A multimodal platform for real-time neurochemical and electrophysiologic monitoring for intraoperative neurosurgical applications

Abstract

Understanding human brain function requires tools capable of capturing the interplay between electrical activity and neurochemical signaling in real time. Current approaches measure electrophysiology or neurotransmitter dynamics in isolation and lack the spatiotemporal resolution needed for intraoperative human studies. We developed the Multifunctional Apparatus for Voltammetry, Electrophysiology, and Neuromodulation (MAVEN), a compact, battery-powered platform, to overcome these limitations and enable concurrent electrophysiological recordings, phasic and tonic neurochemical sensing, and programmable neurostimulation delivery. Herein, we present the preclinical validation of MAVEN in small- and large-animal models using addictive substances to elicit robust changes in dopamine and serotonin dynamics while also delivering programmable neurostimulation. Across models, MAVEN minimized stimulation artifacts and provided stable multimodal readouts, establishing feasibility and safety for real-time monitoring. Designed for both basic and clinical neuroscience, MAVEN enables investigations into DBS mechanisms, the neurochemical basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, and the potential role of neurotransmitters as actionable biomarkers for closed-loop neuromodulation. This has immediate relevance in the era of personalized neuromodulation and overcomes prior technical limitations that precluded direct investigation of human disease.