17. 09. 2025
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Brain ischemia is a serious condition caused by impaired blood flow in the brain and insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients. Among other things, it disrupts the ion balance, leading to spreading depolarisations – waves that simultaneously activate neurons and glia and propagate through the brain’s grey matter. Microelectrode arrays are essential for monitoring these electrophysiological processes in real time, whether by in vivo or in vitro experiments. Their sensitivity and signal quality are crucial for accurately detecting electrical activity in the brain. Monitoring these processes is essential for scientists as it provides vital information about how the brain responds to acute metabolic stress and may pave the way for more effective stroke treatment.
A research team from the Department of Cellular Neurophysiology participated in a new international study, published in the Nanomaterials journal (IF 4.3) (open in a new window), in which they evaluated the performance of a flexible microelectrode array (fMEA) based on gold-coated zinc oxide nanorods, referred to as nano-fMEA, to obtain highly accurate electrophysiological recordings under pathological conditions.
Acute mouse brain slices were tested on two ischemia models: oxygen and glucose deprivation and hyperkalemia. The nano-fMEA demonstrated significant improvements in event detection rates and in capturing subtle fluctuations in neural signals compared to flat fMEAs
Better detection means better understanding. Scientists now have a tool that can reveal the mechanisms that determine the life and death of cells, which would otherwise remain hidden. This opens up new possibilities not only for basic research into brain functions, but also for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods.