Surgical Protocol for a Large, Resealable Cranial Window Enabling Longitudinal, Multi-Modal Electrophysiology Recordings of Mouse Default Mode Network.
Tommi Kiiso, Paula Partanen, Keyrstin Jacobs, Bendegúz Varga, Satu Palva, Matias Palva, Eero Castrén, Raz Balin
Journal of Visualized Experiments May 29, 2026 DOI: 10.3791/70337 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Methodological paper Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Duration | Several weeks |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key points | A novel two-phase surgical protocol creates a large, durable, resealable cranial window in mice that preserves the dura mater, enabling simultaneous, repeated, longitudinal recordings from over 1,000 electrodes from the default mode network. |
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) is a central, large-scale brain network implicated in a range of cognitive functions and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). Studying the DMN's complex dynamics in animal models provides invaluable insights into its function in both healthy and pathological states. However, performing stable, long-term, large-scale electrophysiological recordings from the multiple deep and distributed nodes of the DMN in awake, behaving mice remains a significant challenge. Here, a novel two-phase surgical protocol is presented to create a large (4 mm × 7.6 mm), durable, and resealable cranial window in mice. The procedure is designed to preserve the integrity of the dura mater, which is paramount for long-term brain health and recording stability. This window enables simultaneous, repeated, longitudinal recordings from over 1,000 electrodes by combining surface-level micro-electrocorticography (µECoG) with two high-density intracranial electrode probes, providing unprecedented access to the DMN. This technique provides a robust platform for multi-modal, multi-scale interrogation of network-wide electrophysiological dynamics over several weeks, opening new avenues for investigating the neuroplastic changes underlying the pathophysiology of brain disorders and for evaluating the chronic effects of novel therapeutics.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat brains also have a default mode network Rats | 2012 | Observational study | |
| Large-scale topology and the default mode network in the mouse connectome Mouse brain | 2014 | Observational study | |
| Hippocampal Sharp-Wave Ripples Influence Selective Activation of the Default Mode Network Anesthetized monkeys | 2016 | Observational study | |
| Psilocybin-induced default mode network hypoconnectivity is blunted in alcohol-dependent rats Healthy rats and a rat model of alcohol relapse | 2023 | Randomized, placebo-controlled crossover pharmaco-fMRI study | |
| Altered functional connectivity within the default mode network in two animal models with opposing episodic memories Rats (control, LPS-challenged, and footshock-exposed groups) | 2018 | Animal model study |