Repix: reliable, reusable, versatile chronic Neuropixels implants using minimal components

Abstract

Neuropixels probes represent the state-of-the-art for high-yield electrophysiology in neuroscience: the simultaneous recording of hundreds of neurons is now routinely carried out in head-restrained animals. In contrast, neural recording in unrestrained animals, as well as recording and tracking neurons over days, remains challenging, though it is possible using chronic implants. A major challenge is the availability of simple methods that can be implemented with limited or no prior experience with Neuropixels probes, while achieving reliable, reusable, versatile high-density electrophysiology. Here we developed, deployed, and evaluated the real-world performance of Repix, a chronic implantation system that permits the repeated re-use of Neuropixels probes. The lightweight system allows implanted animals to express a full range of natural behaviors, including social behaviors. We show that Repix allows the recording of hundreds of neurons across many months, up to a year, with implants across cortical and subcortical brain regions. Probes can be reused repeatedly with stable yield. Repix has been used by 16 researchers in 10 laboratories to date, and we evaluated the real-world performance of Repix in a variety of chronic recording paradigms in both mice and rats with a combined 209 implantations. We found that the key advantage of Repix is robustness and simplicity. Adopters of Repix became proficient at five procedures on average, regardless of prior experience with in vivo electrophysiology. With the companion protocol alongside this article, the performance and user-friendliness of Repix should facilitate a wide uptake of chronic Neuropixels recordings.