EngineeringBAP SIGNED

Project "EngineeringBAP" data sheet

The following table provides information about the project.

 Partnership

Take a look of project's partnership.

Map

 Project objective

Neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders are complex dysfunctions of neuronal circuits. Their treatment has been limited by the lack of non-invasive methods for measuring the underlying circuit dysfunctions, and for direct and localized modifications of these circuits. We propose minimally invasive technologies for measuring brain activity and functional connectivity patterns, and for manipulating them directly in vivo to correct the abnormal behavioural phenotypes (in rodents with potential scalability to non-human primates and humans). First, we present a proof-of-principle study on mutant zebrafish, in which we correct whole-brain level abnormal activity patterns and behaviours by using large-scale single-neuron resolution measurements, and by simultaneously modulating multiple sub-networks via neuromodulator cocktails. Next, we present strong preliminary data in rodents and our plan: (1) For manipulating brain circuits in rodents/primates noninvasively, we will develop technologies that can deliver receptive-specific neuromodulators to spatially precise brain targets without opening/damaging the blood brain barrier. These methods will employ engineered ultrasound pulses and drug carrying microparticles we designed. (2) For reading out the brain circuits in rodents/primates, we will develop flexible low-power neuromorphic μECoG circuits that can detect single neuron signals from superficial cortical layers of many cortical areas simultaneously. (3) Finally, these novel technologies will be comprehensively evaluated on a mouse model of obsessive compulsivity and anxiety using a battery of behavioural tasks to reverse the pathological symptoms (beyond what is achievable by existing approaches). This project constitutes a major step towards the development and testing of minimallyinvasive and high-precision technologies for manipulating brain activity patterns, which can impact both our understanding of the brain and treatment of intractable brain disorders.