Manufacturing of an electrocardiographic sensor and its implantation technique in rats for long-term monitoring of brain activity

Electrocorticography in rats has broad indications for use in biomedical research. This is due to the high translational potential from rodents to humans, established by comparative experimental electrocorticography under the action of a wide range of neurotropic substances. The paper presents the features and technique of manufacturing an electrocorticographic sensor, as well as the technique of its implantation in rats. The sensor was experimentally tested according to the validity of the received signal under the conditions of administration of neurotropic pharmacological probes: strychnine, corazole, sodium cyanide, tiletamine with zolazepam, xylazine, dexmedetomedin and diisopropylphenol. According to ethological and pathomorphological criteria, the tolerability of the structure in the skull by rats was assessed. It has been established that the design of the sensor and the technique of its implantation in rats are safe and effective for long-term monitoring in conditions of free movement. The correspondence of the received data to the expected ones and the high quality of the signal-to-noise ratio make it possible to consider the signal from the sensor as valid and diagnostically valuable. The design is well tolerated by rats and does not cause pronounced changes in the histomorphological picture of the brain in the area of electrode attachment to the cortex for 90 days after implantation.