holder has a through hole for inserting and fixing the microelectrode.

The upper end of the shell is clamped with a nut threadedly connected with the screw rod, and the electrode leads are penetrated into the shell from the side of the upper end of the shell to connect with the microelectrodes.

The upper tight cap is screwed to the upper end of the shell, and the lower tight cap is threaded to the lower end of the shell.

The manufacturing method of the above-mentioned manual combined microelectrode thruster has the following steps: a. Prepare related tools and materials: mold silica gel, silica gel catalyst, finely carved oil sludge, rapid prototyping resin and cutting tools; b. Design software that meets the test requirements c. Use engraving machine or manual method to make carved clay into models of shell, electrode holder, upper tight cap, and lower tight cap; d. Use mold silica gel with silica gel catalyst Make a silicone mold with the prepared shell, electrode holder, upper tight cap and lower tight cap model; e, pour the rapid prototyping resin into the silicone mold, wait for it to solidify and take out the above parts by classification; f, put the electrode clamp Holders, nuts, screws, coil springs, microelectrodes and electrode leads are put into the shell, and the upper and lower tight caps are screwed on the upper and lower ends of the shell to form a complete microelectrode propeller.

The beneficial effect of the present invention is: the structure of the present invention is simple and light, only consumes a lower fastening cap for each use, and other main components can be reused, and can be applicable to electrodes with low flexibility (such as carbon fiber, silicon, hard metal, etc.) The electrode made by the electrode) is also suitable for propelling the electrode with high flexibility (such as a microwire electrode). The structure adopts a helical spring to form a direct-push propeller that can move up and down. Its fixed position overlaps with the position of the micro-electrode. When it is fixed on the animal's head, the trauma surface is small, and the resin is used as the main material, and the weight is only about 3g, so it can reduce the discomfort caused by micro-push and fix on the animal's head, and has little impact on freely moving animals. In addition, the micro-propeller can also be used in multiple combinations, and the screw rod and the micro-electrode are on the same axis, so that the propeller can be bonded and combined to form multiple propellers to asynchronously propel different micro-electrodes (bundles), and become suitable for multi-point recording. The microelectrode asynchronous propeller enables microelectrodes to be inserted into animal brain regions at different depths.

Description of drawings

The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of the present invention.

In the figure 1. Shell 2. Upper tight cap 3. Lower tight cap 4. Electrode holder 41. Hemisphere 5. Microelectrode 6. Screw 7 Coil spring 8. Electrode lead 9. Nut

Detailed ways

The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. These drawings are all simplified schematic diagrams, which only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, so they only show the configurations related to the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1, a manual combined microelectrode propeller is used for bioelectrical signal collection and stimulation under the free movement of rodents and birds, including a cylindrical shell 1 surrounded by two half-cylindrical shells. 1 The upper end and the lower end have external threads respectively, the upper tight cap 2 on the upper end of the shell 1 and the lower tight cap 3 on the lower end of the shell 1 have internal threads respectively, and the upper tight cap 2 is connected with the upper end of the shell 1 and the lower tight cap 3 It is connected with the lower end of the shell 2 through internal and external threads, and the lower tight cap 3 is fixed on the skull of the test animal by an adhesive during the test; an electrode holder 4 is provided in the shell 1, and a through hole is opened on the electrode holder 4. hole, the microelectrode 5 implanted in the skull of the test animal is fixed in the through hole and protrudes from the lower end of the shell 1. At the same time, the position of the microelectrode 5 can be adjusted by using the through hole to better meet the test requirements. 1. There is a card slot at the upper end, and a nut 9 is carded in the card slot. The screw rod 6 used to push the electrode holder 4 to move is threadedly connected with the nut 9, and then extends from the upper end of the housing 1 into the housing 1 to contact the electrode holder 4. , the microelectrode 5 is connected with an electrode lead 8, and the electrode lead 8 penetrates into the casing 1 from a lead hole provided on the upper side of the casing 1 and is connected with the microelectrode 5.

The electrode holder 4 is a stepped cylinder with a raised hemispherical body 41 on its large end face, and the screw rod 6 has a hemispherical head in contact with the hemispherical body 41, so that the head of the screw rod 6 is in contact with the electrode The protruding hemisphere 41 on the big end of the holder 4 forms a point contact structure, which can reduce the friction between the screw 6 and the big end of the electrode holder 4 when the screw 6 is pushed forward, and at the same time eliminate the electrode clamp caused by the rotation of the screw 6 The synchronous rotation of the holder 4 ensures the accurate propulsion accuracy of the microelectrode 5. There is a coil spring 7 between the electrode holder 4 and the inner surface of the lower end of the shell 1, and one end of the coil spring 7 is set on the small end of the electrode holder 4. , the other end is in contact with the inner surface of the lower end of the shell 1, and the coil spring 7 is used to increase the damping force when the screw 6 advances. When the screw 6 retreats after the test, the resilience generated by the coil spring 7 can make the electrode holder 4 stick tightly Screw rod 6 retreats to original position simultaneously.

