Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings

Abstract Advancements in the field of implantable neurotechnologies have enabled the integration of hundreds of microelectrodes on ultra-thin and flexible substrates. Besides implantable components, also connectors, headstages and cables have to comply with the high-count demand, resulting in a comp...

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Main Authors: Maria F. Porto Cruz, Elena Zucchini, Maria Vomero, Aldo Pastore, Ioana G. Vasilaș, Emanuela Delfino, Michele Di Lauro, Maria Asplund, Luciano Fadiga, Thomas Stieglitz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59391-0
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author Maria F. Porto Cruz
Elena Zucchini
Maria Vomero
Aldo Pastore
Ioana G. Vasilaș
Emanuela Delfino
Michele Di Lauro
Maria Asplund
Luciano Fadiga
Thomas Stieglitz
author_facet Maria F. Porto Cruz
Elena Zucchini
Maria Vomero
Aldo Pastore
Ioana G. Vasilaș
Emanuela Delfino
Michele Di Lauro
Maria Asplund
Luciano Fadiga
Thomas Stieglitz
author_sort Maria F. Porto Cruz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Advancements in the field of implantable neurotechnologies have enabled the integration of hundreds of microelectrodes on ultra-thin and flexible substrates. Besides implantable components, also connectors, headstages and cables have to comply with the high-count demand, resulting in a complex and compact chain with reduced line spacing and smaller safety margins. Here, we show that epicortical recordings acquired from anesthetized rat brains with a state-of-art neural acquisition system are undoubtedly compromised by crosstalk, with signal coherence maps exhibiting a strong dependency to the routing layout. A crosstalk back-correction algorithm is developed, allowing to infer on how signals would look like under a zero-crosstalk scenario. We found that signal coherence between closely routed channels effectively drops after correction, corroborating crosstalk contamination. Our work stresses the importance of validating recorded data against the routing layout as a crucial step of data quality control, helping to come closer to ground truth data.
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issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-ea374cb5f76540b18315537f0dc50ce62025-08-20T03:08:43ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-59391-0Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordingsMaria F. Porto Cruz0Elena Zucchini1Maria Vomero2Aldo Pastore3Ioana G. Vasilaș4Emanuela Delfino5Michele Di Lauro6Maria Asplund7Luciano Fadiga8Thomas Stieglitz9Laboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of FreiburgDepartment of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of FerraraLaboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of FreiburgDepartment of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of FerraraLaboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of FreiburgDepartment of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of FerraraCenter for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaBrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of FreiburgDepartment of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of FerraraLaboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of FreiburgAbstract Advancements in the field of implantable neurotechnologies have enabled the integration of hundreds of microelectrodes on ultra-thin and flexible substrates. Besides implantable components, also connectors, headstages and cables have to comply with the high-count demand, resulting in a complex and compact chain with reduced line spacing and smaller safety margins. Here, we show that epicortical recordings acquired from anesthetized rat brains with a state-of-art neural acquisition system are undoubtedly compromised by crosstalk, with signal coherence maps exhibiting a strong dependency to the routing layout. A crosstalk back-correction algorithm is developed, allowing to infer on how signals would look like under a zero-crosstalk scenario. We found that signal coherence between closely routed channels effectively drops after correction, corroborating crosstalk contamination. Our work stresses the importance of validating recorded data against the routing layout as a crucial step of data quality control, helping to come closer to ground truth data.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59391-0
spellingShingle Maria F. Porto Cruz
Elena Zucchini
Maria Vomero
Aldo Pastore
Ioana G. Vasilaș
Emanuela Delfino
Michele Di Lauro
Maria Asplund
Luciano Fadiga
Thomas Stieglitz
Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
Nature Communications
title Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
title_full Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
title_fullStr Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
title_full_unstemmed Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
title_short Bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
title_sort bridging circuit modeling and signal analysis to understand the risk of crosstalk contamination in brain recordings
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59391-0
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