Compact movable microwire array for long-term chronic unit recording in cerebral cortex of primates

We describe a small, chronically implantable microwire array for obtaining long-term unit recordings from the cortex of unrestrained nonhuman primates. After implantation, the depth of microwires can be individually adjusted to maintain large-amplitude action potential recordings from single neurons over many months. We present data recorded from the primary motor cortex of two monkeys by autonomous on-board electronic circuitry. Waveforms of individual neurons remained stable for recording periods of several weeks during unrestrained behavior. Signal-to-noise ratios, waveform stability, and rates of cell loss indicate that this method may be particularly suited to experiments investigating the neural correlates of processes extending over multiple days, such as learning and plasticity.