Scaling Spike Detection and Sorting for Next-Generation Electrophysiology

Abstract

Reliable spike detection and sorting, the process of assigning each detected spike to its originating neuron, are essential steps in the analysis of extracellular electrical recordings from neurons. The volume and complexity of the data from recently developed large-scale, high-density microelectrode arrays and probes, which allow recording from thousands of channels simultaneously, substantially complicate this task conceptually and computationally. This chapter provides a summary and discussion of recently developed methods to tackle these challenges and discusses the important aspect of algorithm validation, and assessment of detection and sorting quality.