FY 1994 Annual Report to the Regents

Center for Neural Communication Technology
at the University of Michigan

The Center for Neural Communication Technology was recently established at the UM with a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to promote the development and use of ultrasmall electrodes for neuroscience research and possible treatment of some nervous system disorders. UM scientists and engineers are at the forefront in the development of ultrasmall electrodes for use in sending signals to or recording signals from individual cells or small groups of nerve cells. These very small sensors are usually constructed on a thin layer of silicon with circuitry patterned from thin film metals over the silicon. Techniques for manufacturing these sensors have been pioneered at the UM Solid State Sensor Laboratory and the Biosystems Laboratory. Some initial testing of the sensors has been conducted in partnership with the Kresge Hearing Research Institute in studies of nerve cells involved in hearing.

Microelectrodes could become integral tools in neuroscience research. One new electrode being developed at the UM will deliver chemical agents into neural areas to effect changes or mark cells while also taking electrical measurements of cell activity. Ultimately, these microelectrodes may prove valuable for rehabilitation in nervous system disorders, such as overcoming some kinds of deafness, producing a way to restore muscle control, or suppressing epileptic seizures.