Scalable hardware and software for high-density, multi-regional electrophysiology in non-human primates

Abstract

Understanding how distributed neural circuits generate complex behaviors requires long-duration recordings from populations of individual neurons across multiple brain regions. High-density Neuropixels probes have revolutionized rodent systems neuroscience. Extending these capabilities to non-human primates (NHPs) for chronic, multi-regional recordings requires compact, implantable microdrive hardware and reliable automated spike-sorting software. NHPs provide access to complex and flexible behaviors that are difficult to study in other model systems. Extending the Neuropixels revolution to NHPs therefore depends on integrating hardware and software for long-duration, multi-regional recordings. Here, we present a scalable hardware-software platform co-designed for high-density neural data acquisition and reliable single-unit identification in NHPs. The Multi-regional Implantable NeuroDrive (MIND) is a lightweight, implantable microdrive that provides stable recordings from multiple independently positioned Neuropixels probes and is designed to support chronic, ambulatory, head-free recordings. We paired MIND with UnitAssay, an automated post-sorting curation framework that identifies and curates characteristic spike-sorting errors with minimal computational cost. Together, MIND and UnitAssay provide an integrated platform for implanted, multi-regional recordings in NHPs performing complex and naturalistic behaviors. We tested MIND and UnitAssay across parietal, prefrontal, and motor cortices in rhesus macaques performing reaching and eye-movement tasks. MIND enabled stable multi-probe recordings across cortical regions and durations. UnitAssay enabled automated curation of large-scale spike-sorting output and improved reliable single-unit identification relative to Kilosort 4 labels and standard SpikeInterface quality control. Together, MIND and UnitAssay provide a scalable solution for high-density, multi-regional, long-duration electrophysiology in NHPs.