Micro-LED Array-Based Photo-Stimulation Devices for Optogenetics in Rat and Macaque Monkey Brains

• Published in: IEEE access Vol. 9; pp. 127937 - 127949
• Main Authors: Ohta, Yasumi, Guinto, Mark Christian, Tokuda, Takashi, Kawahara, Mamiko, Haruta, Makito, Takehara, Hironari, Tashiro, Hiroyuki, Sasagawa, Kiyotaka, Onoe, Hirotaka, Yamaguchi, Reona, Koshimizu, Yoshinori, Isa, Kaoru, Isa, Tadashi, Kobayashi, Kenta, Akay, Yasemin M., Akay, Metin, Ohta, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Piscataway IEEE 2021; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Animals; Arrays; Brain; Devices; Dopamine; implantation; Light emitting diodes; macaque monkeys; microdialysis; Monkeys; Monkeys & apes; Neurons; Optical fibers; optogenetics; photo-stimulation; Radio access technologies; Rats; Stimulated emission; Stimulation
• ISSN: 2169-3536; 2169-3536
• DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3111666

Optogenetics is a powerful tool for controlling biological functions using light. Optical fibers have been extensively utilized in optical stimulation devices for optogenetics. However, the use of optical fibers results in a small photo-stimulation region. In this study, micro-LED array devices were developed to achieve large-area photo-stimulation in the brain of a large animal, such as macaque monkeys. Planar and linear micro-LED array devices were designed and fabricated to photo-stimulate the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain and induce a neurochemical response. Device operation, optical intensity, and safety were first characterized using rats. Subsequently, the devices were used to photo-stimulate the brain of macaque monkeys. In addition, microdialysis in the PFC was performed. The devices detected modulated levels of dopamine in the brains. Thus, the photo-stimulation of both the PFC and VTA were successfully achieved, and the effectiveness of the developed micro-LED array devices was demonstrated. The study will help facilitate further studies on micro-LED array stimulation for system-wide optogenetic manipulation in large animals.