An implantable device for wireless monitoring of diverse physio-behavioral characteristics in freely behaving small animals and interacting groups

Wei Ouyang; Keith J Kilner; Rachael M P Xavier; Yiming Liu; Yinsheng Lu; Sophia M Feller; Kayla M Pitts; Mingzheng Wu; Jokubas Ausra; Ian Jones; Yunyun Wu; Haiwen Luan; Jacob Trueb; Elizabeth M Higbee-Dempsey; Iwona Stepien; Nayereh Ghoreishi-Haack; Chad R Haney; Hao Li; Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy; Mitra Heshmati; Anthony R Banks; Sam A Golden; Cameron H Good; John A Rogers

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.020

An implantable device for wireless monitoring of diverse physio-behavioral characteristics in freely behaving small animals and interacting groups

Neuron. 2024 Mar 19:S0896-6273(24)00153-3. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.020. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Wei Ouyang¹, Keith J Kilner², Rachael M P Xavier³, Yiming Liu⁴, Yinsheng Lu⁴, Sophia M Feller³, Kayla M Pitts⁵, Mingzheng Wu⁴, Jokubas Ausra³, Ian Jones³, Yunyun Wu⁴, Haiwen Luan⁴, Jacob Trueb⁴, Elizabeth M Higbee-Dempsey⁶, Iwona Stepien⁶, Nayereh Ghoreishi-Haack⁶, Chad R Haney⁷, Hao Li⁸, Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy⁹, Mitra Heshmati¹⁰, Anthony R Banks², Sam A Golden¹¹, Cameron H Good¹², John A Rogers¹³

Affiliations

¹ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
² Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; NeuroLux Inc., Northfield, IL 60093, USA.
³ NeuroLux Inc., Northfield, IL 60093, USA.
⁴ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
⁵ Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
⁶ Developmental Therapeutics Core, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
⁷ Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
⁹ Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
¹¹ Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Electronic address: sagolden@uw.edu.
¹² Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; NeuroLux Inc., Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Electronic address: cameron.good@northwestern.edu.
¹³ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. Electronic address: jrogers@northwestern.edu.

PMID: 38537641
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.020

Abstract

Comprehensive, continuous quantitative monitoring of intricately orchestrated physiological processes and behavioral states in living organisms can yield essential data for elucidating the function of neural circuits under healthy and diseased conditions, for defining the effects of potential drugs and treatments, and for tracking disease progression and recovery. Here, we report a wireless, battery-free implantable device and a set of associated algorithms that enable continuous, multiparametric physio-behavioral monitoring in freely behaving small animals and interacting groups. Through advanced analytics approaches applied to mechano-acoustic signals of diverse body processes, the device yields heart rate, respiratory rate, physical activity, temperature, and behavioral states. Demonstrations in pharmacological, locomotor, and acute and social stress tests and in optogenetic studies offer unique insights into the coordination of physio-behavioral characteristics associated with healthy and perturbed states. This technology has broad utility in neuroscience, physiology, behavior, and other areas that rely on studies of freely moving, small animal models.

Keywords: behavior; implantable; mechano-acoustic; neural circuits; physiology; signal processing; wireless.