SPR imaging combined with cyclic voltammetry for the detection of neural activity

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detects changes in refractive index at a metal-dielectric interface. In this study, SPR imaging (SPRi) combined with cyclic voltammetry (CV) was applied to detect neural activity in isolated bullfrog sciatic nerves. The neural activities induced by chemical and electrical stimulation led to an SPR response, and the activities were recorded in real time. The activities of different parts of the sciatic nerve were recorded and compared. The results demonstrated that SPR imaging combined with CV is a powerful tool for the investigation of neural activity.