In Vivo Blind Patch-Clamp Recording Technique

The methods for in vivo blind patch-clamp recording from the spinal cord, brain stem, and cortex neurons are described herein, including the (1) technique for in vivo preparations, (2) recordings of action potential and synaptic potentials under current-clamp conditions and excitatory and inhibitory synaptic currents evoked by natural physiological stimulation under voltage-clamp conditions, and (3) identification of recorded neurons and pharmacological characterization of synaptic currents. The signal-to-noise ratio and stability are good using this in vivo recording approach, and it is comparable to that found in vitro. The blind patch technique is a low cost method as it does not require expensive microscopes to visualize the recorded neurons. Furthermore, the relatively wide working space over the recording sites facilitates recordings from deep layers of the brain. Therefore, this blind in vivo technique is suitable for making neural recordings from any region in a wide range of animals from rodents to larger animals.