TitleUnsupervised Spike Sorting for Large-Scale, High-Density Multielectrode Arrays.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsHilgen G, Sorbaro M, Pirmoradian S, Muthmann J-O, Kepiro IEdit, Ullo S, Ramirez CJuarez, Encinas APuente, Maccione A, Berdondini L, Murino V, Sona D, Zanacchi FCella, Sernagor E, Hennig MHelge
JournalCell Rep
Volume18
Issue10
Pagination2521-2532
Date Published2017 Mar 07
ISSN2211-1247
Abstract

We present a method for automated spike sorting for recordings with high-density, large-scale multielectrode arrays. Exploiting the dense sampling of single neurons by multiple electrodes, an efficient, low-dimensional representation of detected spikes consisting of estimated spatial spike locations and dominant spike shape features is exploited for fast and reliable clustering into single units. Millions of events can be sorted in minutes, and the method is parallelized and scales better than quadratically with the number of detected spikes. Performance is demonstrated using recordings with a 4,096-channel array and validated using anatomical imaging, optogenetic stimulation, and model-based quality control. A comparison with semi-automated, shape-based spike sorting exposes significant limitations of conventional methods. Our approach demonstrates that it is feasible to reliably isolate the activity of up to thousands of neurons and that dense, multi-channel probes substantially aid reliable spike sorting.

DOI10.1016/j.celrep.2017.02.038
Alternate JournalCell Rep
PubMed ID28273464
Grant ListBB/H023569/1 / / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council / United Kingdom
BB/I001042/1 / / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council / United Kingdom