SHIELD: Skull-shaped hemispheric implants enabling large-scale-electrophysiology datasets in the mouse brain

Abstract

SummaryTo understand the neural basis of behavior, it is essential to measure spiking dynamics across many interacting brain regions. While new technology, such as Neuropixels probes, facilitates multi-regional recordings, significant surgical and procedural hurdles remain for these experiments to achieve their full potential. Here, we describe a novel 3D-printed cranial implant for electrophysiological recordings from distributed areas of the mouse brain. The skull-shaped implant is designed with customizable insertion holes, allowing targeting of dozens of cortical and subcortical structures in single mice. We demonstrate the procedure’s high success rate, implant biocompatibility, lack of adverse effects on behavior training, compatibility with optical imaging and optogenetics, and repeated high-quality Neuropixels recordings over multiple days. To showcase the scientific utility of this new methodology, we use multi-probe recordings to reveal how alpha rhythms organize spiking activity across visual and sensorimotor networks. Overall, this methodology enables powerful large-scale electrophysiological measurements for the study of distributed computation in the mouse brain.HighlightsNovel cranial implant and surgical methods for distributed recordings with multiple Neuropixels probes in the mouse brainCustomizable 3D-printed implants provide flexible access to brain-wide targets and are compatible with optical imaging and optogeneticsPreparation remains viable over multiple days, allowing repeated recordings to maximize yield from single animalsMulti-probe recordings in behaving mice reveal how alpha-like oscillations organize spiking activity across distributed visual and sensorimotor networksIn BriefHigh-density electrode arrays such as Neuropixels are transformative for neuroscience research, but optimized surgical and experimental methodologies are necessary to fully harness the power of these devices. Here, Bennett et al. describe customizable cranial implants and workflows for multi-probe recordings of neuronal spiking across the mouse brain.