NIH-funded lightweight, implantable device provides new insights into brain-behavior connection

A new device capable of measuring multimodal physiological data in mice is a promising advancement for better understanding neurological and psychiatric disorders in humans.

Discovering how animals learn and adapt to diverse situations has been invaluable to our current understanding of the neurological and psychiatric disorders that affect humans. In a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s BRAIN Initiative and National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), scientists and engineers worked together to further advance the development of tools used within biomedical research, specifically, within neuroscience. This proof-of-concept study was published in Neuron

The research team engineered a lightweight, implantable, and wireless device capable of simultaneously detecting heart rate, breath cadence, body temperature, and body movement. Previous instruments, while insightful, were bulky and unable to measure an animal’s physiological changes and behavior simultaneously, and often depended upon human observation and collection of behavioral measures.

Behaviors are often accompanied by physiological changes (for example, heart rate, respiration, and body temperature) which can be indicators of disease or pharmacological response. However, capturing this data non-disruptively and simultaneously during behavioral tests in animals has been a long-standing challenge. Now, a new device could offer unprecedented insights into the underlying physiology that accompanies specific behaviors observed in mice. The lightweight and small size of the device allows for it to be implanted beneath the skin and near the heart, while the internal power source and wireless feature add to the device’s longevity and mobility. Additionally, the high-performance sensor can simultaneously distinguish between the different frequencies of body vibrations, heartbeat, and breath rhythm, allowing the device to differentiate the internal and external body movements. These technical advances allow for uncovering physio-behavioral coordination under various conditions, such as stress and optogenetic stimulation. For example, the research team found that when observing a physical conflict between two other mice, heart rates spiked in male mice but remained stable in female mice.

The researchers are sharing this technology, which has broad utility in the fields of neuroscience, physiology, behavior, and other areas that rely on studies of freely moving, animal models. This technical advance emphasizes the importance of BRAIN-funded research and the breath of impact it has for providing open access to technology, data, and scientific results.  

This study was supported by grants from the NIH BRAIN Initiative (U01NS131406) and NIBIB (R43EB033239).

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