# Mechanisms of Oligodendrocyte Activity on Chronic Brain Implants and Recording Performance

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $591,446

## Abstract

Project Summary
 This R01 (PA-20-185) application aims to greatly improve basic science understanding of oligodendrocytes
with respect to spatial and temporal dynamic changes around chronically implanted microelectrodes and long-
term recording performance. Penetrating recording microelectrode arrays are a crucial component of
numerous human neuroprosthetics. Obtaining selective, high fidelity, long-lasting readouts of brain activity is a
critical technology across basic and applied neuroscience that impacts motor, pre-motor, and visual cortex
neuroprostheses and brain-computer interfaces. However, implantation of cortical microelectrodes causes a
reactive tissue response, which results in a degradation of the preferred functional single-unit performance
over time, thus limiting the device capabilities. While the BBB and the role of other glial cells like microglia and
astrocytes have long been studied with respect to the degradation of chronic recording performance, the role of
oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte progenitor in this foreign body response has been understudied.
 This proposal aims to characterize the role of oligodendrocytes and chronic recording failure in vivo caused
by the insertion via quantifying structural, cellular, and molecular level tissue response to chronic implants in
the brain in real time through combining multiphoton imaging technology and neural engineering technology at
the University of Pittsburgh. A dynamic understanding of the interfaces is necessary for elucidating the
mechanism(s) behind neural recording failure. Oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells have
been implicated as key players in neuronal health following brain injury and numerous neurodegenerative
diseases. Therefore, we will utilize transgenic animals with specific activity indicators in oligodendrocytes as
well as pharmaceutical and gliomodulation approaches that target oligodendrocytes in order to explore
mechanisms that improve oligodendrocyte health and chronic intracortical recording performance. This work
has the potential to output basic and clinical science level knowledge relevant to neural engineering, ischemia,
stroke, intracortical hemorrhage, aneurysm, traumatic brain injury, MS, ALS, and closed-loop neurostimulation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10843309
- **Project number:** 5R01NS129632-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** FRANCA CAMBI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $591,446
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10843309

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10843309, Mechanisms of Oligodendrocyte Activity on Chronic Brain Implants and Recording Performance (5R01NS129632-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10843309. Licensed CC0.

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