Dynamic and integrated mechanical movements of a rat brain associated with evoked potentials

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that visual evoked potentials in a rat brain are accompanied by measurable mechanical movements, revealing complex mechanical responses linked to electrical activity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of detecting brain mechanical movements associated with evoked potentials using piezoelectric sensors.

Findings

Mechanical movements follow evoked potentials with upward and downward phases.

Largest upward movement corresponds to a swelling pressure of about 100 micrograms.

Mechanical signals are more complex and originate from broader brain regions.

Abstract

By using a piezoelectric sensor, it was demonstrated that the visual evoked potential of a rat brain was accompanied by mechanical movements of the brain when it was excited. A phase of upward movement was found to be followed by a phase of downward movement. The largest upward movement was a rise in swelling pressure on the order of 100 micro gram, which was about 40 times larger than that of the bullfrog sympathetic ganglion. The waves of mechanical movements were more complicated than those of the evoked potentials. These findings are thought to be due to the fact that the evoked potentials are propagated from the immediate surroundings of the sensor, while the mechanical signals are produced from anywhere beneath the piezo sensor. The mechanisms of mechanical movements propagated in the brain by electrical stimulation are discussed.