Electrical activation of nervous system by sonar-based electronic interface

Abstract

In this paper we investigated neural activation by means of electrical impulses delivered along the auditory pathway in rats. The pulsed electrical signals, generated by a bio-inspired sonar system and processed by an electronic interface, were used to stimulate the amygdala, the inferior colliculus and the auditory cortex. We modulated the neural activity through different signal patterns related to ultrasound echoes and then performed Principal Component Analysis in order to classify the ECoG response to stimuli. The statistical analysis revealed the existence of a significant difference among responses and background signals. In addition, Fourier Transform of ECoG traces evidenced an increase in beta content in the amygdala while it was found that gamma waves prevail in the inferior colliculus and the auditory cortex, the latter highlighting the ultrasound nature of the electrical stimuli.