Spontaneous cortical activity in human and ferret brain slices (in vitro) (v1)

Animal models provide valuable information on cortical mechanisms and dynamics, in both physiological and pathological conditions. Ferret cortical slices are a highly accessible preparation which has been used to unveil important mechanistic insights. Nevertheless, as the complexity of the cellular makeup and function of the human brain is remarkable and distinct from nonhuman species, it is essential to validate findings provided by animal models in human-based systems. Here, we collected electrophysiological recordings of spontaneous slow wave activity (Local Field Potentials, LFP) performed on ferret (n=4) and human (n=3) brain cortical slices. The recordings were performed with 30 channels (human) and 32 channels (ferret) microelectrode arrays, covering several cortical layers and columns. As such, it is possible to reconstruct the spatiotemporal profile of cortical activity. LFP were collected from the visual cortex of ferret and from temporal resections of epileptic patients requiring surgery due to refractory epilepsy. These recordings are useful not only for improving our knowledge of basic physiology of the human brain tissue but also to bridge the gap between animal studies and clinical applications.