Neural signal transmission measurements with a conductive polymer microelectrode array

The neural activity of dissociated cultures of mouse cerebral cortical neurons was measured with a conductive polymer microelectrode array. Each electrode was electrochemically polymerized from (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)- poly(styrenesulfonate) and ethylenedioxythiophene on indium tin oxide electrodes. The spike activity of the cortical neurons was measured with the conducting polymer MEA and spike train cross-correlograms were calculated to predict the type of synaptic connection. Both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections were identified after 6-8 days in vitro. These results show that it is possible to determine the interaction between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in relation to information processing with this new polymer electrode.