Cholinergic Wireless Photometry Device for Measurement of Neurontransmitter Markers in the Basal Forebrain and Hippocampus

Chakravarti, Aatreya

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Cholinergic Wireless Photometry Device for Measurement of Neurontransmitter Markers in the Basal Forebrain and Hippocampus

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The growing population of elderly individuals in the last three decades has coincided with more patients suffering from neurological conditions. The result has been a marked decrease in quality of life for such patients. Studies have been conducted to identify the underlying biological mechanisms that lead to the onset of such disorders. The Cholinergic Hypothesis postulates that the disruption in the cholinergic neurotransmitter pathway explains progressive memory loss symptoms that manifest in many neurological diseases. Qualitative experiments observing animal model behavior have been conducted to verify this hypothesis. However, substantive quantitative data is lacking. A quantitative method to measure neurological markers in the brain through optical stimulation and recording has become increasingly popular in the optogentic research space. This thesis presents prototype devices that are capable of using this method to measure cholinergic functionality. The presented devices put priority on distinct design specifications. In particular, the initial discrete-component prototype emphasized untethered device operation and multi-wavelength, multi-channel stimulation and recording. The second-iteration prototype converted the discrete-component circuits into a miniaturized integrated circuit capable of meeting the same specs. In addition, wireless power transfer and data telemetry functionality was developed. Simulation and in-vitro testing results act as a proof-of-concept for future in-vivo testing.

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