Neuropixels

Neuropixels are a family of high-density silicon neural probes designed for large-scale extracellular recordings. They integrate thousands of recording sites along a compact shank and include on-probe electronics to amplify and route neural signals, enabling simultaneous monitoring of activity from hundreds to thousands of neurons across multiple brain regions with a single insertion. This combination of high channel counts, small form factor, and dimensional flexibility has made Neuropixels a widely used tool in systems neuroscience.

Development and iterations followed rapid adoption in the late 2010s. The first generations offered on the order of hundreds to around a thousand recording channels on a single probe, allowing multi-region recordings in awake, behaving animals. Subsequent iterations expanded channel counts, improved robustness for chronic use, and enhanced compatibility with array configurations and data acquisition systems.

Neuropixels probes have been employed to study neural circuits across cortical and subcortical structures in rodents and, in some cases, non-human primates. They are valued for enabling high-density sampling of neural activity over wide brain areas, facilitating investigations into how populations coordinate during perception, decision making, and learning. The large data volumes produced require specialized acquisition software and spike-sorting pipelines to extract neuron-accurate activity.

Limitations and considerations include the high data throughput, the need for precise surgical placement and stabilization, and cost. While primarily used in animal research, Neuropixels have influenced the development of scalable, high-channel-count neural recording technologies and ongoing efforts aim to extend their capabilities and accessibility.