The manufacturing method of the above-mentioned manual combined microelectrode thruster has the following steps: a. Prepare relevant tools and materials: mold silica gel, silica gel catalyst, carved oil sludge, rapid prototyping resin and cutting tools; c. Use engraving machine or manual method to make carved oil mud into the model of shell 1, electrode holder 4, upper tight cap 2, and lower tight cap 3; d. Use silica gel Catalyst mold silica gel and the prepared shell 1, electrode holder 4, upper tight cap 2 and lower tight cap 3 models to make a silicone mold; e, pour the rapid prototyping resin into the silicone mold, wait for it to solidify and then sort it out The above parts; f, put the electrode holder 4, the nut 9, the screw rod 6, the coil spring 7, the microelectrode 5 and the electrode lead wire 8 into the casing 1, and screw on the upper and lower ends of the casing 1 and tighten the cap 2 and the lower tight cap 3 to form a complete microelectrode propeller.

When assembling, first put one end of the microelectrode 5 into the through hole on the electrode holder 4 and fix it, and connect the electrode lead 8, lead the electrode lead 8 out of the shell 1 through the lead hole, and then put the nut 9 into the slot inside, and connect the screw rod 6 with the nut 9, and install the coil spring 7 between the small end of the electrode holder 4 and the inner surface of the lower end of the shell 1, and screw the upper tight cap 2 and the lower tight cap on the two ends of the shell 1 respectively. Close the cap 3, and the microelectrode pusher is assembled. The assembled microelectrode thruster can collect and stimulate the bioelectrical signals of rodents and birds under free movement.

During the test, anesthetize the test animal (such as a rat) and fix it on the locator, determine the implantation position of the microelectrode through the atlas, peel off the scalp of the rat, expose the skull, and after cleaning and drying, make a suitable hole or peel off Skull, fix the lower tight cap 3 on the skull of the experimental animal with an adhesive (such as dental cement) so as to fix the entire microelectrode pusher, then disinfect the exposed animal skin and skull, suture the scalp, and continue after the operation recovers Related tests. After the test is completed, the microelectrode propellers except the lower tight cap 3 can be disassembled and cleaned and sterilized for preservation for next use.

The present invention can be applicable to advancing microelectrode 5 with low flexibility (such as electrodes made of carbon fiber, silicon, and hard metal), and is also suitable for advancing microelectrode 5 with high flexibility (such as microwire electrode), and only one test is consumed at a time. The lower fastening cap 3, other main parts can be reused, and the coil spring 7 is used to form a direct-push thruster that can move up and down. The surface is small, with resin as the main material, and the weight is only about 3g, so it can reduce the discomfort caused by the micro-push fixed on the animal's head, and has little impact on freely moving animals. In addition, the micro-propeller can also When used in combination, it becomes a microelectrode (beam) asynchronous propeller suitable for multi-point recording, so that microelectrodes can be inserted into animal brain regions at different depths.

The above-mentioned embodiments are only to illustrate the technical conception and characteristics of the present invention. Substantial equivalent changes or modifications shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. A manual combined microelectrode propeller, used for bioelectrical signal acquisition and stimulation of rodents and birds under free movement, including a cylindrical shell (1) surrounded by two half-cylindrical shells, and a shell ( 1) The upper tight cap (2) connected to the upper end, and the lower tight cap (3) connected to the lower end of the shell (1) and fixed on the skull of the experimental animal, characterized in that: the shell (1) is equipped with an electrode clip The holder (4), the microelectrode (5) implanted in the skull of the experimental animal is fixed on the electrode holder (4) and protrudes from the lower end of the shell (1), and is used to push the electrode holder (4) to move the screw ( 6) Protrude from the upper end of the shell (1) into the shell (1) and make point contact with the electrode holder (4), and a coil spring (7) is provided between the electrode holder (4) and the inner surface of the lower end of the shell (1) , the microelectrodes (5) are connected with electrode leads (8). 2. The manual combined microelectrode pusher according to claim 1, characterized in that: the electrode holder (4) is a stepped cylinder with a raised hemisphere (41) on its big end face, The screw (6) has a hemispherical head in point contact with the hemisphere, one end of the coil spring (7) is set on the small end of the electrode holder (4), and the other end is in contact with the inner surface of the lower end of the shell (1), The electrode holder (4) is provided with a through hole for inserting and fixing the microelectrode (5). 3. The manual combined microelectrode propeller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper end of the housing (1) is clamped with a nut (9) threaded with the screw (6), and the electrode lead (8) is connected to the The upper side of the casing (1) penetrates into the casing (1) and is connected with the microelectrode (5). 4. The manual combined microelectrode propeller according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper tightening cap (2) is screwed to the upper end of the casing (1), and the lower tightening cap (3) is connected to the casing (1) ) threaded connection at the lower end. 5. a method for making the described manual combined microelectrode thruster of claim 1, is characterized in that: have the following steps: a, prepare relevant tools and materials: mold silica gel, silica gel catalyst, carved oil sludge, rapid prototyping resin and Tool; b. Use design software to design a model that meets the test requirements and determine the size; c. Use an engraving machine or manual method to make the carved oil mud into a shell (1), electrode holder (4), and tighten the cap (2) and the model of the lower tightening cap (3); d, using mold silica gel with silica gel catalyst and the prepared shell (1), electrode holder (4), upper tightening cap (2) and lower tightening cap Closing cap (3) model to make a silicone mold; e. Pour the rapid prototyping resin into the silicone mold, wait for it to solidify and then sort and take out the shell (1), electrode holder (4), upper tightening cap (2) and lower tightening Close the cap (3); f. Put the electrode holder (4), nut (9), screw (6), coil spring (7), microelectrode (5) and electrode lead wire (8) into the shell (1) , screw the upper and lower tight caps (2) and lower tight caps (3) on the upper and lower ends of the shell (1) to form a complete micro propeller.

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