Platinum/Graphene Oxide Coated Microfabricated Arrays for Multinucleus Neural Activities Detection in the Rat Models of Parkinson's Disease Treated by Apomorphine.

Apomorphine (APO) is often used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) while the mechanism in PD treatment remains unclear. In this study, a four-shank microelectrode array (MEA) was fabricated to monitor cortex (two shorter shanks) and caudate putamen (CPU) (two longer shanks) signals simultaneously. The dopamine (DA) concentration and neural spike firing in the bilateral targets were recorded in the unilateral 6-OHDA PD rats treated by APO. Electroplating platinum black and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites onto the electrode surface significantly improved their performance with higher sensitivity, selectivity, and linearity and lower impedance. The DA level and neural spike firing rate were regulated to the normal level. On the lesioned side, the mean DA concentration increased, and the firing rate decreased significantly in the cortex and CPU. Synchronous spike oscillation and typical periodic firing appeared on the lesioned side but were significantly reduced after APO treatment. This represents a substantial contribution to PD treatment and effective recovery of movement. The nanotechnology-enhanced MEA biosensing interface provides an elaborate platform for detecting neuron activities and helps to reveal the abnormal signals between neurons.