Neuropixels probes promise new era of brain research

Humanity may be on the cusp of an exciting new phase of neuroscience thanks to the development of highly sensitive silicon devices called Neuropixels probes.

Created by an international team including UCL and nanotechnology company imec, the probes are 10mm long and just 70x20µm wide - thinner than a human hair. Each one contains 960 recording sites, measuring the activity of hundreds of different neurons across multiple brain regions. According to the researchers, the probes will enable the study of more neurons simultaneously than ever before, and could provide insight on conditions such as Alzheimer's and depression.  

“To understand the brain we need to understand how a lot of neurons spread all over the brain work together,” said co-author Professor Matteo Carandini, from UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology.

“Until recently, it was possible to measure the activity of individual neurons within a specific spot in the brain or to reveal larger, regional patterns of activity—but not to do both at the same time.”